Adelaide Airport

From Vero - Wikipedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use Australian English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox airport

Adelaide Airport Template:Airport codes, also known as Adelaide International Airport, is an international, domestic and general aviation airport serving Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, located approximately 6 km (4 mi) west of the Adelaide central business district. Adelaide Airport is the fifth-busiest airport in Australia measured by passenger movements, serving a record-breaking 8.7 million passengers in the 2025 financial year, including over 1 million international passengers.<ref name="Adelaide Airport">Template:Cite web</ref> It has been operated privately by Adelaide Airport Limited under a long-term lease from the federal government since 29 May 1998.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Rp

First established in 1955, Adelaide Airport operates flights to over 30 destinations within Australia, Oceania, Asia, and soon to North America. The airport also serves as a hub for Virgin Australia, a focus city for Qantas, and as an operating base for various airlines, including Jetstar. Adelaide Airport handles the fourth-largest number of domestic connections following Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne airports, ahead of Perth. Since 2005, flights have been operated through a combined domestic and international terminal, having replaced the original separate terminals. Adelaide Airport is capable of handling large aircraft such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747, the latter of which was a regular at the airport in previous years.

The facility handles an average of over 250 flights daily,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and spans a total area of 785 hectares (1,940 acres) of airport property.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

An early "Adelaide airport" was an aerodrome constructed in 1921, allowing a mail service between Adelaide and Sydney. The aerodrome was built on Template:Convert of land in Albert Park, now part of the neighbouring suburb of Hendon, which took over from the Northfield Aerodrome. The demand on aviation soon grew substantially, with Parafield Airport being developed in 1927 to enable the first passenger airline services from Adelaide. With a further growth in aviation, a new site for the current Adelaide Airport was selected in the suburb of West Beach, which was then split to form the dedicated Adelaide Airport suburb in 1991,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in January 1946.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> An alternative airport site was also considered in Port Adelaide, which included a seaplane facility, but was considered inferior and too far from the central business district.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Construction in the chosen site took place in 1947<ref name="OldHistory">Template:Cite web</ref> and flights commenced in 1954, with Parafield Airport being turned into a private and military aviation facility, now operating as a public training airport. With regular transport operations commencing on 16 February 1955,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> an annexe to one of the large hangars at the airport served as the first passenger terminal, until the Commonwealth Government provided funds for the construction of a temporary building.<ref name="OldHistory"/>

File:Adelaide Airport Tarmac 1967.jpg
Passengers boarding from the tarmac in December 1967; this continued for domestic passengers until 2006.

In May 1998, Adelaide Airport Limited purchased the long-term leases of Adelaide Airport and Parafield Airport from the Government of Australia. The consortium comprised Manchester Airport, Serco, UniSuper, and Macquarie Bank.<ref>New airport leases announced Australian Aviation issue 139 May 1998 page 20</ref> As at December 2023, the shareholders of Adelaide Airport Limited were UniSuper (51%), Hostplus (15%), IFM Investors (15%), Igneo Infrastructure Partners (15%), and Perron Group (4%).<ref>Ownership Adelaide Airport</ref>

In July 1998, the runway was extended by 570 metres to 3.1 kilometres.<ref>Adelaide runway extension opened Australian Aviation issue 143 September 1998 page 16</ref> Prior to the 2005 terminal redevelopment,<ref>New Adelaide terminal opened Australian Aviation issue 223 December 2005 page 16</ref> the original separate terminals had only two aircraft bays and a single jetbridge with limited space for passengers, check-in desks were also small and waiting space was limited. A new control tower was also built west of the terminal, with the old control tower maintained for additional operations.

