Perth Airport is an international, domestic and general aviation airport serving Perth, Western Australia. It is the fourth busiest airport in Australia measured by passenger movements and falls within the boundaries of the cities of Belmont, Kalamunda and Swan in the east of the Perth metropolitan region. It is the sole airport with regular international flights in Western Australia.
Perth Airport covers a total of 2,105 hectares (5,202 acres) of airport property. Since 1997, it has been operated by Perth Airport Pty Ltd under a 99-year lease from the federal government. It is served by Airport Central railway station on the Transperth's Airport line.
Location
thumb|250px|Perth Airport with city centre behind, image taken from the [[Darling Scarp looking west]]
The airport is located approximately east of the Perth central business district. It is one of three civilian airports within the Perth metropolitan area, the others being Jandakot Airport and Rottnest Island Airport. Besides the civilian airports, there are also two military airports within the Perth metropolitan area. The larger of the two is RAAF Base Pearce, to the north of Perth Airport, at Bullsbrook. The other is south-west of Perth Airport, and is a part of the military base of HMAS Stirling on Garden Island.
Perth Airport is located on the Aboriginal traditional Whadjak-Noongar country.
Growth and impact
As well as passenger movements however, complaints about the impact of the airport on the residents of Perth have grown. The City of Canning, one area that is affected, accepts that "aircraft noise is an important issue" and that "[it] does impact heavily on those suburbs under the flightpaths". Another affected area, the City of Swan, "has experienced significant issues". Indeed, planning policy adopted by the Government of Western Australia recognises that some aircraft noise is “not compatible with residential or educational” land use, two fundamental uses of land in any conurbation that is home to over two million residents—such as Greater Perth.
History
Early days
Prior to the opening of the Perth Airport, civilian air services for the city were provided from Maylands Aerodrome as well as on the city's foreshore at Langley Park. By the end of the 1930s, it became clear that the Maylands Aerodrome was limited in the size and speed of aircraft it was able to handle thus causing them to seek an alternative site for a future airport. In 1938, land was selected and purchased for the new aerodrome. The site selected in what was at the time Guildford, was an area of land granted by Governor James Stirling to local man John Scott, which later became the long disused Dunreath Golf Course. Officiated by the Federal Minister for Civil Aviation, Hubert Anthony, the official ceremony for the renaming took place on the main apron in front of a converted Bellman hangar used by TAA as its passenger terminal.
International terminal development
From 1962 onwards, both the domestic and international passenger operations at the airport were provided by a single terminal. By the arrival of the Boeing 747 on 3 September 1971, the terminal had reached its capacity, and modelling of future passenger numbers showed it would be unable to handle any further increases in passenger demand. The terminal was officially opened on 25 October 1986 by Prime Minister Bob Hawke, with the new terminal receiving passengers just days after.
Upon completion, the terminal was able to process up to five Boeing 747 aircraft per hour and accommodated a peak passenger volume of 6,000 passengers per hour. As at February 2024, Future Fund (30%), Utilities Trust of Australia (23%) and AustralianSuper (17%) were the major shareholders.
From 2003 to 2004, the International terminal underwent major internal refurbishments to provide an increased array of passenger services, including increased space for duty-free stores and food and beverage concession stands.
On 14 October 2008, the Airbus A380 made its first visit to the airport as a part of Qantas' A380 promotional tour around Australia. The second A380 to visit the airport was an Emirates aircraft which made an emergency landing on 15 August 2009, after a passenger on a Dubai to Sydney flight suffered a stroke.
In 2012, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) released a report rating the Perth Airport as the worst in Australia, as judged by airlines. The same report rated it below satisfactory for the second year in a row. However, due to more recent expansions and projects, the airport was awarded capital city airport of the year by the Australian Airports Association at their national conference in 2016. In 2018, Perth Airport was named the best airport in Australia for overall service quality by the ACCC after the completion of a $1 billion redevelopment project over the span of five years.
thumb|Terminal 2
Catering for regional airlines, terminal 2 was officially opened on 28 February 2013, with the first flights operating out of the terminal from 2 March 2013. The single story terminal features at-grade access to the terminal building and dedicated pick-up and drop-off lanes at the front of the terminal, a centralised passenger security screening zone, three baggage reclaim belts as well 14 aircraft bays, accessible from enclosed walkways and serviced by 8 boarding counters, and 36 additional aircraft parking bays.
thumb|Terminal 1 Domestic Pier
In April 2015, Airport Drive opened, replacing Horrie Miller Drive as the main access road to terminals 1 and 2. The road was part of the wider Gateway WA project to improve access to the airport. That same month works commenced on a $42-million upgrade of the forecourt and the passenger pick-up/drop-off areas in front of terminal 1 to improve access. The upgrade was completed in November 2016.
