Getting to Queenstown is not an easy process. If you are coming from the United States, it will literally take you over a day. Generally, flights originating from overseas, will land in Auckland or Christchurch first. Afterwards, there will be a short flight to Queenstown. All told this could add up to about 26-28 hours of travel, depending on lay-overs and other variables such as weather and delays.
Queenstown is serviced by two airlines, Air New Zealand & JetStar Airlines. Prices for these flights can be very expensive, if you leave your booking too late. If you are already in Australia and want to head to Queenstown for a few days, you can get direct flights daily in the winter time, or 2-3 times a week in the summer time.
There is some fantastic scenery on the roads, and you get to see a good deal of the country if you choose this option. This will also take you a long time in the end though, as you will probably have to drive slowly when going through the mountains.
Before arriving make sure you contact the i-SITE Visitor Centre in Queenstown for any advice on activities, transport, accommodation and bookings. They are Queenstown’s only i-SITE Visitor Centre and part of the nationwide network of 88 official Visitor Centre’s. Although there are many places to book and get advice in Queenstown the i-SITE Visitor Centre is the only unbiased independent source for good comprehensive knowledge and advice. Make sure to identify with the i-SITE brand before you arrive for trusted advice and service.