The number of passengers moving through Australian airports will double to 279 million  within the coming two decades, according to new findings released by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE).

 

Released at the Australian Airports Association National Convention, the Air passenger movements through capital and non-capital airports to 2030-31 tracks the projected increase in the volume of passenger traffic through the country’s airports.

 

The number of air passenger movements through all Australian airports is projected to grow strongly over the next twenty years, largely due to a positive economic outlook for Australia and its trading partners.

 

The number of air passenger movements through capital city and non-capital city airports are expected to grow by 3.8 and 3.2 per cent a year over the same period to 230.5 and 48.8 million, respectively, in 2030–31. Passenger numbers are forecast to grow by:

  • 3.6 per cent a year in Sydney to 72.0 million in 2030–31;
  • 3.9 per cent a year in Melbourne to 60.4 million in 2030–31;
  • 4.2 per cent a year in Brisbane to 45.1 million in 2030–31;
  • 3.1 per cent a year in Adelaide to 13.5 million in 2030–31;
  • 4.4 per cent a year in Perth to 25.7 million in 2030–31;
  • 3.0 per cent a year in Hobart to 3.5 million in 2030–31;
  • 4.2 per cent a year in Darwin to 4.2 million in 2030–31;
  • 3.3 per cent a year in Canberra to 6.1 million in 2030–31;
  • 3.1 per cent a year in Newcastle to 2.2 million in 2030–31;
  • 3.7 per cent a year in Cairns to 8.0 million in 2030–31;
  • 4.4 per cent a year in Gold Coast to 13.1 million in 2030–31;
  • 3.7 per cent a year in Townsville to 3.4 million in 2030–31;
  • 2.7 per cent a year in Launceston to 2.0 million in 2030–31; and
  • 2.3 per cent a year in all other airports to 20.1 million in 2030–31.

Forecasts have been developed using expected growth in population, real income levels, exchange rates, real airfares and travel and accommodation prices.

BITRE Research Report 133—Air passenger movements through capital and non–capital city airports to 2030–31—is at: www.bitre.gov.au