Australia, boasting a surface area measuring 7,688,000 square kilometers, stands as a colossal nation, surpassing Italy’s size by 26 times. Despite its expansive landmass, Australia’s population of 25.69 million individuals remains comparably minute, relative to the available territory. Moreover, the distribution of inhabitants across the country is far from uniform, with a notable concentration in the southeastern corner, housing prominent cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Brisbane. Generally, Australians tend to gravitate toward urban areas along the coastal regions. Consequently, due to the vast expanse of the country and its dispersed layout, it is unsurprising to find a multitude of significantly large airports. Today, our focus shifts towards examining the 10 largest and busiest airports in Australia.
The 10 Busiest & Biggest Australian Airports
Sydney Airport:
- IATA: SYD | ICAO: YSSY
- Address: 100 Aviation Way, Mascot, New South Wales 2020
Undoubtedly, Sydney Airport stands as the largest among all airports in Australia. According to data compiled by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport, and Regional Economics for the 2018-2019 period, it recorded an impressive 44 million passengers. However, this figure experienced a significant decline to 7 million during the 2020-2021 period, primarily due to the global health crisis. Fortunately, as international travel gradually resumed, passenger traffic began to rebound during the 2021-2022 period, reaching 13 million. In the concluding phase of the Passenger Movements for the year ended March 2024 and 2023, Sydney Airport achieved a remarkable milestone by accommodating an impressive 75 million passengers. Additionally, there has been a notable growth in Revenue Passenger Movements for the year ending in March 2024, exhibiting an increase of approximately 18.1% when compared to the same period in the preceding year, March 2023.
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Melbourne Airport:
- IATA: MEL | ICAO: YMML
- Address: 270 Lorimer Street, Tullamarine, Victoria 3043
Securing a strong second position among the busiest airports in Australia is Melbourne Airport, boasting an impressive record of 37 million passengers during the 2018-2019 period. Commonly referred to as Tullamarine Airport, it commenced operations in 1970 and now stands as one of the four airports catering to the city. Positioned 23 kilometers northwest of the city center, the airport accommodates four terminals, with one dedicated to international flights and the remaining three serving domestic flights. Finaly, In the concluding phase of the Passenger Movements for the year ended March 2024 and 2023, Melbourne Airport achieved a remarkable milestone by accommodating an impressive 65 million passengers. Additionally, there has been a notable growth in Revenue Passenger Movements for the year ending in March 2024, exhibiting an increase of approximately 17.4% when compared to the same period in the preceding year, March 2023.
Perth Airport:
- IATA: PER | ICAO: YPPH
- Address: 1 Airport Drive, Perth, Western Australia 6009
Claiming the fourth spot in the rankings of Australia’s busiest airports, Perth Airport witnessed a significant influx of 12.4 million passengers during the 2018-2019 period. Notably, it stands as the busiest airport in Western Australia, primarily due to its extensive domestic flight network. A prime example of its popularity is the highly sought-after 4-hour air journey connecting Perth and Sydney. However, Perth Airport also hosts crucial international flights, including the noteworthy direct route between Perth and London, as well as the heavily utilized connection with Singapore. In the concluding phase of the Passenger Movements for the year ended March 2024 and 2023, Perth Airport achieved a remarkable milestone by accommodating an impressive 23 million passengers. Additionally, there has been a notable growth in Revenue Passenger Movements for the year ending in March 2024, exhibiting an increase of approximately 19.3% when compared to the same period in the preceding year, March 2023.
Adelaide Airport:
- IATA: ADL | ICAO: YPAD
- Address: 500 Port Road, West Beach, South Australia 5021
Within the timeframe of 2018-2019, Adelaide Airport catered to a total of 8.3 million passengers. Situated just 6 kilometers west of this southern Australian city, the airport was initially constructed in 1955 and underwent expansion in 2005. Notably, this expansion led to Adelaide Airport being recognized as the second-best airport in its category worldwide in 2006. However, in contrast to the aforementioned airports, Adelaide Airport offers relatively fewer international flight options. For instance, it lacks connections to Europe, Africa, or America. In the concluding phase of the Passenger Movements for the year ended March 2024 and 2023, Adelaide Airport achieved a remarkable milestone by accommodating an impressive 17 million passengers. Additionally, there has been a notable growth in Revenue Passenger Movements for the year ending in March 2024, exhibiting an increase of approximately 12.3% when compared to the same period in the preceding year, March 2023.
