January Sees Record-high Passenger Numbers At Queensland Airports Since Covid.

Queensland Airports Limited (QAL) recorded a post-pandemic milestone in January, with 760,000 passengers passing through its four airports—the highest monthly total since COVID-19.

The month was also the fifth busiest on record for the group, with Gold Coast Airport welcoming over 622,000 passengers.

Regional airports experienced strong demand during what is typically a quieter travel period. Townsville and Mount Isa airports recorded their third busiest Januarys on record, while Longreach Airport saw a 14% increase in passenger numbers compared to the same time last year.

QAL Chief Commercial Officer Adam Rowe attributed the strong results to Queensland’s diverse tourism offerings.

“To see passenger growth across all four of our airports is a really positive sign for travel and the regions our airports support,” Rowe said.

“Townsville Airport, while not as busy as it is in the winter months, saw positive growth, with more than 15,200 additional passengers traveling to and from Brisbane—a 26% increase on January 2024.”

Gold Coast Airport also recorded strong year-on-year growth across key markets, with a 5% increase in passengers on the Melbourne route and a 26% surge in New Zealand services compared to 2024.

“We were also really pleased to see the popularity of our seasonal Hong Kong services, with more than 3,000 passengers traveling on the route in the first two weeks alone,” Rowe added.

He also noted that demand for travel continues to outpace supply, particularly on key routes such as Gold Coast to Sydney and Melbourne, where nearly 90% of seats are filled.

“We’re working closely with our airline partners to assess where we can build in additional capacity to support that demand,” he said.

Gold Coast Airport is set to expand its offerings with three new routes launching in the next four months—to Dunedin and Hamilton in New Zealand, as well as Darwin.

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