Karratha Airport Statistics

Karratha Airport records about 5,000 to 7,000 scheduled airline Regular Public Transport (RPT) flights annually, with the Perth route forming the bulk of activity.

• In 2025, there were 6,477 RPT flights, showing an 8.5% increase from 5,968 in 2024.
• Pre-pandemic levels reached 5,976 flights in 2019.
• Operations dropped in 2020 to 3,463, the lowest during the pandemic.
• The airport recorded 4,536 flights in 2021, 4,615 in 2022 and 5,007 in 2023, reflecting steady growth as mining resumed.

Karratha Airport maintains relatively steady traffic throughout the year due to FIFO operations, with some seasonal variation in 2025.

• July was the busiest month in 2025 with 65,824 passengers during peak mining activity.
• October followed with 65,230 and September recorded 62,046 passengers.
• August saw 60,117 and June had 59,838, reflecting sustained demand.
• The lowest months were January with 47,859 and February with 48,977, typical of post-holiday and summer maintenance periods.

• Perth, WA (PER) is by far the busiest destination, carrying 687,533 passengers in 2025.
• Broome, WA (BME) sees a smaller volume on limited scheduled flights.
• Other Pilbara towns like Port Hedland and Newman are mainly served by charter flights rather than regular commercial service.

• Cyclone season (typically November to April) can lead to closures and cancellations.
• Summer thunderstorms and high temperatures may affect aircraft performance.
• Winter fog, though less frequent than in other coastal regions.
• Upstream delays from Perth Airport, causing late arrivals and departures.
• Aircraft technical issues, though rare due to stringent FIFO reliability standards.

• February 2020: Tropical Cyclone Damien led to a temporary airport closure and evacuation flights. The airport reopened quickly with no damage.
• August 2012: A Virgin Australia Embraer E-190 diverted to Karratha after an engine issue en route to Port Hedland. The aircraft landed safely with no injuries.
• December 1995: A Qantas Boeing 737-400 suffered a tailstrike on departure. It returned for a precautionary landing, and no injuries occurred. The incident prompted changes in pilot training.