Melbourne Airport has kicked off the year with its strongest-ever month of international travel, with extra airline capacity and major events like the Australian Open and Ashes series helping drive the surge. With construction underway on new pick-up and drop-off zones, passengers are also being urged to allow an extra 30 minutes when travelling through the airport in coming months.
Australia’s busiest 24/7 hub welcomed 688,534 international arrivals in January, contributing to 1,261,361 international passengers overall. Add 2,115,518 domestic passengers, and the monthly total reached 3,376,879 for the third busiest month ever for overall traffic – just behind December 2025 and January 2026.
On top of its monthly record, the Victorian gateway set a new record for its busiest international day on 9 January, with 45,106 passengers passing through the terminal.
According to the airport, China, New Zealand and India led inbound passport numbers, followed by the United Kingdom and United States.
For the financial year to January, the hub has seen 3.6% year-on-year growth, with international travel up 4.3% and domestic traffic up 3.2%.
Melbourne Airport says the figures show how aviation capacity and major events fuel the visitor economy.
“Melbourne Airport supports one in every 16 Victorian jobs, and each average daily international flight is worth $190 million a year to the state economy,” Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus said.
“We’re proud to be Australia’s largest 24-hour airport, and we’re investing in significant new infrastructure, including a third runway, to cater for growing demand for international travel and the benefits that brings to Victoria.”
Argus also flagged the airport’s new baggage system, which is “in its final stages of commissioning”.
“When it opens it will more than double the capacity of our existing outbound system, while also paving the way for passenger experience enhancements such as anytime check-in,” she remarked.
Leave earlier
Argus has advised passengers to factor in works on the new pick-up and drop-off zones when travelling through the airport in the coming months.
“Later in the year, we will open new and expanded pick up and drop off zones for passengers using Terminals 1, 2 and 3, which will allow us to start upgrading the international terminal by expanding its footprint into the current arrivals forecourt,” she said.
“Major construction work for this project is currently underway, and we’d encourage anyone heading to the airport in February or March to plan ahead, allow an extra half an hour and use the Terminal 4 pick up and drop off zones where possible.”
More US
Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines has just announced it will be adding capacity to its Melbourne-Los Angeles route on a seasonal basis from October 2026.
Flights will grow from 3 to 4 times per week from 13 October, 4 to 5 times per week from 27 October and move to daily services from 22 December to March 2027.
KARRYON UNPACKS: Capacity plus events equals growth, and Melbourne Airport is feeling it. Strong inbound and outbound demand shows real confidence in international travel. Just flag the 30-minute buffer for clients while pick-up and drop-off upgrades roll on.
