Brisbane Airport (BNE) has capped its 100th anniversary year with a series of record-breaking passenger milestones.
The airport saw a record total of 25 million passengers during the calendar year, making 2025 its busiest year yet. December was also the busiest-ever month in the airport’s history, with December 22 the airport’s busiest day. BNE also saw new daily records set in both the international and domestic terminals.
In 2025, Brisbane Airport handled 24.98 million passengers, up 5.3% year-on-year. International traffic rose 10.7% to 6.96 million passengers, while domestic volumes increased 3.2% to 18.02 million.
December 2025 was the busiest month on record, with 2.29 million passengers travelling through the airport, a 7.0% increase compared to December 2024.
Daily passenger records were also broken across both terminals. On December 20, 2025, the international terminal handled 26,111 passengers, surpassing the previous record of 24,412 set in January 2020. The domestic terminal recorded its busiest day on October 6, 2025, with 64,015 passengers, driven by travel associated with the NRL Grand Final weekend.
The strong international performance in December coincided with the return of Malaysia Airlines to Brisbane, as well as Jetstar launching Australia’s only flight to Cebu in the Phillipines.
Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff said, “When Brisbane Airport is busy, Queensland is thriving. In 2025 we didn’t just break the daily record in the international terminal, which has stood since 2020, we smashed it. That kind of jump in passenger numbers demonstrates the momentum building at Brisbane Airport and mirrors the momentum building right across South East Queensland as the clock counts down to 2032.”
De Graaff said early indicators for 2026 remained positive, with lunar new year travel and major events, such as the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, expected to support strong demand in the first quarter.
Operational upgrades were delivered during the year, including new security screening points in both terminals, allowing passengers to keep laptops and other items in their bags. Further changes are planned at the international terminal in 2026, including the permanent relocation of passport control to the same level as check-in and new security screening facilities. Additional retail and dining options are also scheduled to open, followed by a significantly expanded duty-free store in 2027.
Beyond terminal operations, Brisbane Airport said its precinct continues to attract visitors, with new hospitality venues and plans for a dedicated plane-spotting area aimed at supporting future aviation workforce engagement. Around 25,000 people are currently employed across the airport precinct, with that figure expected to increase by a further 20,000 over the coming decades.
Looking ahead, several new and expanded international services are planned for 2026, including Qantas deploying the A220 on its Brisbane–Wellington route, China Southern Airlines increasing to twice-daily year-round services, and new Jetstar and Air New Zealand seasonal routes to the Cook Islands and New Zealand.
Brisbane Airport is currently connected to 35 international destinations and is progressing its A$5bn+ (US$3.35bn) Future BNE infrastructure transformation program.
In related news, Heathrow sets new passenger and cargo records in 2025