Sydney Airport has revealed its strongest first quarter for international travel in its history with 4.57 million passengers, a rise of 5.8 per cent, coming through its terminals, according to its latest Airport and Operational Performance report.
Total passenger volumes rose 3.6 per cent increase compared with Q1 2025, with 10.78 million domestic and international passengers travelling through Sydney Airport during the quarter.
Domestic passenger numbers rose 2.1 per cent compared with Q1 2025, with 6.20 million passengers travelling through the T2 and T3 terminals.
International passenger growth was underpinned by increased airline capacity and sustained demand across Asia-Pacific and major long-haul markets. This momentum was maintained despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East from late February.
Passenger growth in Q1 2026 was concentrated across a broad range of Sydney Airport’s key international destinations, reflecting the strength and diversity of the airport’s network.
New Zealand and China were Sydney Airport’s largest international markets during the quarter, with passenger volumes increasing by 13.5 per cent and 14.0 per cent respectively compared with Q1 2025. Travel to and from Hong Kong also recorded strong growth, up 21.4 per cent.
Asia‑Pacific destinations continued to account for much of the overall increase in international traffic. Passenger volumes on services to and from Kuala Lumpur increased by 32.3 per cent, while services to and from Guangzhou recorded growth of 38.5 per cent. Travel through Hong Kong, Shanghai and Seoul also increased by 21.4 per cent, 7.6 per cent and 5.7 per cent respectively.
Together, these results highlight the breadth of Sydney Airport’s international network and the wide range of destination options available to passengers across the Asia‑Pacific region and beyond.
Operational performance
Sydney Airport maintained a high level of operational performance during the quarter, with continued improvements in security screening and inbound immigration processing compared to the same period last year.
At the domestic terminals, 100 per cent of passengers cleared security within 10 minutes, compared with 99.9 per cent in Q1 2025. At the T1 international terminal, 99.8 per cent of passengers cleared security within 10 minutes, up from 99.7 per cent in Q1 2025.
Inbound immigration processing also improved, with 90 percent of arriving passengers clearing immigration within 34 minutes, compared with 36 minutes in Q1 2025.
Departure on‑time performance was below the same period last year, with performance down 3.1 percent at the domestic terminals and 3.6 percent at the international terminal.
Kerbside drop‑off performance at the domestic terminals remained strong, with most drop‑offs occurring within 10 minutes. At the international precinct, kerbside performance remained below prior‑year levels, and Sydney Airport continues to review options to improve access and manage congestion.
Key infastructure upgrades
Upgrades at Sydney Airport continued throughout the quarter, with major improvements now operational across Terminals 2 and 3 to support faster, more seamless passenger processing.
At Terminal 2, six new CT‑enabled security screening lanes became operational, allowing passengers to keep laptops, liquids and aerosols in their carry‑on bags.
The terminal upgrade program also progressed with fifteen new self‑service BagTag and check‑in kiosks installed, alongside six automatic bag drop systems now in operation. Once complete, these upgrades support the airport’s target of reducing the travellers journmey.
Improvements to vertical transport at Terminal 2 were delivered during the quarter, including upgraded escalators and new lifts connecting the arrivals mezzanine to the departures level.
Retail enhancements also continued, with new stores including Pop Mart and UGG opening in the terminal.
To support faster processing at Terminal 3, twenty‑four new automatic bag drops are now operational, increasing capacity and improving the check‑in experience during peak periods.
“This quarter’s record international growth is a great outcome, particularly given the disruption in the Middle East, where many airlines have faced significant operational impacts since late February,” Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton said.
“Growth across China and broader Asia is increasingly supporting travel into Europe, helping to offset softer conditions in parts of the Middle East.
“This performance reflects resilient demand for travel to and from Sydney and reinforces Sydney Airport’s role as the nation’s primary international gateway.
“As we move into Q2, we are seeing airlines adjust their networks in response to geopolitical developments and the fuel environment, with a focus on routing changes rather than any wholesale shift in demand.
“Where capacity changes have occurred, they have been tactical and short term, largely focused on more marginal routes, and we continue to watch for any evidence of a longer-term or structural shift in international or domestic seat capacity. If this occurs, our experience navigating previous global shocks means we are well positioned to respond.
“From a fuel perspective, the outlook remains stable and consistent with Government guidance. There are no current indications of fuel supply constraints impacting airline planning or near-term operations at Sydney Airport.
“We continue to monitor the situation closely. Everything we have seen so far suggests the aviation market continues to demonstrate adaptability and Sydney Airport is well positioned to support growth as conditions evolve.”
