Adelaide Airport has officially recorded its busiest year as millions more travellers choose South Australia for business, holidays and everything in between.
More than 9.15 million passengers passed through the airport in the 12 months to June 30th, that’s a 4.8 per cent increase on the previous year and sets a new annual record for the state’s largest airport.
The milestone comes as Adelaide continues to expand its global aviation footprint, with international travel experiencing particularly strong growth. More than 1.24 million international passengers travelled through the airport over the past year, up 20 per cent, while domestic and regional passenger numbers climbed 2.8 per cent to 7.91 million.
The airport also broke monthly passenger records across April, May and June, welcoming 791,000, 716,000 and 694,000 travellers respectively.
One of the biggest contributors was AFL Gather Round, which saw almost 200,000 passengers pass through the terminal between April 7th and 13th, making it Adelaide Airport’s busiest week ever.
The strong results follow a significant year of aviation expansion for South Australia, with several new and returning international services helping connect Adelaide to more destinations than ever before.
Highlights included the launch of United Airlines’ direct service between Adelaide and San Francisco, creating the state’s first-ever nonstop connection to the United States. Qantas also introduced direct flights between Adelaide and Auckland, while Air New Zealand launched a Christchurch service.
International connectivity also received a boost with Cathay Pacific resuming flights from Hong Kong after the pandemic, China Eastern commencing direct Shanghai services and China Southern expanding its Guangzhou route into a year-round operation.
The growing network is making it easier for international visitors to experience South Australia’s renowned food and wine, major events and natural attractions, while also supporting exporters, businesses and international education.
The momentum is set to continue, with Singapore Airlines increasing to 12 weekly Adelaide services from October, the highest number of year-round flights ever operated by an international carrier into the city. China Southern and Cathay Pacific are also scheduled to boost services during the peak summer travel season.
Minister for Tourism Emily Bourke said, “The investment we’ve seen from airlines establishing and expanding routes into Adelaide is a testament to the hard work of every South Australian who makes this state somewhere people worldwide want to visit, do business with and invest in.
“With so much going on in South Australia, it’s no wonder we’ve seen so many visitors passing through Adelaide Airport.
“South Australia really is more globally connected than ever before, the sky is the limit when it comes to opportunities in this state.”
Adelaide Airport Managing Director Brenton Cox added, “People are discovering what we’ve known all along, that South Australia has a strong economy and is a great place to visit and do business.
“Last year we saw 13 global carriers flying to 12 international destinations, which in turn created one-stop links to around 440 cities worldwide.
“We anticipate this growth will continue into 2027 and beyond.”
With record passenger numbers, expanding airline networks and more international connections on the horizon, Adelaide Airport is continuing to strengthen its position as one of Australia’s fastest-growing aviation gateways.
