Emerald Airport (YEML) Statistics

Emerald Airport (YEML) is the primary aviation hub for Queensland’s Central Highlands, connecting the region’s mining sector, local businesses and residents to Brisbane. It plays a key role in supporting the area's economy through essential air transport services.

Emerald Airport handles over 180,000 passengers annually.

• The airport served 189,805 passengers in 2025, representing a 1.4% increase from 187,202 passengers in 2024.
• In 2019, before the pandemic, 201,523 passengers passed through the airport.
• Passenger numbers fell to 98,615 in 2020, a 51.1% drop due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
• Recovery continued with 136,941 in 2021, 159,039 in 2022, and 184,451 in 2023.

• QantasLink operates the most flights out of Emerald Airport, with 2025 BITRE (Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics) data showing 1,416 scheduled Emerald–Brisbane sectors versus 313 by Virgin Australia.
• QantasLink held about 82% of scheduled outbound sectors on the Emerald–Brisbane route in 2025, while Virgin Australia held about 18%.¹

Brisbane is the main and most popular destination from Emerald Airport, as current schedule data shows Emerald’s regular direct passenger flights operate on the Emerald–Brisbane route.

• FlightConnections lists Brisbane as the popular destination from Emerald, with around 140 scheduled flights per month.
• Other domestic and international destinations are generally reached via Brisbane connections, rather than as direct scheduled flights from Emerald.

• Summer thunderstorms, especially from November through March, are the most common weather-related cause.
• Morning fog may occasionally delay early departures, though it is less frequent than at coastal airports.
• Airline operational factors, like aircraft availability and crew scheduling, can impact the limited flight schedule.
• Mechanical issues may require aircraft to be replaced, often flown in from Brisbane.
• Brisbane Airport congestion can also result in downstream delays to or from Emerald.

Emerald Airport has no publicly identified recent major passenger-airline accident in the sources reviewed, though ATSB (Australian Transport Safety Bureau) records show operational incidents have occurred, including a 2024 fumes event where an aircraft returned to Emerald and landed safely.

• The Central Highlands Regional Council owns and operates Emerald Airport, with airport operations and airside maintenance linked to CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) Part 139 aerodrome requirements.²
• Wildlife hazard management is in place, with Emerald Airport’s Wildlife Hazard Management Plan reviewed against CASA Part 139 Manual of Standards requirements.³
• Routine aerodrome inspections and maintenance support safety, including technical inspections, pavement and drainage checks, and runway strip remediation works to improve compliance and safety.²
• Ongoing safety efforts also include obstacle limitation surface surveys, airspace protection work, and emergency planning exercises for airport incident response.