New Airlines and Additional Flights Bring In More Tourists to Sydney

Sydney Airport is bound to be busier this year with more airlines and additional flights coming in. This surge of new inbound flights to Sydney will boost the city’s tourism. An expected increase in domestic and international tourist volume means a rise in demand for hostels in Sydney as well. Sydney backpackers can also benefit because they have more flight alternatives when visiting other cities across Australia or travelling abroad.

Air Asia X Flies Daily to Sydney

After a four-year struggle for approval to fly the Kuala Lumpur-Sydney route, the first Air Asia X flight finally landed at Sydney Airport on April 2. As the region’s biggest low-cost carrier hits Sydney airport, there will be a head-to-head price competition against Malaysia Airlines, which was then the only airline offering a Kuala Lumpur-Sydney route.

“These daily flights will eventually bring an additional 55,000 visitors to New South Wales every year, contributing almost AUD$140 million to the state’s economy and creating business and employment opportunities statewide. In addition, AirAsia X connects to 80 destinations in 20 countries, giving Australia yet more access to tourists from emerging markets in Asia, as well as providing travel options for Australians,” Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) CEO John Lee said.

Virgin Australia Launches Daily Sydney-Darwin Flights

The inaugural flight of Virgin Australia’s Sydney-Darwin route was successfully launched on April 2. These direct flights between the two capital cities will support their alliance partner Singapore Airlines’ subsidiary Silk Air, which recently started operating a Darwin-Singapore flight four times a week.

“... we are now able to offer visitors from Singapore, Asia and Europe the opportunity to visit the Northern Territory and then travel on to Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne or Perth,” said Merren McArthur, Virgin Australia’s Group Executive of Alliances, Network and Yield.

Tiger Airways to Set up Second Hub in Sydney and Launch More Flights in July

After the Australian Civil Aviation and Safety Authority (CASA) lifted its restrictions on Tiger Airways, the budget carrier is now ready to launch more flights. To add to their main base in Melbourne, they are also setting up a second hub in Sydney, finally taking chances with Sydney Airport’s high costs to tap into Australia’s largest market. Their additional flights will include up to four return flights a day on each of their Sydney-Gold Coast and Sydney-Brisbane routes, and up to 11 daily flights between their Sydney and Melbourne hubs.

“We're working very well with Sydney Airport. The focus is on going where the demand is, offering a reliable product, offering customers choice, providing a consistent product so we're not in and out of markets – if we go into a market, we're in it for at least the medium term,” Tiger Airways Australia’s chief executive, Andrew David, said.

Other New Flights and Airlines Entering Sydney

The Singapore Airlines budget carrier, Scoot Airlines, will begin flying daily to Sydney from Singapore this June. On top of this, they will also fly a Singapore-Gold Coast route five times a week.

Taking over the closed route of Norfolk Air, Air New Zealand will launch twice-a-week flights for each of their Norfolk Island-Sydney and Norfolk Island-Brisbane routes.

With these new airlines and additional flights coming to Sydney, the competitive airline fares will lure more tourists in, especially the young travellers on school break. It’s likely that the youth hostels Sydney has to offer will be regularly packed, so book your trips and accommodations early.