Brisbane International Airport set for post-pandemic record with 10.5k passengers on Sunday

Tens of thousands of people will travel through Brisbane’s airports this weekend, with the international terminal likely to attract record post-pandemic numbers on Sunday as travellers dust off their passport for overseas trips.

A new post-pandemic record will be set at Brisbane’s International Airport this weekend with almost 10,500 passengers expected to pass through the terminal on Sunday.

Brisbane Airport Corporation spokesman Stephen Beckett said up to 30,000 people would pass through the international terminal this weekend. 

Mr Beckett said the positive trend in passenger numbers was a “welcome sign” that international travel is back on people’s wishlist despite the terminal currently operating at just 50 per cent of pre-Covid levels.

“It looks like Aussies are dusting off their passports, with many jetting off for a European summer,” he said.

it’s going to be a busy weekend at Brisbane International Airport. File picture: Richard Walker

“Other top international destinations for Australians include Bali and Fiji.”

Mr Beckett said there was also a “growing number” of international visitors to the state with a 50:50 split between arrivals and departures.

“More than 75 per cent of Queensland’s international visitors come through Brisbane Airport, so the busier we are, the better it is for the state’s tourism and hospitality businesses who’ve done it so tough for the last two and a half years,” Mr Beckett said.

Domestic travellers also appear to be escaping the cold snap with Cairns, Townsville, Proserpine and the Whitsundays popular destinations over the school holidays. 

“This week is going to be especially busy at Brisbane’s Domestic Terminal as Queenslanders return home from school holidays, and visitors from other state’s commence their holiday period.”

Upcoming Queensland sporting events including the State of Origin decider at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday also appear to be influencing demand.

Over the past seven days there have been 2953 scheduled flights in and out of Brisbane’s domestic terminal.

Of those flights, 229 were cancelled due to the new Covid wave, influenza and recent weather events including flooding in NSW impacting airline crews.