Thursday 7 August 2025

Sydney Airport welcomed 10.03 million passengers in Q2 (April-June) 2025, representing 3 percent growth on the same period in 2024.

International passengers grew by 4.6 percent compared to Q2 2024 with 3.94 million passengers passing through the T1 International terminal.

Domestic and regional passenger traffic increased 2.0 percent, with 6.09 million passengers travelling through the T2 and T3 terminals.

International travel by Australians grew strongly during the quarter, with 5.2 percent more Australians travelling compared to the same period in 2024. Travel by Chinese, Indian and Philippine passport holders was also above 2024 levels.

Arrivals from Chinese passport holders experienced 11.4 percent growth compared to Q2 2024, the strongest rate of growth in the last 12 months.

South Korean travel moderated by 10.8 percent compared to the strong 2024 baseline, though numbers remain 22 percent above pre-pandemic levels.

The surge in international travel also reflects the recent expansion of Australia’s bilateral air services agreements with key markets, with the increased competition leading to more competitive airfares.

According to Sydney Airport analysis of data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), markets with expanded air rights have that have seen year-on year declines in airfares include Chile (-14 per cent), Vietnam (-10 per cent), Sri Lanka (-10 per cent) and Hong Kong (-8 per cent).

Effective operational performance

Sydney Airport delivered a strong operational performance in Q2, with 99.7 per cent of international passengers and 99.4 per cent of domestic passengers clearing security in less than 10 minutes.

Wait times for inbound immigration also improved, with 90 per cent of passengers clearing within 34 minutes, a 15 percent improvement compared to Q2 2024.

On time performance (OTP) continues to improve through proactive collaboration with airlines and Airservices Australia, with domestic and international OTP improving by 3 percent and more than 5 percent respectively.

Kerbside congestion remains an area of focus, with the increase in instances where wait times peaked above 10 minutes at the T1 kerbside partially attributable to road works to improve vehicle circulation.

Strategic infrastructure investments enhance capacity

During Q2 progress continued on key projects to enhance efficiency and support the passenger experience .

At T1 International, nine of the 15 new security lanes featuring advanced CT scanner technology are now operational, up from five in Q1, 2025. Once complete, the upgrade will boost screening capacity by nearly 30 percent allowing passengers to keep laptops, liquids and aerosols in their carry-on bags.

The improvements in inbound processing reflect Sydney Airport’s ongoing collaboration with the Australian Border Force (ABF). As part of this, eight new SmartGate kiosks were installed at T1 Arrivals during Q2, boosting inbound international passenger processing capacity by 640 passengers per hour.

Construction continues on the $200 million Terminal 2 redevelopment, with new CT security scanners due to be installed by November 2025. Works are also progressing on self-service check-in kiosks and advanced bag drop systems. Once complete, the upgrade will streamline the passenger journey, allowing travellers to move from kerb to gate in as little as 15 minutes.

The South-East Sector Apron expansion was completed during the quarter, delivering three new taxiways and in-ground systems to increase international layover capacity and improve airfield efficiency.

Scott Charlton, Sydney Airport CEO, said: “Q2 was another quarter of robust growth, underpinned by ongoing demand from Australians for overseas travel and inbound demand from important markets like China, the UK, the Philippines and New Zealand. It also reflects a more competitive environment for international airfares as a result of expanded air rights with key markets.

“This kind of performance doesn’t happen by chance – it’s the result of strong partnerships with airlines who are clearly hearing our message that we are open for business and have plenty of room to help them grow. It also speaks to the attractiveness of Sydney as a destination and Sydney Airport’s continued role as Australia’s preferred international gateway.

“What’s also really pleasing is that our operational metrics stood up in the context of the significant number of projects underway across the precinct. 99.7 percent of international and 99.4 percent of domestic passengers cleared security in under ten minutes, while inbound immigration wait times have improved 15 percent year‑on‑year.

“These results are the outcome of targeted investments, strong partnerships with airlines and the Australian Border Force, and a culture of continuous innovation.”

Passenger and operational performance data

Click here for the Q2 passenger and performance data.