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14 Nov, 2012

Australia Report Forecasts Doubling of Domestic Air Passengers by 2030

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Canberra, 13 Nov 2012, Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport – The number of air passenger movements through Australian capital and non-capital city airports is predicted to double to 279 million within the next two decades showing our city airports are set to become even busier in the future.

This is the key finding of the latest Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) research report released at the Australian Airports Association National Convention today—Air passenger movements through capital and non-capital city airports to 2030–31. For the first time, the report also includes statistics for our non-capital city airports including—Newcastle, Cairns, Gold Coast, Townsville and Launceston.

This report is key to facilitating Australia’s plans for airport infrastructure into the future, and the communities around them.

Figure 1: Air passenger movements through all airports

Figure 1: Air passenger movements through all airports

The number of air passenger movements through all Australian airports is projected to grow strongly over the next twenty years, largely due to a positive economic outlook for Australia and its trading partners. Passenger numbers are forecast to increase by 3.7 per cent a year over the forecast period, from 135.1 million in 2010–11 to 279.2 million in 2030–31.

Domestic and international air passenger movements are projected to increase by 3.3 and 4.9 per cent a year over the same period to 207.1 and 72.1 million, respectively, in 2030–31.

The number of air passenger movements through capital city and non-capital city airports are expected to grow by 3.8 and 3.2 per cent a year over the same period to 230.5 and 48.8 million, respectively, in 2030–31. Passenger numbers are forecast to grow by:

  • 3.6 per cent a year in Sydney to 72.0 million in 2030–31;
  • 3.9 per cent a year in Melbourne to 60.4 million in 2030–31;
  • 4.2 per cent a year in Brisbane to 45.1 million in 2030–31;
  • 3.1 per cent a year in Adelaide to 13.5 million in 2030–31;
  • 4.4 per cent a year in Perth to 25.7 million in 2030–31;
  • 3.0 per cent a year in Hobart to 3.5 million in 2030–31;
  • 4.2 per cent a year in Darwin to 4.2 million in 2030–31;
  • 3.3 per cent a year in Canberra to 6.1 million in 2030–31;
  • 3.1 per cent a year in Newcastle to 2.2 million in 2030–31;
  • 3.7 per cent a year in Cairns to 8.0 million in 2030–31;
  • 4.4 per cent a year in Gold Coast to 13.1 million in 2030–31;
  • 3.7 per cent a year in Townsville to 3.4 million in 2030–31;
  • 2.7 per cent a year in Launceston to 2.0 million in 2030–31; and
  • 2.3 per cent a year in all other airports to 20.1 million in 2030–31.

Forecasts have been developed using expected growth in population, real income levels, exchange rates, real airfares and travel and accommodation prices.

Click here to download free: BITRE Research Report 133—Air passenger movements through capital and non–capital city airports to 2030–31.