Flights from Christchurch to Abu Dhabi

Compare Cheap Flights from Christchurch to Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is the capital and largest city in the United Arab Emirates. While it is often overlooked for neighbouring Dubai, Abu Dhabi has so much going for it. The city is a unique combination of history and modernity with gorgeous architecture, waterfront views, incredible food, and plenty of museums. The city is home to the largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates, which is a must-visit for all travellers to Abu Dhabi. Just outside the city limits, you have the desert right on your doorstep. While the UAE is particularly known for its exciting and shiny cities, the majority of the country consists of desert. While visiting the desert, there are a variety of activities to take part in that will offer you a completely different perspective on the culture of the UAE. Booking return flights from Christchurch to Abu Dhabi is the perfect way to start your adventures around the Arabian Peninsula. From Abu Dhabi, continue your holiday with the glitz and glamour of Dubai or the stunning landscapes of Oman.

Start planning the adventure of a lifetime on the Arabian Peninsula with Webjet’s cheap airfares from Christchurch to Abu Dhabi.

The best time to visit Abu Dhabi

With a desert location, daytime temperatures are never cold in Abu Dhabi. Summer is the hottest season in Abu Dhabi when temperatures reach a stifling 42°C. With the heat accompanied by humidity, you won’t want to spend much time outdoors in the Abu Dhabi summer. Because of this, summer is the quietest season in Abu Dhabi. Not many tourists choose to visit during this time, so you can find great deals on hotel prices in the city. If you are after a bargain, consider visiting in summer, but prepare to spend a lot of time indoors in the air conditioning!

Spring and autumn still experience hot weather, but nothing compared to the temperatures of summer. Temperatures reach about 33°C during the day with lower levels of humidity, allowing you to get out and explore more frequently. These seasons don’t experience the same volume of tourists as the winter, so you can find a good deal on a hotel.

Since winter experiences the most manageable weather of the four seasons, many people visit Abu Dhabi during that time. Daytime temperatures are a comfortable 25°C, which is ideal for adventuring around the city. At night, temperatures drop to about 12°C in winter, so be sure you bring a jacket with you. As the high season in Abu Dhabi, winter is a busy time with tourists, so hotels increase their rates. In order to lock in the best prices, be sure to book your accommodation early.

Departing From Christchurch

Christchurch Airport (CHC) is located 10 kilometres (6 miles) northwest of the city centre. As the second busiest airport in New Zealand, it offers regular flights to Abu Dhabi and the Middle East.

When planning a trip to Abu Dhabi, you’ll have about 500 cheap flights from Christchurch to Abu Dhabi to choose from each week. These flights include a stopover and will get you into Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) in about 22 hours. Several airlines fly the CHC to AUH route, including Air New Zealand, Virgin Australia, Emirates, and Etihad Airways.

Getting to Christchurch Airport

In order to reach Christchurch Airport from the city, catch one of the city’s Metro Red buses. The Purple Line and bus route 29 offer service to the airport from several spots around the city. The Purple Line is available from a variety of stations, including the Bus Interchange, Ferry Road, and the University at Ilam Road. Bus route 29 offers a quicker service, picking up passengers from the Bus Interchange and Fendalton. Bus fare for each of these routes costs $8.50 NZD for a one-way journey and $15 NZD return.

For the quickest and most direct ride to the airport, you can catch a taxi or an Uber from locations all over Christchurch. If you are travelling from the CBD or inner suburbs, a taxi will get you to the airport in about 20 minutes for a fare of $35 NZD.

Parking at Christchurch Airport

Christchurch Airport offers several car parks within walking distance to the terminal. You have the option of several short-term and long-term car parks to choose from.

Where to Park at Christchurch Airport

• The Long Stay car park offers uncovered parking. Rates start at $27 NZD per day and $135 NZD per week.

• Orchard Road car park offers the most affordable daily rate. Prices start at $22 NZD per day and $154 NZD per week.

• The Craddocks offer a cheap long-term rate. It’s right outside the airport with a shuttle to the terminal. Rates start at $24 NZD per day and $100 NZD per week.

Arriving in Abu Dhabi

There is one major airport serving the city of Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) is located 30 kilometres (18.6 miles) east of the city centre. It is the primary airport for visitors travelling to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the second busiest airport in the UAE.

How to Get from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) to Your Abu Dhabi Hotel or Accommodation

In order to reach central Abu Dhabi from the airport, you can catch a bus from Terminals 1, 2, and 3. Bus route A1 offers the most direct route into the city centre. The bus operates 24 hours a day and will get you to the city in about 45 minutes. There are four stops within the city centre where you can get off the bus, including Al Wahda Bus Station and Electra Park. Bus fare on this route costs an affordable 4 dirham ($1.60 NZD).

If you would like to catch a taxi into the centre of Abu Dhabi, they are available from each of the airport’s terminals. The taxi ride from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) to the city takes about 30 minutes and costs a rate of approximately 85 dirham ($34.35 NZD).

Things to do in Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Zayed Mosque

Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Mosque is the largest in the United Arab Emirates. It is beautifully and intricately designed with bright white marble and sparkling gold accents. Visitors can walk through the mosque and then check out the equally impressive gardens outside. While the mosque is closed on Friday mornings for worship, it is open to the public at all other times of the day. Like most mosques, there is a dress code for visiting the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. Tank tops, shorts, and exposed wrists and ankles are not allowed. Women must also have their heads covered. If your clothing doesn’t meet these requirements, it’s no problem! The mosque has abaya robes that visitors can borrow at no charge.

Venture into the Desert at Rub Al Khali

Not far from the big city of Abu Dhabi, you can explore the heart of the desert. Much of the UAE is covered by desert, such as the Al Gharbia region outside of Abu Dhabi. Within this region, you can visit the Rub Al Khali, or the “Empty Quarter” in Arabic. This is the world’s largest uninterrupted sand mass. In order to visit Rub Al Khali, you can join onto a day tour from Abu Dhabi. Popular activities to enjoy in Rub Al Khali include riding a camel, driving a dune buggy, and going for a hot air balloon ride. Visiting the desert offers a completely different perspective on the UAE than what you experience in the city.

Al Jahili Fort

The Al Jahili Fort was designed in 1891 by then-sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa. The fort was built as a summer home for his family but was also considered a way of asserting his power over the people of the city. At first glance, the fort looks as if it could be a large sandcastle. Along with this fascinating design, the Al Jahili Fort offers exhibitions that showcase photographs and stories of Rub Al Khali in the desert. During a visit to the fort, you can see these exhibits and then continue through the fort to see its battlements and watchtowers.

The Corniche

Located along the waterfront in Abu Dhabi, the Corniche is an 8 kilometre (5 mile) stretch of sandy beach. With its stunning view over the city’s waterfront and the Persian Gulf, the beach is a popular place for both locals and tourists. Along the Corniche, there is a wide boardwalk that is ideal for walking or biking to take in the view and plenty of restaurants and cafes to grab a snack.