List of the busiest airports in Australia
This is a list of the busiest airports in Australia by passenger traffic, passenger movements and aircraft movements.
Top 50 airports by revenue passenger traffic
[edit]This is a list of the revenue passenger traffic by airport from the financial year 2024-25, compiled by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics.[1]
| Rank (2024-25) | Airport | Location | Domestic revenue passengers | International revenue passengers | Total revenue passengers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sydney Airport | Sydney, New South Wales | 25,094,541 | 16,751,321 | 41,845,862 |
| 2 | Melbourne Airport | Melbourne, Victoria | 23,998,868 | 11,963,866 | 35,962,734 |
| 3 | Brisbane Airport | Brisbane, Queensland | 17,322,630 | 6,504,061 | 23,826,691 |
| 4 | Perth Airport | Perth, Western Australia | 9,070,312 | 5,130,190 | 14,200,502 |
| 5 | Adelaide Airport | Adelaide, South Australia | 7,384,087 | 1,029,690 | 8,413,777 |
| 6 | Gold Coast Airport | Gold Coast, Queensland | 5,734,010 | 624,270 | 5,998,280 |
| 7 | Cairns Airport | Cairns, Queensland | 4,042,523 | 664,953 | 4,707,476 |
| 8 | Hobart Airport | Hobart, Tasmania | 2,801,784 | 20,097 | 2,821,811 |
| 9 | Canberra Airport | Canberra, Australian Capital Territory | 2,764,770 | 38,371 | 2,803,141 |
| 10 | Darwin Airport | Darwin, Northern Territory | 1,627,703 | 234,831 | 1,862,534 |
| 11 | Townsville Airport | Townsville, Queensland | 1,658,216 | 0 | 1,658,216 |
| 12 | Sunshine Coast Airport | Sunshine Coast, Queensland | 1,594,932 | 35,485 | 1,630,417 |
| 13 | Launceston Airport | Launceston, Tasmania | 1,433,462 | 0 | 1,433,462 |
| 14 | Newcastle Airport | Newcastle, New South Wales | 1,183,708 | 0 | 1,183,708 |
| 15 | Mackay Airport | Mackay, Queensland | 902,355 | 0 | 902,355 |
| 16 | Karratha Airport | Karratha, Western Australia | 652,134 | 0 | 652,134 |
| 17 | Rockhampton Airport | Rockhampton, Queensland | 644,598 | 0 | 644,598 |
| 18 | Ballina Byron Gateway Airport | Ballina, New South Wales | 612,073 | 0 | 612,073 |
| 19 | Whitsunday Coast Airport | Proserpine, Queensland | 520,698 | 0 | 520,698 |
| 20 | Hamilton Island Airport | Hamilton Island, Queensland | 489,076 | 0 | 489,076 |
| 21 | Port Hedland International Airport | Port Hedland, Western Australia | 483,820 | 0 | 483,820 |
| 22 | Broome International Airport | Broome, Western Australia | 444,340 | 0 | 444,340 |
| 23 | Newman Airport | Newman, Western Australia | 430,415 | 0 | 430,415 |
| 24 | Kalgoorlie–Boulder Airport | Kalgoorlie, Western Australia | 374,444 | 0 | 374,444 |
| 25 | Alice Springs Airport | Alice Springs, Northern Territory | 356,813 | 0 | 356,813 |
| 26 | Ayers Rock Airport | Yulara, Northern Territory | 345,228 | 0 | 345,228 |
| 27 | Paraburdoo Airport | Paraburdoo, Western Australia | 275,462 | 0 | 275,462 |
| 28 | Coffs Harbour Airport | Coffs Harbour, New South Wales | 250,298 | 0 | 250,298 |
| 29 | Mount Isa Airport | Mount Isa, Queensland | 239,424 | 0 | 239,424 |
| 30 | Albury Airport | Albury, New South Wales | 223,069 | 0 | 223,069 |
| 31 | Gladstone Airport | Gladstone, Queensland | 221,503 | 0 | 221,503 |
| 32 | Wagga Wagga Airport | Wagga Wagga, New South Wales | 212,773 | 0 | 212,773 |