In October 2006, the new terminal was named the Capital City Airport of the Year at the Australian Aviation Industry Awards in Cairns.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In March 2007, Adelaide Airport was rated the world's second-best airport in the 5–15 million passengers category at the Airports Council International (ACI) 2006 awards in Dubai.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Following the successful terminal redevelopment, plans were announced for another expansion of the terminal in July 2007, including the addition of more aerobridges as well as demolition of the old international terminal building.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, the demolition was delayed till November 2016 and was finally concluded in April 2018, this would make way for expanded landside facilities as well as further future expansions of the main terminal.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 5 August 2008 Tigerair Australia, then known as Tiger Airways Australia, confirmed that Adelaide Airport would become the airline's second hub which would base two of the airline's Airbus A320s by early 2009,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> this was followed by a third A320 in early 2010.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2011, Tigerair announced it would shut down its operations from Adelaide and Avalon following the airlines 2011 suspension and reduction in flights.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2011, Adelaide Airport encountered major problems during the eruption of Puyehue volcano in Chile, with the ash cloud caused by the volcano resulting in flight cancellations nationwide, this left over 40,000 passengers stranded in Adelaide.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 11 October 2022, it was discovered that at around 10am local time, security screening equipment had failed half an hour earlier, leading to the evacuation of the terminal and re-screening of approximately 2,000 passengers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 2 September 2025, Jetstar based another Airbus A320ceo at Adelaide Airport to support an increase in services, boosting the total number of aircraft based at the airport to six.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

International history

File:Qatar Airways at Adelaide Airport in 2023 by Mitch Coad.jpg
Qatar Airways has been serving Adelaide Airport daily since May 2016<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

International services became regular from 1982 upon the construction of an international terminal, with a Qantas Boeing 747-200B making the first international arrival from London via Singapore.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Singapore Airlines and British Airways were also among the first foreign airlines to offer scheduled services at Adelaide Airport, connecting the airport to Singapore and London.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Alongside Singapore, Qantas had also previously operated non-stop services from Adelaide to Tokyo and Auckland in previous decades,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with the latter now resuming as a seasonal service. Cathay Pacific, Malaysia Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, and Air New Zealand had also commenced services to Adelaide in the following decades, adding further connectivity to Asia as well as to the Pacific.

On 5 June 2009, Pacific Blue, since consolidated into Virgin Australia, launched services from Adelaide to Nadi, but were eventually discontinued.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Fiji Airways eventually reconnected Adelaide and Nadi in June 2017 with the Boeing 737-800.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 31 October 2013, budget carrier AirAsia X began flights between Adelaide and Kuala Lumpur with the Airbus A330-300 aircraft.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The route was eventually suspended in January 2015,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> though Indonesia AirAsia, another subsidiary of AirAsia, commenced services between Adelaide and Denpasar in June 2025.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 16 December 2013, Jetstar commenced services from Adelaide to Auckland using the Airbus A320-200 aircraft,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> similar to the original demise of the route from Qantas in July 2007, the route was later suspended in 2014.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the financial year ending 30 June 2018, it was reported that Adelaide Airport had handled over 1 million international passengers for the first time in its history, marking an unprecedented milestone. Factors that contributed to this strong increase included the introduction of Air New Zealand's Boeing 787-9 aircraft on the Adelaide to Auckland route in October 2017, as well as flight frequency increases from airlines such as China Southern Airlines and Qatar Airways.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 18 December 2018, Singapore Airlines upgraded its Singapore to Adelaide service from the Airbus A330-300 to the higher-capacity Airbus A350-900.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Fiji Airways also upgraded to the Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft on the Nadi to Adelaide route,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but soon reverted to the Boeing 737-800 as a result of the groundings. The airport had also become a heavy cargo destination for Volga-Dnepr Airlines, who require Template:Cvt of runway for the Antonov cargo plane.Template:Citation needed As of June 2025, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 has returned for services from Fiji Airways, as well Singapore Airlines upgrading to the even larger Boeing 787-10 aircraft.

File:Adelaide International Airport freight - Atlas Air.jpg
Antonov and Atlas Air freighters make yearly appearances at Adelaide Airport, despite not being a major cargo hub

In the second quarter of the 2019 financial year a 7% increase in international travel was recorded, in comparison with the same period last year.<ref name="Adelaide Airport-2018" /> This was also partially fuelled by the late 2018 and early 2019 service increases from airlines such as China Southern Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Malaysia Airlines, accommodating the increase in demand.<ref name="Adelaide Airport-2018">Template:Cite web</ref> Adelaide Airport also continues to experience the greatest international growth out of any Australian airport.<ref name="Adelaide Airport" />

