Jetstar has achieved a New Zealand tourism milestone, with its one millionth passenger passing through Wellington Airport.

Jetstar Australia and New Zealand CEO David Hall said the airline was committed to serving the Wellington community with the lowest fares.

“Over the past two years, more than 750,000 of our one million passengers who have travelled to or from Wellington on direct flights have done so for less than $100 each way,” Mr Hall said.

“More than 65,000 of them have made the trip for less than $50 and almost 25,000 travelled for less than $30.

“This competition has not only enabled more tourists to visit Wellington and beyond but it’s also helped New Zealanders to see more of each other.

"Figures show almost three-quarters of Wellington’s domestic visitors are on holidays or visiting friends and family. This kind of tourism brings great economic benefits as well as social ones.”

To celebrate the milestone the Dennis family, of St Heliers, Auckland, were selected while checking in for a Jetstar flight from Wellington to Auckland to win five Jetstar flights on the airline’s New Zealand domestic network.

The Dennis family – parents Andrea and Andrew, and children Alexander (7), Bridget (5) and Oliver (2) – had flown to Wellington on Jetstar for their great-grandmother’s 95th birthday celebrations in Paraparaumu.

“The reason we can come to see the family so often, especially with three children, is because Jetstar is so much more affordable,” Andrea Dennis said.

The family plan to use their complimentary flights for a holiday to New Zealand’s South Island.

Since first launching its low fare flights to Wellington in June 2009, Jetstar has more than doubled its capacity to-and-from the capital city and improved links to its destinations in Asia.

Wellington Airport Acting CEO John Howarth said: “This is a fantastic milestone for Jetstar in Wellington. The millionth passenger illustrates how Jetstar’s consistently low fares and convenient schedules have been embraced by travellers to and from the capital. We look forward to seeing Jetstar’s domestic network grow, expanding the range of service options available to Wellington’s travellers”.

Wellington Tourism’s CEO David Perks said: “Jetstar strongly supports Wellington’s tourism industry and its low fare offering makes our region more affordable and accessible to domestic and international visitors”.

Jetstar employs around 500 people across our New Zealand business, including some 35 people in Wellington.

Jetstar recently released figures showing domestic passenger numbers increased 5 per cent in FY11 compared with FY10. Jetstar has carried more than five million passengers within New Zealand and across the Tasman since 2005.

The airline offers a growing schedule of an up to twice daily service to Christchurch and an up to five times daily service to Auckland. These services link to Jetstar’s broader network of 56 destinations in 17 countries and territories.