Newcastle Airport has recorded its highest ever passenger results for any quarter with 340,778 passengers travelling through the terminal from October to December.
This ended a successful year for the airport which included the completion of the expanded terminal and new direct flights to Bali, Perth and Hobart.
December alone saw 111,007 passengers capping off a milestone period that confirms the airport’s vital role in regional travel and economic growth. The Airport is on track to achieve 1.334 million passengers by the end of FY26, a record number for the airport and Hunter Region.
This milestone comes as international services expand. Direct flights to Bali have launched successfully and from 29 March 2026, passengers will be able to travel from Newcastle to Singapore via Bali, a critical connection to one of Asia’s most important hubs.
“In a case of build it and they will come; the Hunter is proving that the new terminal and greater connectivity is exactly what the region ordered,” Newcastle Airport CEO Linc Horton said.
“Passenger demand continues to exceed expectations and this record quarter highlights the Hunter’s readiness for more direct international services. We have the terminal, the infrastructure and the catchment. To help reach State and Federal tourism objectives, what we need now is strategic partnership from both governments to help unlock the next wave of air connectivity for the Greater Hunter and our extended catchment.”
To build on this momentum, Newcastle Airport has submitted a proposal to the NSW Government for co-investment in new aviation routes and feasibility for an airline base on site.
Under its NSW budget ask, Newcastle Airport has proposed a co-funded five-year Newcastle Airport Accelerated Aviation Growth Fund to the NSW Government. This fund would unlock an additional 1,000,000 airline seats into NSW annually. Designed to directly support the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2035 target of 8.5 million new airline seats, the program will accelerate international and domestic connectivity into the Hunter, stimulating visitor growth, regional investment and job creation.
At the federal level, Newcastle Airport is focussing on supporting the safe and scalable expansion of international operations, supporting Australia’s sovereign capability, looking at sustainability via greener air travel and moving to close the gap in the region’s logistics network.
Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes said as someone who’s recently travelled on both the Bali and Perth services, he has seen first-hand how Newcastle Airport is redefining regional air travel.
“These connections make it easier for local businesses to access new and existing markets and for our community to explore the world from their own backyard” Hawes said. ”The growth we’re seeing is exactly what the region needs, and the growing passenger numbers through Newcastle Airport has a benefit to local businesses that are active in and service the precinct.
“The growth and development ambitions of the airport are backed by stakeholders across the region and the passenger statistics only add to the confidence we all have for the future.”
Committee for the Hunter CEO Alice Thompson said she has just returned from a trip to Bali via Newcastle Airport, with cheap and convenient parking, direct flights, and a terminal that still smells like a new car.
“It is not surprising to see these record numbers as we are a region that wants to travel from our own home, not Sydney,” Thompson said. “When we invest in Newcastle Airport, it improves people’s lives, supports jobs and economic diversification, and opens the Hunter to the world.”
With passenger numbers at historic highs, the airport is reinforcing its position as a key international gateway for Australia, ready to deliver more routes, more jobs and more growth for the Hunter and beyond.
