When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, Australia closed its borders, causing international flights and the tourism industry to cease operations. Since reopening, the country’s tourism industry has rebounded, contributing significantly to the nation’s GDP. “International visitor trips to Australia increased by 36% in 2023/24 compared to the previous year,” according to Tourism Research Australia. This resulted in an AU$17.7 billion increase for the GDP from tourism.
Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) leads in international flights scheduled for departure from April to December 2025. As per Cirium, a company specializing in aviation analytics, SYD plans to host 30,734 international flights covering an average distance of 4,268 miles, offering 8,594,859 seats.
In terms of population and international flights, Greater Sydney, home to SYD, has a population of approximately 5,557,233 with the highest number of scheduled flights at 30,734, followed by Melbourne’s 21,292 flights from its airport MEL, as indicated by statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Notably, Darwin International Airport (DRW) stands out with numerous international departures despite its small population. It’s also recognized by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) as the 11th busiest airport in Australia. Its international routes include services to Changi Airport in Singapore and Denpasar Airport in Bali, among others.
Perth Airport is expanding its international connections by adding routes to Johannesburg, South Africa, and Auckland, New Zealand, with Qantas. Jason Waters, CEO of Perth Airport, highlighted a recent partnership with Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, saying it “will bring in facilitating increased air connectivity, boosting tourism and trade, and supporting both of our regions’ economic development.”
Qantas is demonstrating strong growth, exceeding its principal competitor, Virgin Australia, in carrying more passengers per available seat kilometer. By 2023, Qantas transported 45.73 million passengers with 29.37 billion seat kilometers, earning a total revenue of 5.93 billion as recorded by Statista data.
As the aviation industry recovers from the COVID-19 impact, Qantas and other airlines aim to adapt to changes and capitalize on emerging opportunities. Nevertheless, caution is advised regarding potential over-investments in an unpredictable post-COVID environment.
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