Hervey Bay Airport Statistics

Published 15 July 2026 · Updated 8 Sept 2026

Hervey Bay Airport (HVB) serves as the regional gateway to Queensland’s Fraser Coast, connecting the area to major Australian cities including Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne through domestic airline services.

How many passengers pass through Hervey Bay Airport each year?

Hervey Bay Airport handles over 200,000 passengers annually.

The airport served 218,834 passengers in 2025, surpassing its previous record of 183,344 set in 2024.
In 2019, prior to the pandemic, 166,839 passengers passed through the terminal.
Traffic dropped sharply in 2020 to 42,410, a 75% decline, and recovered modestly to 51,100 in 2021.
Recovery gained momentum in 2022 with 124,995 passengers, rising to 147,055 in 2023.

Bar chart of annual passenger volume at Hervey Bay Airport from 2017 to 2025, in thousands, dipping to 42.4K in 2020 and rising to a record 218.8K in 2025 — Annual Passenger Volume at Hervey Bay Airport (2017–2025)

What is the total number of aircraft operations at Hervey Bay Airport each year?

Hervey Bay Airport sees over 2,500 Regular Public Transport (RPT) commercial flights annually.

In 2025, there were 2,629 RPT aircraft movements, reflecting a 4.8% increase from 2,509 movements in 2024.
The airport recorded approximately 2,966 movements in 2019.
Operations fell to around 940 in 2020, the lowest point during the pandemic.
They rose to 1,248 in 2021, 1,869 in 2022 and 2,278 in 2023.

Bar chart of annual Regular Public Transport aircraft operations at Hervey Bay Airport from 2017 to 2025, falling to 940 in 2020 and recovering to 2,629 in 2025 — Annual Aircraft Operations at Hervey Bay Airport (2017–2025)

Which airlines operate the most flights out of Hervey Bay Airport?

Operations at Hervey Bay Airport are dominated by Qantas Group airlines, with QantasLink and Jetstar operating all commercial routes.

QantasLink flies to Brisbane using Dash-8 Q400 turboprop aircraft, offering multiple daily flights and remaining the airport’s primary carrier.
Jetstar operates interstate services to Sydney and Melbourne with A320 aircraft. Sydney flights began in 2021 and Melbourne flights launched in 2024.
Virgin Australia previously served the airport but withdrew in 2020 during its pandemic restructuring.¹
Together, QantasLink and Jetstar account for all commercial passenger services, forming a Qantas Group duopoly at the airport.

What are the monthly trends in passenger traffic at Hervey Bay Airport?

Passenger traffic at Hervey Bay Airport follows strong seasonal trends, with the winter and spring months (July to October) being the busiest due to whale-watching season and mild weather.

October typically marks the peak, aligning with the height of whale-watching activity and high airline load factors.²
July to September consistently see strong volumes, often exceeding historical averages during the winter tourism season.

How many routes are there at Hervey Bay Airport?

Hervey Bay Airport serves three primary domestic routes: Brisbane (BNE), Sydney (SYD) and Melbourne (MEL).³
There are no international routes. All commercial flights are domestic.
In addition to scheduled services, charter flights operate to Lady Elliot Island, supporting reef tourism using small aircraft.
The airport’s network is mainly focused on leisure travel and whale-watching, while business travel is concentrated on the Brisbane route.

Which destinations are the most popular from Hervey Bay Airport?

Brisbane (BNE) is the busiest route, serving as a key connection for business travel with several daily QantasLink flights.
Sydney (SYD) has grown significantly since its launch in May 2021, operated by Jetstar and popular with leisure travelers.⁴
Melbourne (MEL) began direct service in June 2024, marking the first nonstop link to Victoria. The route has shown strong growth, especially in winter.⁴

How much cargo does Hervey Bay Airport handle annually?

Hervey Bay Airport handles minimal cargo operations, mostly small parcel freight and mail carried in passenger aircraft holds.

Due to the small scale, cargo volumes are not officially reported by BITRE.
There are no dedicated cargo flights, with all freight moved via passenger aircraft or small charter operations.

What are the main causes of flight disruptions at Hervey Bay Airport?

Weather conditions at connecting airports like Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne, including thunderstorms and fog.
Aircraft technical issues, especially impactful at small airports without standby aircraft.
Summer thunderstorms in Southeast Queensland, mostly from December to March.
Delays at major hubs like Brisbane and Sydney affecting aircraft arrival times.
Wildlife on the runway, requiring occasional management at this coastal airport.

What are the notable incidents at Hervey Bay Airport?

January 31, 2024: A Cessna 182 experienced a technical failure and made an emergency beach landing near Hervey Bay. The pilot had minor injuries and the aircraft was heavily damaged.⁵
June 21, 2024: A Lancair 320 suffered nose gear failure on approach, resulting in a nose-up landing. No injuries were reported and the runway was briefly closed.⁵
August 11, 2025: A Jetstar A320 (Flight JQ-890 from Sydney) performed a go-around due to an unstable approach, reportedly related to misaligned PAPI lights. The aircraft landed safely on the second attempt.⁶

References

Virgin axes flights to regional areas in COVID-19 restructure · abc.net.au ↑
Record-breaking month for airport as Jetstar launches · frasercoast.qld.gov.au ↑
Flights from Hervey Bay (HVB) · flightconnections.com ↑
Jetstar · jetstar.com ↑ b
Aviation Safety Network · aviation-safety.net ↑ b
ATSB investigation AO-2025-050 · atsb.gov.au ↑
Australian Airports Traffic Data · bitre.gov.au