In the middle of the pandemic, Melbourne Airport was like a sporting stadium the day after a big game. The terminals were empty, with just a handful of flights repatriating nationals or keeping valuable export markets open, and it was a lonely walk through the airport to see first-hand the impact of Melbourne's extended lockdown. That is not the case today, as the Melbourne Airport (MEL) terminals are buzzing with travelers, primarily driven by a surge in foreign visitors from traditional and new markets.
Compared to pre-pandemic August 2018, Vietnam passport holders were up by 54% in August 2024, with passengers from the Philippines up by 48%, South Korea by 46% and Turkish passport holders up by 20%. Melbourne Airport handled 2.89 million passengers in August, including 923,000 international and 1.
97 million domestic travelers. Compared to August 2023, the total traffic was up by 2.4% year-on-year, with international growing 8% and domestic shrinking by 0.
4%, mainly due to the collapse of Bonza and Rex's domestic jet services. Expanding the airport for the future Despite the financial ravages of the pandemic and the demise of Bonza and Rex , Melbourne Airport is plowing ahead with major infrastructure projects. As a curfew-free, 24/7 airport, Melbourne is attractive to international airlines wanting to schedule connections through their hubs in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America.
The airport has one north-south and one east-west runway, and for some years, it h.