2019 – Airport Authority two young women become the first females to join the Airport Rescue Fire Service

2018 – Upgraded Instrument Landing System 2017

Rarotonga Car Park upgraded to computerized 24 hour ticketed parking7

2010 June –  Upgraded Terminals opened

2009 – Upgrade of Rarotonga International Airport Terminals (Arrivals and Departures) started

2006 – Rarotonga Domestic and Check-in area extended

2003 – 2004 – Sealing Aitutaki runway started and later opened in 2004

1996 – 1997 –  Aitutaki Terminal construction started and later opened in 1997

1994

  • Pacific Region Conference of the Airports International Council held in Rarotonga
  • Publication of “Coming in on a Jet Plane” by Colin Hall – A Pictorial History of the Cook Islands International Airport, Rarotonga, 1944 – 1994

1991 – Changes to the terminal

1986 – June – Airport Authority was formed

1982 – 5 November – First Boeing 747 service Auckland to Rarotonga

1974 – 29 January – Official opening of the Rarotonga International Airport by Queen Elizabeth II

1973 – 05 September – The first jet aircraft to land at Rarotonga on the completed strip was an Air Pacific BAC 1-11 series 475

1970 – 11 June – Work on the new international airport started

1969 – 07 February – Aviation Agreement signed between New Zealand and the Cook Islands

1966 – The Royal New Zealand Air Force was again required to provide a service to the Cooks.

1963 – 1966

  • Polynesian Airlines and TEAL agreement. TEAL purchased all seats between Apia and Rarotonga to enable a service to be provide to Rarotonga
  • Polynesian Airlines and TEAL operating the NZ – Apia – Rarotonga route

1951 – 1960

  • TEAL (Tasman Empire Airways) provided Flying Boat service via Laucala, Satapuala, Aitutaki, Bora Bora and Tahiti.
  • Solent Fly Boats replace New Zealand National Airways Corporation, also operated by Tasman Empire Airlines to Aitutaki.
  • November – TEAL (Air New Zealand) began the world-famous ‘Coral Route’ using the Aitutaki Lagoon

1947 – 1952

  • The New Zealand National Airways Corporation take over the regular fortnight service from NZ to Rarotonga with DC3 aircraft
  • January 1951 – The first DC4 to land on the Rarotonga airstrip was the Trans-Ocean Airlines called the ‘Kansas City Kitty
  • Also provided service via Norfolk Island, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa

1944 – 1945

  • The New Zealand National Airways Corporation take over the regular fortnight service from NZ to Rarotonga with DC3 aircraft
  • January 1951 – The first DC4 to land on the Rarotonga airstrip was the Trans-Ocean Airlines called the ‘Kansas City Kitty
  • Also provided service via Norfolk Island, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa

1943 – US Army built Aitutaki airstrip
1942 –  US Army built Penryhn airstrip