Auckland is getting ready for the A380, but it seems people are unlikely to see the giant plane any time soon.

Last week the world's largest passenger jet touched down in Sydney after a trip from Singapore - its first commercial flight.

Auckland Airport has carried out a multimillion-dollar upgrade to be A380-compatible, and plans further work on its airbridges and terminals.

Several airlines which fly to Auckland - including Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Qantas - are buying A380s, but they are unlikely to immediately include New Zealand on their list of destinations.

Emirates said on Oct. 30 that the airline was still undecided what routes it would fly its A380s on. However both Singapore Airlines and Qantas said they planned to fly the A380 on high-use long haul routes.

Air New Zealand has decided not to join the rush to fly the A380 and has instead bought Boeing 787-9s and 777-300s. A spokesman said the Dreamliner had been chosen over the A380 as part of a strategy to target direct flights to new markets.