Gold Coast Airport has completed construction for its $260M terminal expansion project, welcoming for the first time international travellers and marking an end to the three-year project.
The modern three-level, 30,000m2 expansion, which connects seamlessly with the existing terminal, took three years to build and created over 2,000 local jobs.
It includes new shops, cafes, and six new gates allowing for a total of 19 aircraft to now be accommodated on the tarmac. There are new border control facilities, four glass aerobridges, seven escalators and nine lifts, a departure lounge, and a new baggage handling area.
This project is central to the ongoing transformation of the Gold Coast Airport precinct, with about $500 million worth of works delivered, underway or in the pipeline.
Queensland Airports Limited CEO, Amelia Evans, said the opening to international services marks another important milestone in the recovery of Queensland Airports Limited, and the tourism industry after two challenging years of COVID-19 impacts.
“This project will ensure Gold Coast Airport is positioned as the preferred domestic and international gateway to the spectacular destinations of the Gold Coast and northern New South Wales,” Ms Evans said.
“Passenger numbers at Gold Coast Airport continue to rebuild with strength, with more than half a million passengers moved through the terminal throughout October, and aircraft in and out of the Gold Coast at 90 per cent passenger capacity.
“We will continue to focus on driving growth in passenger numbers, working closely with airline, government, and destination partners to secure extra capacity, new carriers and new international flight and domestic connections,” Ms Evans said.
An expanded duty-free store operated by Heinemann, featuring almost 40 new brands, is also now open. Through 2023 there will be a further 18 new food and beverage and retail outlets trading at Gold Coast Airport, enabled by the shift of international services into the new terminal expansion.