Adelaide Airport adds five new international routes as traveller numbers hit record

Adelaide Airport has announced five new international routes to begin operating from December, as the airport recorded its highest ever annual passenger throughput of 9.8 million travellers in the financial year just ended.

New services from Singapore Airlines, AirAsia X, and Cathay Pacific will connect Adelaide directly to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Hong Kong respectively, eliminating the need for many South Australian travellers to transit through Melbourne or Sydney. A new codeshare arrangement with Qatar Airways will also create a seamless one-stop connection to London and Frankfurt.

Airport chief executive Brenton Cox said the route expansion reflected growing international recognition of Adelaide as a standalone destination rather than a gateway to other parts of Australia. "Our hotel occupancy data, our wine tourism figures, our food festival visitation — all of it demonstrates Adelaide can compete for the international leisure and business traveller," he said.

South Australia's tourism industry welcomed the announcement, with the South Australian Tourism Commission estimating international visitors generate around $1.8 billion in direct expenditure annually. The commission said each new long-haul route typically brings an additional $45 to $65 million in visitor spending over its first three years of operation.

Terminal upgrade works are underway to accommodate the new carriers, with a refurbished international arrivals hall scheduled for completion ahead of the December schedule change.

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