Melbourne Airport has smashed its post-pandemic passenger records for October, with over 3 million travellers passing through its terminals.
This included a record-breaking month in October for overseas travel, with 974,713 international flyers (up 8.9%, year-on-year) passing through the hub.
Domestically, Australia’s busiest 24/7 hub welcomed 2,163,667 passengers (up 2.1%, y-o-y), which is the highest number recorded since January 2024.
In total, MEL passenger numbers hit 3,138,380 for the month. Despite fewer flights, this represents a 4.1 per cent increase in travellers compared to October 2023.
The surge in both domestic and international travel highlights the strong recovery of the aviation industry.
But Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus says it also emphasises the importance of long-term planning to support the continued rise.
“Despite the economic headwinds many households are facing, travellers continue to take to the skies in growing numbers,” she stated.
“International passenger numbers were the highest they’ve ever been in October, while domestic travellers hit a new post-pandemic high.
“We are planning for continued growth, to make sure our terminal, airfield and ground transport infrastructure meets the needs of travellers not just today, but also for the decades to come.
“Accessibility is a key focus for our team, as we work to ensure the airport experience is not a barrier that prevents or restricts people from travelling.
“It’s important that as our precinct expands, we keep the needs of passengers front of mind, and we look forward to working with our airline partners to ensure these enhancements are delivered appropriately.”
Argus said the airport was investing over a billion dollars in infrastructure upgrades each year, which may cause some disruptions.
“But I’d like to thank our passengers for their patience while we undertake these important works,” she added.
Last month, MEL also revealed a new all-time September record for international travel, showing that the demand for overseas flights is consistently moving up.
For the financial year to date (July to October), MEL has welcomed 12,066,978 passengers, which is an increase of 3.5 per cent on last year. This includes a nearly double-digit rise (9.1%) in international passengers, which have numbered 3,881,989 since 1 July.
In September, Melbourne Airport received Federal Government approval for a third runway to be completed by 2031, adding much-need aviation infrastructure capacity to enable the Victorian hub to reach its 24/7 international gateway potential and increase carrier choice.
Earlier this year, the Victorian hub also welcomed the newest addition to the Melbourne Airport landscape, the Novotel and ibis Styles Melbourne Airport. The opening of the new property was Australia’s largest hotel launch of 2024.
Melbourne Airport also recently tapped international fashion designer Juli Grbac to create a modern MEL uniform collection – a global first for an airport – unveiling the new looks with a runway show after being under wraps for more than 18 months.
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