| 33 | Port Macquarie Airport | Port Macquarie, New South Wales | 190,020 | 0 | 190,020 |
| 34 | Mildura Airport | Mildura, Victoria | 189,719 | 0 | 189,719 |
| 35 | Emerald Airport | Emerald, Queensland | 195,908 | 0 | 195,908 |
| 36 | Dubbo Airport | Dubbo, New South Wales | 195,095 | 0 | 195,095 |
| 37 | Tamworth Airport | Tamworth, New South Wales | 172,980 | 0 | 172,980 |
| 38 | Port Lincoln Airport | Port Lincoln, South Australia | 171,635 | 0 | 171,635 |
| 39 | Bundaberg Airport | Bundaberg, Queensland | 165,224 | 0 | 165,224 |
| 40 | Hervey Bay Airport | Hervey Bay, Queensland | 154,744 | 0 | 154,744 |
| 41 | Devonport Airport | Devonport, Tasmania | 121,562 | 0 | 121,562 |
| 42 | Moranbah Airport | Moranbah, Queensland | 111,076 | 0 | 111,076 |
| 43 | Horn Island Airport | Thursday Island, Queensland[a] | 110,267 | 0 | 110,267 |
| 44 | Geraldton Airport | Geraldton, Western Australia | 109,887 | 0 | 109,887 |
| 45 | Armidale Airport | Armidale, New South Wales | 105,691 | 0 | 105,691 |
| 46 | Olympic Dam Airport | Olympic Dam, South Australia | 103,589 | 0 | 103,589 |
| 47 | Learmonth Airport | Exmouth, Western Australia | 103,108 | 0 | 103,108 |
| 48 | Orange Airport | Orange, New South Wales | 99,332 | 0 | 99,332 |
| 49 | East Kimberley Regional Airport | Kununurra, Western Australia | 98,605 | 0 | 98,605 |
| 50 | Weipa Airport | Weipa, Queensland | 89,971 | 0 | 89,971 |
Note: data not available for Avalon Airport; regular public transport operations only.
Top 10 airports by passenger movements
[edit]This is a list of the busiest airports in Australia by passenger movements (both inbound and outbound) compiled by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics.[2]
| Rank | Airport | Location | IATA | 1985–86 | 1990–91 | 1995–96 | 2000–01 | 2005–06 | 2010–11 | 2015–16 | 2016–17 | 2017–18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sydney Airport | Sydney, New South Wales | SYD | 9,498,000 | 12,361,000 | 19,878,000 | 25,814,000 | 28,996,000 | 35,958,000 | 41,105,000 | 42,614,000 | 44,035,000 | 44,376,000 | 32,195,000 | 7,804,000 | 13,670,000 | 35,571,000 | 40,567,000 | 41,845,000 |
| 2 | Melbourne Airport | Melbourne, Victoria | MEL | 6,476,000 | 8,346,000 | 12,972,000 | 16,881,000 | 21,041,000 | 27,963,000 | 33,705,000 | 34,878,000 | 36,319,000 | 37,057,000 | 27,003,000 | 6,106,000 | 12,817,000 | 30,651,000 | 34,842,000 | 35,962,000 |
| 3 | Brisbane Airport | Brisbane, Queensland | BNE | 3,457,000 | 5,246,000 | 9,236,000 | 12,467,000 | 16,016,000 | 19,975,000 | 22,320,000 | 22,653,000 | 23,238,000 | 23,623,000 | 17,805,000 | 7,530,000 | 10,023,000 | 19,793,000 | 22,234,000 | 23,826,000 |
| 4 | Perth Airport | Perth, Western Australia | PER | 1,939,000 | 2,508,000 | 4,145,000 | 5,162,000 | 7,005,000 | 10,890,000 | 12,558,000 | 12,453,000 | 12,433,000 | 12,406,000 | 9,346,000 | 3,262,000 | 4,757,000 | 11,216,000 | 12,786,000 | 14,200,000 |
| 5 | Adelaide Airport | Adelaide, South Australia | ADL | 2,082,000 | 2,461,000 | 3,743,000 | 4,443,000 | 5,767,000 | 7,279,000 | 7,778,000 | 7,999,000 | 8,274,000 | 8,368,000 | 6,246,000 | 2,751,000 | 3,821,000 | 7,522,000 | 8,248,000 | 8,413,000 |
| 6 | Gold Coast Airport | Gold Coast, Queensland | OOL | 778,000 | 1,090,000 | 1,993,000 | 1,888,000 | 3,515,000 | 5,486,000 | 6,273,000 | 6,457,000 | 6,541,000 | 6,414,000 | 4,779,000 | 2,002,000 | 2,996,000 | 6,102,000 | 6,321,000 | 5,998,000 |