In December 2021, Qantas launched a temporary non-stop service from Adelaide to New Delhi, due to a shortage of Boeing 787 aircraft at the time. This was the first time Qantas had flown a non-stop international flight from Adelaide since the discontinuation of their Singapore to Adelaide route in 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Multiple repatriation flights to the city took place amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, these flights include Air India which flew one of their Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners from New Delhi, as well as Lion Air whom also flew from other Indian cities via Jakarta.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In October 2023, Adelaide Airport released its 2050 Network Vision, in which the airport hopes to have direct flight connection to 39 global cities, with some notable destinations including Los Angeles and Johannesburg, as well as the return of London among others. In order to achieve this, the airport is planning a significant expansion of its current facilities to cater for more international flights.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 28 October 2024, it was reported that Emirates had resumed their popular non-stop route between Dubai and Adelaide,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> coming shortly after China Southern Airlines' announcement for the resumption of their non-stop route between Guangzhou and Adelaide.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Both routes were initially launched in 2012 and 2016 respectively, but were ceased in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Carriers such as Batik Air and VietJet Air had also previously terminated or suspended flights to Adelaide.

On 2 April 2025, United Airlines announced a new non-stop route between Adelaide and San Francisco, scheduled to be launched on 11 December 2025.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The route will also become United's third longest flight<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and place within the top 30 longest flights globally, with a distance of Template:Cvt.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It will also establish the first direct connection by air between South Australia and North America.

In May 2025, Qantas announced the resumption of their non-stop Auckland flights, marking the return of international flights to Adelaide from the carrier after a 12-year hiatus.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Additionally, Cathay Pacific also reported the resumption of their popular Hong Kong service, which had originally been discontinued in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The following month on 3 June 2025, Air New Zealand announced a new route to Christchurch, connecting South Australia to the South Island of New Zealand for the first time.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 10 September 2025, it was reported that Malaysia Airlines will switch from their Airbus A330-300 aircraft to the brand-new A330-900 aircraft on their Kuala Lumpur to Adelaide route, introducing the Airbus A330neo variant for scheduled services to the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 6 November, 2025, China Eastern Airlines announced a new non-stop route connecting Adelaide to Shanghai, the busiest airport serving China as well as the third largest city globally. Operated with widebody aircraft, the route will become Adelaide Airport's third Chinese destination.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Terminals

The current airport terminal redevelopment was opened on 8 October 2005, inaugurated by Prime Minister John Howard and South Australian Premier Mike Rann.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Managed by builders Hansen Yuncken at a cost of $260 million, the redevelopment resulted in a brand new terminal with a length of approximately Template:Convert end to end and is capable of handling 27 aircraft simultaneously, as well as processing 3,000 passengers per hour. Prior to the redevelopment, the old airport terminal was criticised for its limited capacity and lack of aerobridges.Template:Citation needed

Initial proposals were developed for an upgraded terminal of world standard, with the final 1997 proposal calling for a large, unified terminal in which both domestic and international flights would operate from. A combination of factors, the most notable of which was the collapse of Ansett Australia, then a duopoly domestic carrier with Qantas, and the resultant loss of funds for its share of the construction cost, saw the new terminal plans shelved until an agreement was reached in 2002.Template:Citation needed

After the terminal had opened, Adelaide Airport Limited soon announced that only international flights would use the new facility immediately due to problems with the fuel pumps and underground pipes. These problems related initially to the anti-rusting agent applied to the insides of the fuel pumps, then to construction debris in the pipes. Although international and regional (from December 2005) aircraft were refuelled via tankers, a lack of space and safety concerns prevented this action for domestic jet aircraft, which instead continued operations at the old terminal. The refuelling system was cleared of all debris and the new terminal was eventually able to be used for domestic flights from 17 February 2006.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

File:Qantas Airways - Boeing 737 airplane (24 August 2006) (Adelaide Airport, South Australia) 1 (24461663167).jpg
Qantas Boeing 737s on the newly developed terminal in 2006.

