Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern believes the country needs a national memorial to the Erebus air disaster.

A memorial is appropriate and overdue, she said on Tuesday.

"This is a tragedy that touched every corner of New Zealand and understandably remains raw for the families and friends of the crew and passengers who died that day.

"I agree with the families that we should look to have a national memorial in place by the 40th anniversary in two years' time. I will sit down with them and Air New Zealand and talk about how we do that."

It was "high time" New Zealand formally recognised the tragedy, she said.

"I have already received some advice from officials and I'm committed to making progress as soon as possible."

Tuesday marks 38 years since Air New Zealand flight TE-901 crashed into Mount Erebus in Antarctica, killing all 257 people on board.

The Erebus National Memorial Project, a group including families of the victims, says they're still grieving and waiting for a national monument to New Zealand's worst civil disaster.

"They are impatient for an official national memorial," spokesman Richard Waugh said.

A wreath-laying ceremony will take place on Tuesday at Auckland Airport's Erebus Crew Memorial garden.

While a memorial marks the crash site on Ross Island, there is no single public monument in New Zealand that names all the crash's victims.

- NZ Newswire