Gold Coast Airport:
- IATA: OOL | ICAO: YBCG
- Address: 1000 Gold Coast Highway, Coolangatta, Queensland 4222
Also known as Coolangatta Airport, this airport is located approximately 90 kilometers south of Brisbane and is included in the “covered” area of the top three busiest airports in Australia. The Gold Coast airport is situated on the frontier between Queensland and New South Wales. Due to the fact that the two states have distinct time zones during the summer, it was determined that the airport would adhere to Queensland time. Coolangatta airport served 6.4 million passengers from 2018 to 2019. In the concluding phase of the Passenger Movements for the year ended March 2024 and 2023, Gold Coast Airport achieved a remarkable milestone by accommodating an impressive 14 million passengers. Additionally, there has been a notable growth in Revenue Passenger Movements for the year ending in March 2024, exhibiting an increase of approximately 3.8% when compared to the same period in the preceding year, March 2023.
Cairns Airport:
- IATA: CNS | ICAO: YBCS
- Address: 200 Captain Cook Highway, Cairns, Queensland 4870
With a mere 4.8 million passengers passing through this airport in 2018-2019, we are situated at a considerable distance from the high numbers of the top-ranked airports in the area. This airport is located in the northern region of Queensland, seven kilometers from the city of Cairns. It offers 10 direct flights to international destinations and 35 domestic flights. It is important to note that the airport was acquired by the government during the Second World War to ensure its availability to the Royal Australian Air Force. Subsequently, it was sold to a private consortium in 2008. In the concluding phase of the Passenger Movements for the year ended March 2024 and 2023, Cairns Airport achieved a remarkable milestone by accommodating an impressive 10 million passengers. Additionally, there has been a notable growth in Revenue Passenger Movements for the year ending in March 2024, exhibiting an increase of approximately 11.7% when compared to the same period in the preceding year, March 2023.
Hobart Airport:
- IATA: HBA | ICAO: YMHB
- Address: 1155 Main Road, Cambridge, Tasmania 7000
2.7 million passengers arrived at Hobart airport between 2018 and 2019, prior to the pandemic. We are no longer on the Australian continent; instead, we are in the island state of Tasmania. The airport is situated 17 kilometers from the city of Hobart, which functions as the state capital. The airport primarily operates domestic aircraft, with only one international destination—Auckland, New Zealand—which receives two to three flights per week. In the concluding phase of the Passenger Movements for the year ended March 2024 and 2023, Hobart Airport achieved a remarkable milestone by accommodating an impressive 6 million passengers. Additionally, there has been a notable growth in Revenue Passenger Movements for the year ending in March 2024, exhibiting an increase of approximately 5.2% when compared to the same period in the preceding year, March 2023.
Canberra Airport:
- IATA: CBR | ICAO: YSCB
- Address: Barton Highway, Mitchell, Australian Capital Territory 2615
The airport that serves Canberra, the capital of Australia, is ranked ninth in the list of the busiest airports in the country. Canberra airport recorded 3.2 million passengers in 2018-2019; however, Hobart airport has surpassed Canberra in terms of passenger volume only since the pandemic. Each of the state capitals in Australia, as well as numerous communities on the east coast, can be reached by air from Canberra airport. Additionally, international flights are available to Singapore and Wellington; however, journeys to other international destinations typically require a stopover in Sydney. In the concluding phase of the Passenger Movements for the year ended March 2024 and 2023, Canberra Airport achieved a remarkable milestone by accommodating an impressive 5 million passengers. Additionally, there has been a notable growth in Revenue Passenger Movements for the year ending in March 2024, exhibiting an increase of approximately 4.7% when compared to the same period in the preceding year, March 2023.
Townsville Airport:
- IATA: TSV | ICAO: YBTL
- Address: 180 Ross River Road, Thuringowah, Queensland 4810
The list of the busiest and most frequented airports in Australia concludes with Townsville airport, which served 1.6 million passengers during the 2018-2019 fiscal year. It is located in Queensland, to the north of the airport that we previously discussed, Cairns. In the concluding phase of the Passenger Movements for the year ended March 2024 and 2023, Townsville Airport achieved a remarkable milestone by accommodating an impressive 3.5 million passengers. Additionally, there has been a notable growth in Revenue Passenger Movements for the year ending in March 2024, exhibiting an increase of approximately 3.9% when compared to the same period in the preceding year, March 2023.
Tips for Navigating Australia’s Busiest Airports
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For a seamless airport experience at Australia’s busiest hubs, booking airssist airport concierge is highly recommended.