In May 2015, Emirates commenced the first Airbus A380 service to Perth from Dubai following the completion of a dual level boarding gate, an expanded check-in hall, a refurbished departure area and other expansions to terminal 1 including a new Emirates business class lounge. In August 2017, Emirates replaced its last remaining Emirates Boeing 777-300ER service with an Airbus A380, taking the total Emirates daily services to two. However, this service was replaced by a Boeing 777 in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. On 1 November 2022, the first regular A380 service resumed.
thumb|Terminal 1 Domestic Pier at night
On 22 November 2015 the domestic pier of terminal 1 was opened; the pier became the exclusive home to Virgin Australia. With Virgin Australia's partner, Etihad Airways, beginning daily direct services from its hub in Abu Dhabi on 16 July 2014; the pier ensures quick and seamless transfers between the two airlines. The pier is also connected to Terminal 2 via an elevated walkway allowing seamless transfer to Virgin's regional services without having to be re-screened.
On 15 May 2016, the world's largest commercial jet airliner, the Antonov An-225 Mriya landed at Perth Airport, making its first visit to Perth and Australia.
On 3 November 2016, construction of a commuter rail link to the airport was started, with Airport Central station on the Airport line linking the future consolidated terminal precinct with the greater Transperth railway network. The Airport line, which opened on 9 October 2022 and is underground below Perth airport, converges with the Midland line at Bayswater station. Also constructed was a pedestrian "skybridge" linking the station to Terminal 1.
On 11 December 2016, Qantas announced that it would commence non-stop flights from Perth to London Heathrow with one of its newly acquired Boeing 787s. To achieve this the Qantas domestic terminals at terminals 3 and 4 were upgraded during 2017 to cater for international flights. Once completed the existing Qantas flights to Singapore and Auckland also migrated from terminal 1 to terminal 3 and 4, with all Qantas' international flights now departing from terminal 3's international section. Services to London started in March 2018.
In May 2018, Qatar Airways upgraded their Perth-Doha service from the Boeing 777 to the Airbus A380, making them the second airline to begin A380 services to Perth. Although this service was downgraded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Qatar Airways would ultimately resume A380 services to Perth in December 2022.
2019–present: Major upgrades and future consolidation
Although the airport was closed to many regular international and domestic flights during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, Perth Airport still handled six million resource workers on fly-in fly-out flights. However, the subdued passenger numbers and a delayed border reopening resulted in a temporary closure of the Terminal 1 domestic pier and a partial closure of Terminal 3 in early 2022.
In June 2022, Qantas began direct flights from Perth to Rome to be operated on a seasonal basis, three times a week; this created Perth Airport's second direct connection to Europe. These services were followed by a direct service to Paris Charles de Gaulle beginning in July 2024, the third connection to Europe.
In May 2024, it was announced that terminals 3 and 4 will receive upgrades to create additional capacity for Qantas services before the airline ultimately moves to a new terminal in the Airport Central precinct in 2031. The first of the new six-level carparks began construction in mid-2024 with an intended completion date of 2026. The existing road network in front of T1 and T2 will also be reconfigured, and will see new dedicated pick-up and drop-off points for passengers, while the existing road in front of terminal 1 will be closed and converted into a pedestrian plaza. Scheduled to begin construction in 2026, the 240-room hotel will feature a rooftop pool with views of the airfield and an architectural design that echoes aircraft panels. It will also connect to the existing skybridge.
In October 2025, the airport began work on upgrades and expansion of terminal 2 that would double the passenger capacity of the facility.
