Tuesday 8 April 2025

• Sydney Airport is forecasting 2.5 million passengers during the Easter school holiday period
• Busiest Easter for international travel since 2019, with 1.5 million domestic passengers and 1 million international passengers predicted
• Thursday 17 April peak travel day for domestic, Friday 18 April busiest day for international

Sydney Airport is preparing for a bustling Easter and school holiday peak, with 2.5 million passengers set to travel through the terminals from Wednesday 9 to Tuesday 29 April 2025.

During the peak 1 million passengers will pass through the T1 international terminal, making it the busiest Easter school holiday period since 2019, and a 9 percent increase on the same period in 2024.

On the domestic front, 1.5 million passengers are expected to travel through the T2 and T3 Domestic terminals, more than 3 percent up on 2024.

With 130,000 more passengers than last year, this represents a more than 5 percent increase on passenger volumes during the same 21-day April school holiday period in 2024.

Travellers should allow extra time during the holidays, with the busiest day for domestic travel set to be Thursday 17 April, with 85,000 passengers expected, and international travel to peak the following day, Friday 18 April, with a bumper 53,000 passengers.

In preparation, Sydney Airport has boosted staffing to help passengers move through terminals and will redirect vehicles to arrival levels during peak periods. There will also be chocolate giveaways, festive Easter displays, and interactive photo opportunities throughout all terminals— ensuring a memorable, engaging experience for travellers of all ages.

To ensure a smooth trip, domestic passengers with hand luggage should arrive at least one hour before their flight, and two hours if checking in bags. International passengers are advised to arrive three hours before departure, unless their airline provides different guidance. For those planning to park, early bookings are advised to secure a spot.

Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton said: "We're gearing up for our busiest April school holidays in six years and have boosted our staffing to assist the hundreds of thousands of passengers taking a break over Easter.

“To make the journey smoother we recommend passengers plan ahead: check-in online, pre-book parking, and allow plenty of time to get to the airport. Over the past six months, we've achieved a 99% success rate in getting passengers through security in under 10 minutes, and we're committed to maintaining that efficiency during the holidays.

“The ongoing growth in passenger numbers reflects the introduction of new services and increased capacity from airlines, and we're looking forward to welcoming more flights and new airline partners throughout 2025.

“To keep up with this demand, we're investing across the airport—from terminals to the airfield—to improve efficiency and enhance the experience for passengers.

“While these improvements are underway, the journey through the airport might be a bit different than usual. We appreciate everyone’s patience and wish passengers a safe and happy holiday."

Screening upgrades at T1 International for a better experience

Works are continuing at the T1 International terminal to roll out 15 new screening lanes, featuring advanced CT scanning technology, with five new lanes already in operation.

This upgrade will boost screening capacity by nearly 30 percent, allowing passengers to leave liquids and aerosols in their carry-on luggage, while increasing passenger throughput from 4,500 to 5,850 passengers per hour.

The project will reorient security screening ahead of passport control to make passenger flow more efficient and reduce wait times, with the full 15 lane upgrade expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Due to ongoing security upgrades, live security wait times for the international terminal on Sydney Airport’s website will not be available during the period.

Major redevelopment at T2 domestic

Following the school holiday period, from 1 May 2025 construction will begin on the $200 million upgrade to the T2 domestic terminal, with the upgrade aimed at getting passengers from kerb to gate in 15 minutes.

To facilitate construction, Rex Airlines and Fly Pelican passengers will depart from the T3 domestic terminal from 8 April 2025. Jetstar check-in facilities will also be temporarily relocated by 28 April 2025 to share the space currently utilised by Virgin Australia.

Key features of the upgrade include self-service check-in kiosks and advanced bag drop systems, which will increase baggage processing rates by 300 bags per hour.

New next-generation security technology and state-of-the-art scanners will allow passengers to leave laptops and aerosols in their hand luggage and more than double the capacity of each security lane from 235 to 500 passengers an hour.

Accessibility will be improved with dedicated security lanes for family and assistance passengers, along with new lifts post-security for better access to food courts and lounges.

This marks the first major renovation in more than 30 years at Australia’s busiest domestic terminal, which serves 17 million passengers every