| 7 | Cairns Airport | Cairns, Queensland | CNS | 578,000 | 1,288,000 | 2,595,000 | 2,891,000 | 3,731,000 | 3,859,000 | 4,711,000 | 4,898,000 | 4,969,000 | 4,859,000 | 3,472,000 | 2,082,000 | 2,625,000 | 4,196,000 | 4,634,000 | 4,707,000 |
| 8 | Hobart Airport | Hobart, Tasmania | HBA | 506,000 | 590,000 | 850,000 | 974,000 | 1,606,000 | 1,903,000 | 2,313,000 | 2,441,000 | 2,596,000 | 2,726,000 | 2,074,000 | 1,037,000 | 1,506,000 | 2,532,000 | 2,677,000 | 2,821,000 |
| 9 | Canberra Airport | Canberra, Australian Capital Territory | CBR | 1,008,000 | 1,124,000 | 1,750,000 | 2,107,000 | 2,550,000 | 3,241,000 | 2,831,000 | 3,013,000 | 3,179,000 | 3,218,000 | 2,350,000 | 1,045,000 | 1,286,000 | 2,711,000 | 2,820,000 | 2,803,000 |
| 10 | Townsville Airport | Townsville, Queensland | TSV | 1,030,000 | 512,000 | 598,000 | 732,000 | 1,161,000 | 1,630,000 | 1,530,000 | 1,535,000 | 1,627,000 | 1,594,000 | 1,216,000 | 976,000 | 1,195,000 | 1,649,000 | 1,671,000 | 1,658,000 |
Note: Prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Darwin Airport ranked 10th.
Top 10 airports by aircraft movements
[edit]This is a list of the busiest airports in Australia by aircraft movements compiled by Airservices Australia,[3] this list includes regular public transport operations and private operations.
| Rank | Airport | Location | IATA | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parafield Airport | Adelaide, South Australia | N/A | 158,268 | 177,432 | 228,290 | 235,384 | 272,646 | 225,142 |
| 2 | Moorabbin Airport | Melbourne, Victoria | MBW | 256,644 | 264,734 | 252,218 | 242,542 | 268,054 | 251,968 |
| 3 | Sydney Airport | Sydney, New South Wales | SYD | 308,342 | 281,738 | 304,938 | 336,956 | 267,862 | 321,916 |
| 4 | Archerfield Airport | Brisbane, Queensland | N/A | 182,682 | 141,466 | 118,354 | 133,872 | 196,708 | 193,040 |
| 5 | Bankstown Airport | Sydney, New South Wales | BWU | 298,798 | 275,846 | 275,978 | 220,166 | 235,048 | 218,046 |
| 6 | Jandakot Airport | Perth, Western Australia | JAD | 265,700 | 372,300 | 295,516 | 222,874 | 226,932 | 229,386 |
| 7 | Melbourne Airport | Melbourne, Victoria | MEL | 174,462 | 180,278 | 205,202 | 235,314 | 188,560 | 237,240 |
| 8 | Brisbane Airport | Brisbane, Queensland | BNE | 169,198 | 164,538 | 187,956 | 220,154 | 173,426 | 216,140 |
| 9 | Perth Airport | Perth, Western Australia | PER | 103,198 | 101,648 | 124,640 | 138,728 | 118,466 | 160,874 |
| 10 | Adelaide Airport | Adelaide, South Australia | ADL | 112,554 | 106,840 | 101,560 | 106,630 | 87,482 | 106,328 |
Notes
[edit]- ^ Thursday Island is listed as the name in the dataset; however, the airport is located on Horn Island, about 8km from Thursday Island.
References
[edit]- ^ "Airport Traffic Data 1985–86 to 2023–24—XLSX". Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE). 3 February 2025. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
- ^ "Airport Traffic Data" (XLS). Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics. 2022. Archived from the original on 24 April 2020. Retrieved 24 Jan 2023.
- ^ "Movements at Australian airports". Airservices Australia. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2016.