Thursday 15 May 2025

Sydney Airport has delivered the highest quarterly international traffic on record with 4.32 million international passengers passing through the terminals in Q1 2025, and a 3.9 percent increase on the same period in 2024.

Overall, 10.4 million passengers passed through the airport in Q1 2025, delivering a 0.8 percent increase on Q1 2024.

Domestic and regional passenger traffic was down 1.3 percent compared to Q1 2024, with 6.08 million passengers travelling through the T2 and T3 terminals.

International travel by Australians increased during the quarter, with 7.5 percent more Australians travelling compared to the same period in 2024. Travel by South Korean, Indian and Philippine passport holders was also above 2024 levels.

Although travel by Japanese passport holders declined compared to Q1 2024, in the 12 months to March a record-breaking 855,000 passengers travelled to and from Japan, highlighting the demand for travel between Australia and Japan.

Effective operational performance

Sydney Airport delivered strong operational performance during the quarter with 99.7 percent of international passengers and 99.9 percent of domestic passengers passing through security in less than 10 minutes. Wait times for inbound immigration processing also improved with 90 percent of passengers clearing immigration within 36 minutes – a 10 percent improvement on the previous quarter.

Kerbside drop-offs in the domestic terminals continues to perform well with all drop-offs occurring within 10 minutes of entering the precinct, while there were 10 instances at the international precinct where kerbside drop-off wait times peaked above 10 minutes.

Major upgrades delivering a better passenger experience

Major upgrades are progressing across Sydney Airport to improve the passenger experience.

At T1 International, five of the 15 new security lanes featuring advanced CT scanners are now operational. Due for completion by the end of the year, these upgrades will increase screening capacity by nearly 30 percent, allowing passengers to keep laptops, liquids, and aerosols in their carry-on bags.

At T2 Domestic, works are well underway on a $200 million transformation project. The upgrade will deliver faster, smoother journeys through Australia's busiest terminal, with next-generation technology, modern facilities, and greater operational efficiency. Once complete, 95 percent of passengers are expected to move from kerbside to airside in under 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, T3 Domestic is undergoing a refresh of its food and beverage offerings, with new options to be announced soon. In the interim, passengers can enjoy a variety of temporary food stalls, along with access to Luke’s Bistro & Bar and Stone & Wood.

Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton said the positive start to the year sets the airport up for growth in 2025.

“We’ve delivered a strong start to the year, with quarterly international passenger numbers delivering our highest quarterly international traffic on record, underscoring the continued strength of global travel demand,” he said.

"This momentum is further bolstered by key developments, including the announcement of Hong Kong Airlines which will begin flying in June and Turkish Airlines expanding to daily services starting December.

“That momentum is being matched on the ground by some of the most significant upgrades the airport has seen, from enhanced security screening at T1 International, to a major transformation of the T2 Domestic experience, and an exciting refresh of the food and beverage offering at T3 Domestic. These projects will deliver tangible improvements for our passengers.

“As these works progress, we encourage passengers to stay informed by visiting the Sydney Airport website, following our social media channels, and checking in with their airline for the latest updates on their journey.

"As we look forward, our focus remains on building on this momentum and maintaining effective operational performance. The positive start to the year, combined with our ongoing investments in infrastructure and passenger experience, sets us up for sustained growth.”

Passenger and operational performance data

Click here for the Q1 passenger and performance data.