With one major airline set to add eight additional flights per week and another increasing capacity on existing routes, more school holiday travellers will be able to reach their favourite destinations from the Sunshine Coast.
In response to strong demand for holiday travel, Sunshine Coast Airport will see a significant boost in passenger seat capacity over the Christmas and New Year period.
The total average daily seat capacity over the summer holidays will be 6400 seats, representing a jump of 3.8 per cent from last year. The busiest days are expected to be December 19 and 26.
Airport CEO Chris Mills said the increase reflected strong passenger appetite for travel during the festive season.
“We know Christmas is one of the most important travel periods for families and we’re pleased to offer more seats and more choice to travellers than ever before,” he said.
“Our airline partners have responded to demand which means more travellers can reach their favourite destinations sooner.”
Qantas will commence flying the new A220 aircraft, resulting in an additional eight flights per week.
Virgin Airlines has also increased school holiday capacity by almost 20 per cent from last year.
According to federal government statistics for September, the highest load factor in the country was recorded on the Melbourne-Sunshine Coast route.
“The increase is a clear sign that the Sunshine Coast is the natural choice for travel,” Mr Mills said.
“Next year is expected to be even busier, particularly with the commencement of Jetstar direct flights to Bali and onto Singapore.”
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Presently the Sydney and Melbourne markets account for 88 per cent of all airline seats to and from Sunshine Coast Airport, with about 240 flights a week during the holiday period for 2025-26.
Passengers are encouraged to arrive early, check in online and stay up to date on travel requirements.
Terminal expansion works are not expected to affect travel over the holiday period. The first stage of works is underway and the outbound baggage facility scheduled for completion in 2026, with full terminal expansion to be completed in 2027.
The airport is expecting to welcome more than 1.8 million passengers in the 2026 financial year and 2.4 million by 2030.
