This is a guide of the key comparisons between Sydney Airport’s performance from 2023 to 2024. The guide includes passenger numbers and data on the airport.
Oceania’s busiest airport has recorded two impressive years, with more passengers passing through Sydney Airport than at any time since 2019. Let’s dive into the data to understand exactly how busy Sydney Airport really is.
2023
It’s fair to suggest that airports around the world have just experienced the most challenging four-year period in the industry’s history. 2023 was the first year that offered travel routes and operations uninterrupted by the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. This has resulted in the Sydney Airport’s highest monthly passenger traffic since 2019 – an average of 3.22 million every month.
By most available metrics, 2023 was a far busier year than 2022. The number of domestic passengers was up 7.6 per cent and international travellers grew a whopping 29.4 per cent. This can be explained through passengers’ increasing confidence in international travel after spending two to three years at home.
One of the most impressive milestones of 2023 came in December. This was the first month that more Australian passport holders travelled than in the same month in 2019. Levels grew 1.3 per cent compared to December 2019. In the same month, passengers from South Korea and India also registered an improvement in post-COVID numbers. This draws a line under the COVID-19 era of international travel.
One sector of the aviation industry that has seen a huge surge compared to 2019 numbers is private plane usage. 478 private jet movements were recorded in October 2022, compared to just 386 in October 2019. This is a result of high airfares as demand begins to rise, as well as the flexibility and luxury afforded to those who book a private jet. While 2023 private jet arrival statistics are yet to be released, it has been reported that Australia experienced a 17.7 per cent rise in private jet arrivals in 2023, indicating a strong trend towards increased usage.
2024
2024 has presented another bumper year for Oceania’s busiest airport, with a total of 10.3 million passengers being processed in Q1 alone. This is a 25 per cent increase on the same period in 2023 and represents a 96.6 per cent recovery rate on 2019 numbers. This supports the idea that passenger levels are returning to pre-pandemic rates year-on-year. Q1 also saw a range of destinations climb above 2019 numbers, with more passengers arriving at Sydney Airport from New Zealand, the Philippines, India, and South Korea.
While the impressive numbers recorded in 2023 can be explained through a recovering world in the post-pandemic era, the people in charge of Sydney Airport believe 2024’s strong start is due to enhanced operational performance and a more efficient security system. In 2024, the airport launched an online live feed of security wait times that refreshes every minute of the day. This gives passengers more clarity before arriving at the airport so they feel in control of their airport experience. In Q1, 100 per cent of domestic travellers passed through the airport in less than 10 minutes. The figure remains an impressive 99.9% for international travellers.
“In terms of our operational performance, we’re focused on efficiency and delivering a seamless experience for all stakeholders, on-airport partners, and most importantly, passengers,” said Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton.
Looking ahead
With domestic and international passenger numbers up on the previous year and creeping closer to 2019 numbers, it’s fair to suggest that Sydney Airport can expect another strong year. In one interview, the Group Executive of Aviation Growth at Sydney Airport, Greg Botham, said that the market recovered at “a remarkable 97% in July,” which forecasts a huge rise on 2023 numbers in Q2.
Despite Sydney Airport’s strong growth over the past two years, there is one development that could affect passenger numbers in the near future. The development of Western Sydney Airport, which saw its first test flights in October 2024, could take a share of some air traffic. This $5.3 billion project is scheduled to open in 2026 and many airlines have already signed up to use Sydney’s latest airport, Singapore Airlines being the latest to join the list. Western Sydney Airport is expected to increase air cargo into the city by around one-third and create around 19,000 jobs to the city. Once open, the airport expects to process some 10 million passengers a year through Sydney.
Sydney Airport is still growing, however. It was confirmed in October 2024 that China Southern will be launching a new route from Beijing Daxing to Sydney four times a week. This is the first time travellers will be able to fly from the Chinese capital into Sydney with China Southern.
Looking further ahead, Sydney Airport expects the number of international passengers to double over the next two decades, as outlined in the Sydney Master Plan 2039.
Cleared for take-off
It’s clear that Sydney Airport is moving from strength to strength in a challenging climate. After two years of incredible growth, the sky’s the limit for Oceania’s most popular and busiest airport.