The mixed-use terminal includes several high-amenity airline lounges over two levels. Level one includes the Plaza Premium international lounge adjacent to the international security check-in, exclusively for international passengers. On level two, Virgin Australia and Rex Airlines operate lounges for domestic passengers. Qantas operate their signature Qantas Club lounge complex opposite gate 21 in the main terminal departure lounge. It is open to domestic and international business class Qantas passengers and Qantas Club membership holders, as well as business class passengers of partnered Oneworld alliance member airlines. As of 13 June 2024, a multi-million dollar refurbishment of the lounge complex is underway and capacity is restricted. As announced by Qantas in 2022, the new lounge complex will emerge as the Qantas Lounge Precinct, with the addition of a separate Qantas Business Lounge, along with the fully refurbished Qantas Club and Qantas Chairmans Lounge which will open in stages from late 2024.Template:Update inline The Qantas Business Lounge will welcome its first passengers in mid-2025. The terminal check-in hall provides 42 common user check-in desks and 34 shop fronts. Free wireless Internet is also provided throughout the terminal by Internode Systems, a first for an Australian airport.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Facilities and developments

File:Adelaide Airport1.jpg
Check-in hall interior
File:Adelaide Airport3.jpg
Airside waiting area

In February 2011, a $100 million building program was launched as part of a five-year master plan, including a new road network within the airport, a multi-storey car park, increasing short-term parking spaces from 800 to 1,650 (completed August 2012<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>); a new plaza frontage for the passenger terminal (completed March 2013Template:Citation needed); a walkway bridge connecting new car park and existing terminal building (completed March 2013Template:Citation needed); terminal concourse extension; three new aerobridges; terminal commercial projects and passenger facilities; relocation of regional carrier Rex.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In July 2013, Adelaide Airport became the first Australian airport and second airport worldwide to have Google Street View technology, allowing passengers to explore the arrival and departure sections of the airport before travel.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

A new control tower, at Template:Convert high, more than twice the height of the old tower built in 1983 and costing Template:AUD, was completed and commissioned in August 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This was followed by the approval of the Adelaide Airport Master Plan 2014, in January 2015, ratified by the Commonwealth Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In September 2016, a relocation and major upgrade was completed for the base of the central service region of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The base houses many Pilatus PC-12 and one Pilatus PC-24, maintenance hangars and ambulance bays.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Atura Hotel (Template:Convert tall, nine levels) was completed in September 2018,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> following the $165 million terminal expansion project in late 2018 and early 2019. The expansion was completed in 2021, increasing the length of the terminal, adding more duty-free and shopping outlets, and increasing international capacity. The old international terminal was also demolished in 2019, after lying empty for many years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In early 2020, Adelaide Airport opened a newly updated concourse which was finished in December 2019,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with new shops such as Airport Pharmacy, Boost Juice, Lego Kaboom, Penfolds Wine Bar & Kitchen, Precinct Adelaide Kitchen, and Soul Origin. In October 2023 it was announced that the Penfolds Wine Bar & Kitchen would close and be replaced with the ADL Grounds Bar.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Vickers Vimy museum

File:Vickers-Vimy museum.jpg
Exterior of the Vickers-Vimy museum, Adelaide Airport

In 1919, the Australian government offered £10,000 for the first All-Australian crew to fly an aeroplane from England to Australia. Adelaide brothers Keith Macpherson Smith and Ross Macpherson Smith, along with mechanics Jim Bennett and Wally Shiers, completed the journey from Hounslow Heath Aerodrome to Darwin via Singapore and Batavia on 10 December 1919. Their Vickers Vimy aircraft, affectionately known as "God 'Elp All Of Us", is preserved in a purpose-built climate-controlled museum inside the grounds of the airport at Template:Coord.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Due to relocation of the terminal buildings, the museum is now situated inside the long-term car park. In 2019, the state and federal government committed $2 million each towards a new preservation facility inside the airport's $165 million terminal expansion.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Lucerne to cool runways

