Brisbane Airport enjoys busiest day for international passengers since 2019

Brisbane Airport is today experiencing a milestone in Queensland’s economic recovery as, for the first time since 2019, more than 14,000 people are passing through the International Terminal in a single day. 

“To think this time last year, international travel was still capped at 1,000 arrivals per week through Brisbane Airport and people were entering 14 days of hotel quarantine,” noted Stephen Beckett, head of public affairs at Brisbane Airport.

“Queensland’s economy is powered by tourism. The tourism industry directly and indirectly employs 207,000 Queenslanders or 1 in 12 of all people employed in Queensland. But we still have a way to go to full recovery. International passenger numbers are only around 60% of what they were before the pandemic.” 

Brisbane Airport is expecting three million people to pass through its Domestic and International terminals this holiday period and is urging passengers to arrive 90 minutes prior to a domestic flight and up to three hours before an international service.

“In the terminal this morning board shorts have replaced business suits and high vis as people head off for a well-deserved Christmas break,” adds Beckett.   

The gateway is confident that international visitor numbers will continue to grow with the addition of new services and expansion of existing routes.

Indeed, just yesterday Jetstar announced it will fly four return flights per week between Auckland and Brisbane from March 27, 2023, delivering 25,000 additional Kiwi passengers into Queensland and an extra 430 jobs.