More international tourists passed through Melbourne Airport in the last financial year than ever before.
The number of international passengers jumped 8.3% to 11.953 million in the 2025 financial year, surpassing the 0.4% rise to 36.152 million in total passengers numbers using Australia’s second busiest airport after Sydney.
“International travel has never been stronger at Melbourne Airport, with the airport recording its busiest financial year ever for international passengers,” Melbourne Airport said in a media release.
The numbers were disclosed as it was announced that Hong Kong Airlines would become the 39th international carrier to Melbourne when it begins services to the Victorian state capital in December.
Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus said that the passenger numbers reflected the fact that people were prioritising travel and connections as essential parts of their family budgets since the pandemic.
She said the airport was building an express road network from the Tullamarine Freeway into a new drop-off and pick-up location in the T123 car park, enabling the expansion of the international terminal to cater for the growth that a third runway would deliver.
“It’s imperative that as our passenger numbers grow our airport grows in tandem,” Argus said.
Hong Kong Airlines, a full-service carrier owned by private mainland Chinese industrial group Liaoning Fangda Group, will operate three times per week between Melbourne and Hong Kong on an Airbus A330, adding more than 93,000 seats.
Hong Kong Airlines President Jeff Sun said the airline would become the second Hong Kong carrier to offer direct flights to Australia's major cities.
“This new service will not only provide passengers a competitive and high-quality travel option but will also cater to the diverse needs of business and leisure travellers, further deepening the trade, cultural, and tourism ties between Hong Kong and Melbourne,” he said.
Melbourne Airport is owned by Australia Pacific Airports Corporation (APAC), which also owns Launceston Airport, and is in turn owned by Dexus (27.32%), IFM Investors (25.17%), Future Fund (20.34%), SAS Trustee Corporation (18.47%) and Utilities of Australia/(8.70%).
