Gate side in T, Paper Plus is your last-minute fix
By the domestic gates in Terminal T at Christchurch, Paper Plus covers the basics: books, magazines, kids’ activity packs, snacks, and travel odds and ends. It sits post-security, so you can grab something after you know your gate and boarding time. Stock leans mainstream bestsellers and quick reads rather than niche titles, which works for a 90‑minute flight to Auckland or Wellington.
Opening hours typically track the first and last departures of the day, roughly early morning to late evening, but expect some variation outside peak school-holiday traffic. Prices sit a notch above city stores, standard for airport retail in New Zealand. You’ll find $10–$20 paperbacks, mid-range stationery, and the usual $3–$6 snack bars and lollies near the counter. It’s a functional grab-and-go stop rather than a place to linger.
Paper Plus stocks NZ authors prominently, so you can actually pick up a local crime novel or travel writing collection instead of another US airport thriller. Kids’ sticker books, puzzle pads, and slim colouring sets are common around the $5–$15 mark and help kill a trans-Tasman flight. There’s also a small rack of cables, chargers, and basic headphones for anyone who left theirs at home.
Practical tip: if you care about choice, walk past your gate a few minutes early to hit Paper Plus before boarding starts; once the T concourse crowds up, the small store feels tight and the queue can add 5–10 minutes.