1 Sept 2023
Media Release
Sunshine Coast Airport soars to new heights as it celebrates record passenger growth
Sunshine Coast Airport has celebrated record passenger numbers in July 23, with more than 178,000 passengers passing through the terminal. This incredible figure is the highest monthly total in the Airport’s history and follows a record breaking 1.62million passengers in FY22/23.
This unprecedented growth is set to continue with Sunshine Coast Airport on track to deliver a record August.
Since its humble beginnings in 1961, the Airport has continuously evolved to meet the growing demands of travellers and the community.
Over the years, the Airport has transformed itself into a thriving gateway, becoming one of the fastest growing airports in Australia, forecast to facilitate more than 2.1M passengers by 2026, 2.6M by 2030 and 3.5M by 2040.
Sunshine Coast Airport General Manager Aviation and Commercial Scott Norris said the record-breaking growth in passenger numbers was a testament to the Airport’s dedication.
“Despite the challenges we faced during the global pandemic, Sunshine Coast Airport has bounced back demonstrating resilience and adaptability, adding more capacity post COVID than any other airport in Australia,” Mr Norris said.
“We’ve seen a 29% increase in passenger numbers since pre-COVID and are now flying to 13 destinations, both domestically and internationally, providing more choice and opportunity than ever before.
“The record passenger numbers we’ve seen just reinforces how attractive our region is to visitors, and the growth of Sunshine Coast Airport will help boost tourism and business opportunities, greatly benefiting the local economy.”
Mr Norris said record breaking numbers were only made possible by the support of airline partners and thanked them for their continued efforts to better connect the Sunshine Coast.
“The incredible results we’ve seen over the last twelve months have been a collaborative effort between all stakeholders, including our airline, tourism, government and industry partners as part of a team approach to grow our region,” he said.
“Sunshine Coast Airport is the gateway to one of Australia’s most popular tourist destinations, linking iconic travel locations like Noosa, Mooloolaba, the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and Australia Zoo to major cities like Sydney and Melbourne and more recently a range of regional and tourism hot spots.
“According to Tourism Research Australia, our region is the number one destination in Queensland for holiday visitors, so it’s important we provide people with the opportunity to travel and experience everything our wonderful region has to offer.
“We’ve seen a travel boom led by leisure and population growth on the Sunshine Coast, and we are hoping this will help drive future aviation frequency, better connecting our region and opening up new domestic and international travel opportunities.”
About Sunshine Coast Airport
Sunshine Coast Airport is one of the fastest growing airports in Australia and was the first airport in Australia to hold Level 3+ Carbon Neutrality status. By 2040, total direct employment at the Airport is expected to grow from 530 to 2,400 direct jobs and directly contribute an estimated $307million to Australia’s GDP and $460million in total.
Sunshine Coast Airport Pty Ltd operates and manages Sunshine Coast Airport, the gateway to the Sunshine Coast and Noosa regions, under a 99-year lease from Sunshine Coast Council which commenced in December 2017. In July 2023, Sunshine Coast Airport was declared a priority development area (PDA) by the Queensland Government.
Sunshine Coast Airport services 13 destinations including Adelaide, Albury, Auckland, Avalon, Cairns, Mackay, Melbourne, Mildura, Newcastle, Rockhampton, Sydney, Townsville and Whitsunday Coast.
ENDS
For further information:
Contact: Sunshine Coast Airport Corporate Communications
[email protected]
(07) 5373 1901
