Qantas jets at Adelaide Airport.
As Routes World celebrates its 30th anniversary, 2019 host Adelaide Airport (ADL) is marking record passenger growth, driven by a series of route wins and a determination to push into new markets across Asia and beyond.
Jonathan Cheong, head of aviation business development, tells Routes that international connectivity is at its strongest yet. “By the end of this year, we’ll have 12 international airlines flying to 11 international destinations,” he says. “In 2019 before the pandemic, we had 10 international flights.”
Cheong points to Emirates’ daily return to Adelaide last year, China Southern’s relaunch of Guangzhou services and Cathay Pacific’s upcoming resumption to Hong Kong as key milestones in restoring core Asian connectivity.
The growth trajectory is reflected in ADL’s latest figures. For the 2025 financial year, the airport set a record 8.7 million passengers, a 2.3% increase on the prior year, including more than one million international passengers—a 17% year-on-year rise.
Cheong says that new long-haul launches are helping fuel demand. “For the first time, by end of this year, we’ll get a nonstop flight with United Airlines to San Francisco. That’s a big win for us,” he says. The seasonal United service will operate three times per week on Boeing 787-9s from December through March 2026.
Qantas is also returning to the international market from Adelaide for the first time since 2013, with seasonal flights to Auckland beginning in October. Meanwhile, Air New Zealand will debut nonstop Christchurch service from Oct. 28, operating twice a week. AirAsia also opened a new Bali route in June.
Fiji Airways has also boosted capacity, while Emirates will upgrade Adelaide to the Airbus A350 in December, featuring its new premium economy cabin. Cheong says that product has been “very well received” in the South Australian market.
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Looking ahead, Cheong adds that ADL’s long-term “network vision 2050” sets a target of 39 international destinations by mid-century, with 15 routes to be secured by 2030. Priority markets include India, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand.
“India is actually our largest unserved market at the moment,” he says, citing the country’s status as Adelaide’s top international student source and second-largest ethnic community.
The Chinese market also remains a focus. China Southern has extended its seasonal Guangzhou schedule through March, and Cheong says the airport is working to convert that into a year-round service. “We do see that Chinese market is actually coming back to Australia. It’s one of our priorities to try to get China Southern to extend to a year-round service,” he says.
On the domestic front, Adelaide’s market has been affected by Rex Airlines’ withdrawal from trunk routes in 2024. Cheong says he was initially concerned about a capacity gap but praised competitors for stepping in quickly. “Thankfully, Jetstar, Virgin and Qantas have put capacity to our market to absorb stimulated traffic from Rex,” he explains.
Infrastructure expansion is running in parallel with route growth. Adelaide is progressing its A$600 million ($399 million) Project Flight, including a 25% expansion of check-in space, new domestic and regional gates, and additional aircraft stands. Security upgrades and new passenger amenities are also being rolled out.
Cheong stresses that partnerships with tourism and trade bodies are critical to route development. The airport brands its collective effort as Team South Australia, working alongside the South Australian Tourism Commission, Department of State Development, Study Adelaide and Tourism Australia to pitch to airlines.
Adelaide’s success is also tied to its role as a host of global aviation forums. The city staged Routes Asia in 2010 and Routes World in 2019, and Cheong says those events directly helped raise its profile. “It raises the profile of destination South Australia to key airline decision-makers. Once we get them here, they experience what we have to offer,” he says.
Cheong remains confident the growth will continue into the 2026 fiscal year and beyond.
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