Follow the sun: Queensland winter school holiday boost

• Brisbane Airport domestic passenger forecast up 5% on June/July holidays last year  
• International passengers up 18% compared to last year's June/July holidays
• 2.5 million passengers to pass through BNE these holidays* 
• Increased capacity between Brisbane and Japan, China and New Zealand 
• Visitors from Sydney, Melbourne and New Zealand leading the influx to Queensland 
• Staggered holiday start dates across states reducing terminal peaks and providing sustained boost for tourism operators
• Peak day in Domestic Terminal is forecast on 5 July with 57,500 passengers  
• Peak day in International Terminal is forecast on 7 July with 18,900 passengers 
• Increased construction activity in the Domestic Terminal as part of upgrades. 

Winter school holidays travel is set to provide an extended boost for Queensland’s tourism economy with 2.5 million people to pass through Brisbane Airport during the winter school holidays*. 

This will be made up of 1.9 million domestic passengers and 600,000 international passengers across the 5-week period. 

Domestic travel at Brisbane Airport is forecast to be 5% up on the same school holiday period last year, with international travel rising 18% year on year.  

It means domestic recovery across the holiday period will be sitting at 98% of 2019 levels, and international travel at 90%. 

“We know when Brisbane Airport is busy, Queensland's tourism industry is busy with travellers spreading out from the Gold Coast, north to the Great Barrier Reef and west to the delights of the Queensland outback in winter,” according to Brisbane Airport spokesperson, Peter Doherty. 

"These school holidays span a 5-week period with varying start dates for Queensland, Victoria, and New South Wales. This staggered schedule helps to evenly distribute the number of travellers, reducing peak times at terminals and offering a sustained boost to Queensland's tourism industry instead of a sudden influx."

Boost in the number of international travellers 

A surge in capacity from Japan, China and New Zealand is set to spearhead the stronger international visitor numbers. 

JAPAN: This time last year there were 3 flights per week in each direction. These school holidays there are 18 flights per week in each direction via Qantas and Jetstar. Brisbane-Japan passengers restoration will be over 200% of pre-Covid levels these school holidays 

CHINA: Last winter holidays there were no direct flights between Brisbane and mainland China. This July, China Eastern and China Southern will both be operating daily services, with a total 14 departing flights per week in each direction. 

NEW ZEALAND: Consistently the #1 contributor of tourists to Queensland, these holidays there will be 87 flights per week in each direction, up from 76 flights this time last year. The trans-Tasman market is serviced by Qantas, Air New Zealand, Jetstar, Virgin Australia and China Airlines. 

“The busiest day in the International Terminal these school holidays is forecast to be Sunday 7 July with 18,900 passengers marking the start of New Zealand school holidays and the end of Queensland school holidays with arriving flights expected to be very full. 

“In the Domestic Terminal, the busiest day is forecast to be Friday 5 July with 57,500 passengers, thanks to the start of NSW school holidays, and Queenslanders returning home to go back to school, with arriving flights heavily booked.”  

Ensuring a smooth journey 

Major structural work to upgrade the Domestic Terminal as part of Future BNE program continues to ramp up, and travellers will increasingly notice construction as well as temporary changes to their journey through the terminal. 

Travellers can plan ahead by staying up to date at bne.com.au/updates 

“Passengers should continue to arrive the normal 90 minutes before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international flight and we have plenty of signage to help you through the terminal."

The highly popular BNE therapy puppies will be operating in the terminal providing a calm distraction at various times during the school holiday period with dates available here: What's on and offers at Brisbane Airport (bne.com.au) 

* School holidays period defined as a 5-week period, from Friday 14 June (start of QLD private school holidays) through to Monday 22 July 2024 (end of NSW school holidays) 

For interviews, phone Brisbane Airport's 24/7 media hotline: 0466 322 485.