In December 2025, the airport officially commenced construction on a third runway (03R/21L). The new runway will be long and wide, while running parallel to the existing main runway and located between Terminal 1 and Abernethy Road. The Skyway Consortium, a joint venture between BMD Group and CPB Contractors, will construct the runway with associated taxiways, access roads, lighting and other necessary infrastructure. The construction of the runway will also result in the closure of part of Grogan Road on the Perth Airport estate that intersects the planned runway site. The $1 billion project is slated for completion in 2029.
thumb|Perth Airport T1 Carpark Under Construction in August 2025
Facilities and services
thumb|A [[Qantas Airbus A330-300 docked at Terminal 1. Terminals 3 and 4 are visible in the background.]]
thumb|Terminal 1 domestic check-in area
thumb|Viewing platform on Dunreath Drive
thumb|[[Big Jet TV livestreaming at Perth Airport, March 2025]]
Perth Airport has five terminals: four main terminals and one minor terminal.
- On the eastern side of the airport (and the location of the future consolidated terminal precinct) are:
- Terminal 1 (T1), originally known as the International Terminal, caters primarily for flights originating or departing outside Australia, with five jetways and a total of seven gates including a Multi Access Ramp System which allows dual boarding of aircraft including the Boeing 777 and Airbus A380. There are four airline lounges: the Emirates lounge; a Singapore Airlines Silver Kris lounge; the Air New Zealand Lounge and the unaffiliated Aspire Lounge. The Emirates lounge has a second level and offers direct boarding on their flagship Airbus A380 aircraft. In November 2015, a new domestic pier opened at the west end of T1 to service Virgin Australia domestic flights. The domestic pier has eight gates and contains a Virgin Australia lounge. It is connected to T2 by a walkway.
- Terminal 2 (T2) is located to the immediate south west of T1 and caters primarily for regional services. Virgin Australia Regional and Alliance commenced operations from T2 in 2013 whilst Rex Airlines commenced operations from T2 in 2016. In September 2024, domestic Jetstar services transferred operations from T3 and T4 to T2. The terminal contains an Alliance lounge.
- On the western side of the airport are the remaining terminals; terminals T3 and T4 adjoin each other, with Qantas having exclusive use of both terminals since the movement of Virgin Australia to T1. The Perth Airport Master Plan outlines these two terminals will ultimately be demolished and replaced by a single new terminal east of T1.
- Terminal 3 (T3) has five jetways and a total of nine gates. It is currently used by Qantas for its domestic and international flights; for this latter purpose the terminal has been outfitted with customs and immigration facilities, and contains an international arrivals concourse. T3 contains the Qantas International lounge.
- Terminal 4 (T4) has four jetways and a total of nine gates and is dedicated to the domestic operations of Qantas and QantasLink. The terminal also facilitates check in for Qantas' international services. It has two member lounges: The Qantas Club, which was expanded in March 2013 to cater for an additional 140 passengers; and the Qantas Domestic Business Lounge, which opened in 2014.
- There is also a general aviation terminal to the north of T3 and T4 simply called General Aviation that is used primarily by some charter aircraft and for mining companies with fly-in fly-out services, with Jandakot airport also serving that function.
Runways
Flights are serviced by two runways – the main 03/21 runway, and 06/24, .
In 1965, Runway 03/21 was extended from to to accommodate Boeing 707s.
After a 10-month project, a reconstructed cross runway was opened on 21 October 2005. The upgrades involved significant strengthening works and enlargement of turning nodes to accommodate regular operations by wide bodied aircraft, including the Airbus A380.
In March 1988, surface observations were moved to the recently vacated old airport tower on the northern side of the airfield (near what is now Terminal 3).
Observation areas
There are two dedicated spotting areas at Perth Airport. Terminal T1 has an Observation Deck on level 3 to view departing and arriving aircraft. It has vending machines and flight information displays.
The second spotting area is to the west side opposing the threshold of Runway 03 located along Dunreath Drive. The public viewing area has a shelter in the shape of the body section of a Boeing 747, and displays of information about the history of aviation.
Airlines and destinations
Perth Airport is served by 30 scheduled airlines flying to over 50 destinations in Australia, Oceania, Asia, Africa and Europe. A total of 1258 scheduled domestic and regional flights arrive and depart from Perth Airport each week. A total of 213 scheduled international flights arrive and depart from Perth Airport each week.