A world-first project that lowers runway temperatures by growing commercial crops irrigated by recycled water was trialled at Adelaide Airport, with the first trial completed in 2019. By planting Template:Convert of various crops and testing the effects of each on runway temperature, SA Water scientists found that lucerne was most successful, leading to a reduction of an average 3 °C in average ambient air temperatures on warm days, in and around the irrigation areas. Not only was the lucerne the best performer compared with tall fescue, couch grass and kikuyu, but it can also be cut into hay and sold as stock feed. The plant growth habit of lucerne also lends itself to deter birds, with research suggesting "if you have a nice thick crop of lucerne over the top of the soil [the birds] can't actually get to the soil and the movement of the crop in the wind also spooks them." Preliminary trial results suggest that lucerne treatments saw no increase in bird species. The Airport is creating a business case to extend the project to cover Template:Convert of airport land.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Template:Airport destination list

Qantas formerly operated dedicated "flightseeing" services over Antarctica from Adelaide. These flights, which originally used a Boeing 747-400,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> then a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, departed Adelaide from the international/domestic terminal, and provided a guided aerial tour of Antarctica before returning to Australia. These flights were about thirteen hours in total.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Cargo

Template:Airport-dest-list

Traffic and statistics

Total annual passengers

Template:Airport-Statistics

Annual passenger statistics for Adelaide Airport<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Year Domestic International Total Change
1986 1,978,433 136,571 2,115,004 Template:Increase 4.7%
1987 2,008,843 139,692 2,148,535 Template:Increase 1.6%
1988 2,164,254 140,884 2,305,135 Template:Increase 7.3%
1989 1,735,052 147,178 1,882,230 Template:Decrease -18.3%
1990 2,107,846 181,397 2,289,243 Template:Increase 21.6%
1991 2,630,016 192,094 2,822,100 Template:Increase 23.3%
1992 2,729,855 204,463 2,934,318 Template:Increase 4.0%
1993 2,909,895 216,419 3,126,314 Template:Increase 6.5%
1994 3,174,750 214,356 3,389,106 Template:Increase 8.4%
1995 3,419,694 207,621 3,627,315 Template:Increase 7.0%
1996 3,559,829 205,863 3,765,692 Template:Increase 3.8%
1997 3,636,402 208,890 3,845,292 Template:Increase 2.1%
1998 3,789,458 223,035 4,012,493 Template:Increase 4.3%
1999 3,860,910 241,014 4,101,924 Template:Increase 2.2%
2000 3,963,159 270,099 4,233,258 Template:Increase 3.2%
2001 4,182,480 241,844 4,424,324 Template:Increase 4.5%
2002 3,994,310 224,351 4,218,661 Template:Decrease -4.6%
2003 4,384,095 206,849 4,590,944 Template:Increase 8.8%
2004 4,839,885 286,083 5,125,968 Template:Increase 11.7%
2005 5,261,677 334,298 5,595,975 Template:Increase 9.2%
2006 5,592,313 400,489 5,992,802 Template:Increase 7.1%
2007 5,906,429 455,149 6,361,578 Template:Increase 6.2%
2008 6,270,369 479,679 6,750,048 Template:Increase 6.1%
2009 6,340,348 501,399 6,841,747 Template:Increase 1.4%
2010 6,758,251 532,392 7,290,643 Template:Increase 6.6%
2011 6,438,334 583,073 7,021,407 Template:Decrease -3.7%
2012 6,416,815 650,077 7,066,892 Template:Increase 0.6%
2013 6,574,289 799,585 7,373,874 Template:Increase 4.3%
2014 6,731,599 967,265 7,698,864 Template:Increase 4.4%
2015 6,799,781 871,388 7,671,169 Template:Decrease -0.4%
2016 6,995,994 924,179 7,920,173 Template:Increase 3.2%
2017 7,148,959 962,975 8,111,934 Template:Increase 2.4%
2018 7,320,342 1,025,961 8,346,303 Template:Increase 2.9%
2019 7,387,579 1,128,592 8,516,171 Template:Increase 2.0%
2020 2,348,454 240,959 2,589,413 Template:Decrease -69.6%
2021 3,031,107 35,688 3,066,795 Template:Increase 18.4%
2022 6,006,859 409,977 6,416,836 Template:Increase 109.2%
2023 7,116,372 881,114 7,997,486 Template:Increase 24.6%
2024Template:Efn 7,580,034 958,144 8,538,178 Template:Increase 6.7%
2025 7,699,151 1,032,093 8,731,244 Template:Increase 2.3%

