Indian boom breaks Sydney Airport record

More than 11 million passengers - the equivalent of Victoria and Queensland's combined populations - passed through Sydney Airport in the March quarter.

Qantas aircraft seen at Sydney International Airport, Sydney.

A record 11.1 million passengers used Sydney airport in the first three months of 2018. (AAP)

The equivalent of Victoria and Queensland's combined population has passed through Sydney Airport in the first three months of 2018.

Boosted by an early Easter and significant rises in the number of Indian and United States travellers, the airport on Friday said it had catered for a record 11.1 million travellers in the March quarter.

That was 441,000, or 4.1 per cent, higher than the same period last year and keeps it on track to break its full-year record of 43.3 million passengers set in 2017.

The majority of the latest boost was due to an expanding international market with Indian travellers up almost 20 per cent.

The boom has somewhat led to Air India increasing its Delhi to Sydney flights on their 787 Dreamliners from four times a week to five per week.

The number of Chinese and Hong Kong travellers rose 5.9 per cent while US travellers were up 12.2 per cent.

Sydney Airport shares were up one cent, or 0.15 per cent, at $6.54 at 1113 AEST on Friday.

Top 10 Nationalities travelling through Sydney Airport:

1. Australia (up 4.2 per cent in March quarter)

2. China, Hong Kong, Macau (up 5.9 per cent)

3. US (up 12.2 per cent)

4. New Zealand (down 0.6 per cent)

5. UK (up 4.8 per cent)

6. South Korea (up 9.6 per cent)

7. Japan (up 1.5 per cent)

8. India (up 19.5 per cent)

9. Canada (up 9.5 per cent)

10. Germany (down 0.8 per cent)


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Source: AAP


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