January 26 2025  |  Airlines & Airports

Sydney sees strongest quarter since 2019 as international traffic nears full recovery

By Wendy Morley


Full-year traffic at Sydney Airport reached 41 million passengers; while that was shy of 2019's numbers, Q4 has brought the airport up to pre-pandemic standards

Sydney Airport closed 2024 with its strongest quarter since pre-pandemic, handling 11 million passengers in Q4, up 5% year-on-year and reaching 94.4% of 2019 levels.

International traffic showed particular strength, with 4.35 million passengers representing a 99.1% recovery versus Q4 2019's record levels and a 7.4% increase over Q4 2023. Outbound Australian travel exceeded 2019 figures by 8.4%, while visitors from South Korea, India and the Philippines also surpassed pre-pandemic numbers.

The domestic and regional segment saw 6.65 million passengers through Terminals 2 and 3, up 3.5% versus Q4 2023. Full-year traffic reached 41 million passengers across all terminals, approaching within 6.8% of 2019's record 44.4 million. International volume grew 12.1% to 16.3 million passengers in 2024, while domestic increased 4.1% to over 25 million.

Operational metrics hit new highs

The quarter also marked record operational performance, with virtually all passengers clearing security within 10 minutes. Terminal curbside wait times improved, with domestic achieving 100% compliance with the 10-minute target, up from seven breaches in Q3. International drop-offs exceeding the target fell from seven instances to four.

Immigration processing also gained efficiency, with 90% of passengers clearing within 37 minutes – a 12% improvement during the year's peak international period. A project to consolidate ticket kiosks and e-gates is halfway complete, with 40 new kiosks to be installed this year.

"The momentum for international travel was especially strong in the last few months of the year and the addition of new partners like Turkish Airlines and Juneyao Air, and positive discussions we've been having with prospective partners, sets us up well for 2025," said CEO Scott Charlton.

He emphasized the airport's focus on maximizing existing infrastructure before undertaking major capital projects: "When we do invest, we'll do so with a clear focus on enhancing the passenger experience and improving on-time performance. Our strong pipeline of projects is designed to support our growth ambitions, as we build in line with demand."

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