Adelaide Airport Surges To 8.7m Passengers, $600m Upgrade Underway

Adelaide Airport Soars to New Heights with Record-Breaking Passenger Volumes and is progressing with the $600 million infrastructure upgrade to support its 2050 Network Vision

Adelaide Airport has recorded its highest-ever passenger traffic for the 2025 financial year, welcoming more than 8.7 million travelers through the terminal. This milestone marks a 2.3% increase over FY24.

The recent Northern Winter 2024 season saw Adelaide Airport welcoming the restart of Emirates with daily services, restoring its pre-COVID schedule. Singapore Airlines boosted its frequency from daily to ten flights per week, Air New Zealand increased from four to five weekly flights, Malaysia Airlines increased to seasonal daily flights and China Southern restarted Adelaide with seasonal services, reinstating key Asia-Pacific links. In April 2025, Fiji Airways grew its presence, increasing from two to three weekly services. Indonesia AirAsia, Adelaide’s first non-stop Asia-based low-cost carrier to operate since 2015 introduced services between Adelaide and Bali in June 2025.

On the domestic front, major trunk routes have experienced notable capacity growth. Virgin Australia launched seasonal services to both Hobart and Launceston, while Jetstar expanded Adelaide’s network with new flights to the Whitsunday Coast. QantasLink also upgraded capacity on regional routes by replacing the 50-seat Q300 with the 74-seat Q400, delivering a 49% increase in seats per flight.

Looking ahead, Adelaide Airport is poised to strengthen its global connectivity with a series of upcoming international route launches:

• Qantas will also be returning to international skies from Adelaide for the first time since 2013 with the introduction of a 4 per week services to Auckland from October 2025.
• Cathay Pacific will restart the Adelaide service with the A350-900 aircraft (fitted with Premium Economy) from November 2025.
• In a historic first, Adelaide will connect for the first time ever with non-stop flights between Adelaide and the United States of America. United Airlines will be commencing 3 per week services between Adelaide and San Francisco on the B787-9 aircraft from December 2025.
• Emirates will debut its first long range A350 aircraft (fitted with Premium Economy Class cabin) to Adelaide as its global launch port.

Adelaide Airport is ‘ramping up’ for the next phase of its $600 million infrastructure upgrade program which will deliver the capacity to accommodate Adelaide’s 2050 aviation network vision. This upgrade include:

• Check-In: Expansion of the southern end of the check-in hall to increase check-in capacity.
• Northern and Southern Terminal: Expansion of both the northern and southern ends of the terminal.
• Aircraft Parking: Expansion of the number of aircraft parking positions.
• Security Screening: Underway. Includes regulatory upgrades to passenger and checked baggage screening.

Other enhancements within the terminal include a new international departures gate, family play space, sensory room for passengers with hidden disabilities, and gate lounge upgrades across the entire terminal.

“We are extremely grateful and excited that our existing and prospective airline partners continue to expand their network by including Adelaide,” said Jonathan Cheong, Head of Aviation Business Development and Commercial. “We have a Network Vision 2050, with ambitions to connect Adelaide to 39 international destinations by 2050. Together with our airline partners, we’re committed to doing what we do best—connecting people and businesses (tourism, trade, education, business events and conferences). Seamless. Connected. Easy.”