Qantas and Perth Airport announce $3 billion investment in terminal facilities and new runway

A Qantas Boeing B737-838, registration VH-VXO, taxis from the domestic terminal to the third runway of Sydney Kingsford-Smith Airport, heading to Brisbane as flight QF520.  In the background is the old air traffic control tower, next to the main north-south runway.  In the far distance are residential districts. This image was taken from Shep’s Mound at midday on a cloudy, windy and stormy day on 7 May 2023.
Edited by Travel Weekly


    Qantas and Perth Airport have announced a historic commercial agreement that will unlock a multi-billion-dollar wave of investment and deliver new international and domestic flights.

    As part of the 12-year agreement will be a major boost to Australian tourism with Perth Airport investing around $3 billion in new terminal facilities and a new parallel runway which will generate immediate and ongoing economic growth and job creation.

    This will form part of a $5 billion capital investment program by Perth Airport – the largest ever private infrastructure development in Perth – which will also deliver two multi-storey carparks, major access roadworks, and the airport’s first hotel.

    Qantas and Jetstar will relocate all services to a new terminal in the Airport Central precinct that will, along with the airline’s major investment in new aircraft, enable the growth required to turn Western Australia into a major domestic and international hub for the airlines.

    Qantas and Jetstar plan to add 4.4 million seats to and from Perth annually by the time the new terminal opens in 2031 and the hub will significantly enhance inbound tourism and give Australians more options when travelling to Asia, Africa, India and Europe.

    The new terminal is set to offer passengers a world-leading travel experience, with seamless domestic and
    international transfer, as well as state-of-the-art check-in and bag drop facilities.

    Qantas will work with Perth Airport on plans for a multi-lounge precinct for international and domestic passengers with a new signature design and bespoke dining and wellness initiatives.

    “This is the largest airport infrastructure deal in our history,” Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson said.

    “It will enable us to create a world-class western hub and significantly expand our domestic and international services over the short, medium and long term.

    “Not only will it allow us to bring hundreds of thousands more travellers to and through Western Australia each year, it will also make it easier for overseas tourists to connect to more destinations across Australia.”

    Perth Airport will also invest in upgrades to Terminals 3 and 4, the current home of Qantas domestic and
    international flights, to create additional capacity while the new terminals are built.

    Perth Airport CEO Jason Waters said this moment in aviation history for Western Australia will unlock the future for both Perth Airport and Qantas.

    “Qantas has some ambitious growth plans for its operations in Perth and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to push ahead together and realise this potential,” Waters said.

    “Western Australians will now see the largest-ever private investment in an infrastructure development in Perth – a once in a lifetime investment program that will completely change the face of Perth Airport over the next decade.”

    Jetstar will relocate its domestic services to Terminal 2 from September 2024, unlocking further growth opportunities for both airlines, before moving into the Airport Central terminal when complete.

    The Terminal 3 and 4 upgrades will enable Qantas to add services and more destinations from Perth, including Auckland and Johannesburg from mid-2025, subject to meeting border agency requirements.

    Delivery of the new runway will enable further growth for the critical resources sector and future-proof aviation in Western Australia.

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