More than two dozen incoming and outgoing flights were cancelled on Friday, and hundreds of people were ordered from the airport from 8.40am when the airport activated emergency security protocols.
NZ Defence force personnel from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit attended the scene, before declaring a potential explosive device posed no threat.
The shutdown lasted until 3pm, when the airport reopened.
"We would like to thank members of the public for their patience and understanding," the airport posted to Facebook.
People on the scene described the outside of the airport as chaos, with travellers and staff were forced from the terminal.
While it is no longer peak ski season for NZ's biggest tourist town, it is school holidays, producing a greater flow of travellers.
However, there were few angry messages on the airport's social media page, where most posts were happy with the crisis management.Â
"Awesome work by the airport staff and security, safely got everyone on the bus straight from the plane to the event centre," Abdul Rahiman Feroza said.
"Provided us stuff to eat and drinks. A big salute and thank you."
During the shutdown, passengers were prevented from getting their cars or luggage from the airport, with more than 250 moved to the nearby Queenstown Events Centre.
The drama will force a travel backlog, and is the latest in a string of challenges to hit Queenstown in recent months.
Ski resorts have been hit with their worst season for snow in several years, while heavy rainfall last month caused landslips and temporarily shut the CBD.
Queenstown has also suffered an outbreak of the parasite cryptosporidium, which placed the town under a boil water notice.
An investigation by Health New Zealand found the outbreak was most likely "human faecal contamination" of Lake Wakatipu which reached the town's main water treatment plant.
The boil water notice, instituted three weeks ago, has been lifted for outer suburbs but remains in place for the town centre.
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