Sydney Airport’s big move after 30 years

Sydney Airport is about to undergo a massive, long-awaited change, a first of its kind move in more than 30 years.

Sydney Airport is about to undergo a massive change at its T2 Domestic terminal, the first major upgrade in more than 30 years.

The $200 million transformation will see most passengers travel from the kerbside to airside in less than 15 minutes with streamlined check-in, faster security and updated facilities.

The new layout will introduce more self-service kiosks and new bag drop technology, allowing passengers to take control of their check-in process and speed up departures.

With the airport now processing 1500 bags per hour at peak times, this upgrade will aim to boost capacity to 1800 bags per hour by 2026.

The upgrade is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

“With 17 million passengers a year, T2 is incredibly important to Australia’s domestic aviation network,” Sydney Airport’s chief operations officer Adrian Witherow told news.com.au.

“It’s got holiday-makers, business travellers, and passengers who are heading to Melbourne, Byron, Wagga Wagga and everywhere in between.

“One thing they all have in common is they want to spend less time on processes like check-in and security and more time preparing for meetings or hitting the shops.”

Mr Witherow said that’s why “this upgrade is so important”.

“(Because) it will mean passengers can get from kerb to gate in less than 15 minutes,” he said.

Works are due to be completed by the end of 2025 and will feature “next-generation security technology” and “state-of-the-art scanners” across seven processing lanes totalling 26 metres.

Something passengers will be happy to hear is these new systems will allow items like laptops and liquids to be left in carry-on luggage, dramatically reducing security processing times, with each lane able to process 500 passengers per hour.

The $200 million transformation will see most passengers travel from the kerbside to airside in less than 15 minutes.

This is a 113 per cent increase compared to the current average throughput of 235 passengers per hour.

There will also be dedicated security lanes for family and assistance and two brand new lifts post-security for passengers to access the food court and gate lounges.

“These upgrades will not only transform security performance but will also support future demand, ensuring that Australia’s busiest airport terminal can accommodate the significant growth in passenger numbers we’re forecasting,” Sydney Airport chief executive Scott Charlton said.

Mr Charlton said the new changes will make the T2 experience one of the “fastest and most efficient in Australia”.

“These significant upgrades build on a series of improvements made over the past 12 months at T2, including the opening of the first Australian domestic airport department store in December 2023, new food, beverage and retail offerings – all designed to enhance the passenger experience and elevate the journey from start to finish,” he said.

He added that while upgrade works may cause temporary disruption, “we want to thank passengers and our airline partners for their patience and understanding during this important transformation”.

“We’re working hard to minimise any inconvenience and ensure the terminal remains operational throughout the process,” Mr Charlton said.