Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane airports are set for a bumper passenger onslaught for the start of the Easter school holidays 2025 period, Anzac Day public holiday and other major events in April.
Queensland and Victoria are already on the Easter school holidays 2025 break with Brisbane Airport forecasting passenger traffic to soar from 11–28 April 2025.
This year, the travel demand is likely to be more concentrated than last year as Easter and ANZAC Day are close together creating concentrated demand in April ( the same holiday pattern as 2019).
BNE expects 2.23 million passengers from 27 March – 29 April 2025, a lift of nine per cent for domestic travel and 12 per cent for international passengers compared to the same period last year.
The super peak days for domestic and international travel are forecast as 17-18 April with BNE set to welcome 61,100 passengers in the domestic terminal and 20,700 in the international terminal, returning 26-27 April.
With the NSW and New Zealand Easter school holidays 2025 break commencing on 12 April, Sydney Airport forecasts that 2.5 million passengers will pass through its terminals during the Easter school period from 9–29 April 2025.
This year will be the busiest Easter for international travel since 2019 with one million passengers predicted in T1 international terminal, up nine per cent on 2024, while the expected increase in domestic passengers is three per cent up on last year.
SYD’s peak days will be 17 April for domestic travel and 18 April for international travel.
Meanwhile, Melbourne Airport also expects a significant increase in passenger numbers due to April’s condensed Easter school holidays 2025 break and Anzac Day public holidays.
More than two million travellers are forecast to pass through MEL over the school holiday period with a further 729,000 set to depart or arrive the week of the Anzac Day public holiday.
International passenger numbers are forecast to be 24 per cent higher than last year as travellers take advantage of additional capacity to make the most of their annual leave.
Thursday 17 April is also expected to be the busiest day of the holiday period with 118,000 passengers forecast ahead of the Easter long weekend.
Adelaide Airport expects its busiest week on record this week with more than 90 additional domestic flights scheduled in the leadup to both the AFL Gather Round and the onset of the Easter school holidays 2025 period.
Passenger numbers between 7–13 April 2025 are forecast to reach almost 200,000 people, surpassing 2023’s record 182,000 for the AFL Gather Round.
Easter school holidays 2025 air travel tips
Easter is a perennially popular time for air travel and one of the busiest holiday periods in Australia.
Airlines and airports across Australia have increased extra resources across check-in, security, baggage handling and other operations to ensure travellers have a seamless journey.
Airports recommend that passengers book parking online ahead of time, allow additional time for travel to terminals, check-in and security and
Sydney Airport tips arriving one hour before your domestic flight with carry-on only and up to two hours if checking in baggage. Passengers should arrive at least three hours before their international flight.
Easter activities
Alongside Easter activities, Brisbane Airport is celebrating its 100th anniversary with activation zones to win prizes when you spend $30 in the international terminal or $20 in the domestic terminal during these school holidays. You can also spot the therapy dogs in the airport.
Sydney Airport will have chocolate giveaways at T1, T2 and T3 information desks from 18–21 April along with an Easter-themed display at T1 and a photo opp at T2 from 7–22 April.
Adelaide Airport will have an activation for the AFL Gather Round, including live music and a DJ and photo moments with props.