Domestic

Adelaide Airport handled 7.6 million domestic passengers in the financial year ending 30 June 2025, marking a 1.6% increase from the previous year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Busiest domestic routes – Adelaide Airport (year ending 30 June 2025)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Rank Airport Passengers Change Airlines
1 Melbourne 2,323,700 Template:Decrease -0.4% Jetstar, Qantas, QantasLink, Virgin Australia
2 Sydney 1,890,100 Template:Increase 2.3% Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin Australia
3 Brisbane 863,600 Template:Decrease -0.0% Jetstar, QantasLink, Virgin Australia
4 Perth 714,600 Template:Increase 6.1% Jetstar, National Jet Express, Qantas, Virgin Australia, Virgin Australia Regional Airlines
5 Gold Coast 280,900 Template:Increase 3.0% Jetstar, QantasLink, Virgin Australia
6 Canberra 193,000 Template:Increase 3.0% QantasLink, Virgin Australia
7 Port Lincoln 167,100 Template:Decrease -2.7% QantasLink, Rex Airlines
8 Alice Springs 105,300 Template:Decrease -6.8% QantasLink, Virgin Australia

International

Adelaide Airport handled over 1 million international passengers in the financial year ending 30 June 2025, with an increase of 7.7% from the previous year.<ref name="Adelaide Airport"/> 2025 marked Adelaide Airport's largest international expansion, with new flights to Christchurch, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Denpasar from Indonesia AirAsia, as well as flight resumptions to Hong Kong and Auckland from Qantas.

Busiest international routes – Adelaide Airport (year ending 30 June 2025)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Rank Airport Passengers Airlines
1 Template:Flag icon Singapore 297,016 Singapore Airlines
2 Template:Flag icon Denpasar 214,227 Indonesia AirAsia, Jetstar
3 Template:Flag icon Doha 181,343 Qatar Airways
4 Template:Flag icon Kuala Lumpur 135,742 Malaysia Airlines
5 Template:Flag icon DubaiTemplate:Efn 84,585 Emirates
6 Template:Flag icon Auckland 66,845 Air New Zealand
7 Template:Flag icon Nadi 25,931 Fiji Airways
8 Template:Flag icon GuangzhouTemplate:Efn 17,083 China Southern Airlines

Cargo

Busiest international freight routes – Adelaide Airport (year ending 30 June 2025)<ref name="IAA2025">Template:Cite web</ref>
Rank Airport Tonnes
1 Template:Sort 7,804.2
2 Template:Sort 5,727.0
4 Template:SortTemplate:Efn 4,555.2
3 Template:Sort 2,763.7
5 Template:SortTemplate:Efn 1,477.2
6 Template:Sort 165.8
7 Template:Sort 14.9
8 Template:Sort 8.0

Awards and accolades

Adelaide Airport consistently ranks within the top hundred airports globally,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> as well within the top ten in the 5-15 million passenger category.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It has also been named Australia's best capital city airport on numerous occasions, in 2006,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 2009,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 2011,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Additionally, the airport has also won Skytrax World Airport Awards' best regional airport ranking in the Australia-Pacific region in 2022 and 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Accidents and incidents

Ground transport

File:Bus Stop, Adelaide Airport.jpg
Bus stop, Adelaide Airport

Adelaide Metro operates frequent JetBus services connecting the airport to a number of popular locations across metropolitan Adelaide, including the CBD.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Routes J1<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and J2<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> operate between the northern and the western and southern suburbs, via the CBD and airport – popular areas such as Westfield Tea Tree Plaza, Glenelg and Harbour Town are serviced. Bus stops U1 on the south side of Grenfell Street and W1 on the south side of Currie Street are convenient for catching the J1 and J2 to the airport.

Routes J7<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and J8<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> operate between the airport and Westfield West Lakes and Westfield Marion, and do not go near the city.

Taxis and rental cars are also available near the terminal building.

Plans to build a rail line to the airport have been cancelled.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Notes

Template:Notelist

References

Template:Reflist

Template:Commons

Template:Portal bar Template:Airports in Australia Template:Airports in South Australia Template:Macquarie Group Template:Authority control