Australia
New Zealand
Other Countries
24/7 Support
Published 15 July 2026 · Updated 8 Sept 2026
Mackay Airport (MKY) serves as a key aviation hub for Central Queensland, linking the region to major Australian cities. Located in South Mackay, the airport supports the mining industry, agricultural operations and tourism to the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef.
How many passengers pass through Mackay Airport each year?
Mackay Airport handles around 900,000 passengers annually, making it one of Australia's busiest regional airports.
- The airport served 934,566 passengers in 2025, marking a 3.8% increase from 900,310 in 2024.
- In 2019, before the pandemic, it handled 840,650 passengers.
- Passenger numbers dropped sharply to 451,244 in 2020 (a 46% decline), then rebounded to 647,487 in 2021.
- The recovery continued with 824,704 passengers in 2022 and 909,384 in 2023.
What is the total number of aircraft operations at Mackay Airport each year?
Mackay Airport records over 10,000 scheduled commercial takeoffs and landings annually, along with general aviation and occasional military flights.
- In 2025, there were 10,667 regular public transport (RPT) operations, indicating stable activity post-pandemic.
- Operations reached approximately 11,128 in 2019.
- Movements dropped in 2020 to around 7,000, the lowest during the pandemic.
- The numbers gradually rose to 9,106 in 2021 and 9,983 in 2022.
- Operations further increased to 10,945 in 2023 before dropping to 10,648 in 2024.
Which airlines operate the most flights out of Mackay Airport?
Qantas Group carriers lead flight operations at Mackay, followed by Virgin Australia, with Jetstar offering low-cost options.
- Qantas Group (including QantasLink) holds the largest market share, making it the primary carrier.
- Virgin Australia is the second-largest, with a strong presence on the Brisbane route.
- Jetstar provides low-cost services, mainly to Brisbane.
- Alliance Airlines operates charter and FIFO (fly-in/fly-out) flights for mining companies.
What are the monthly trends in passenger traffic at Mackay Airport?
Passenger traffic at Mackay Airport shows a clear seasonal pattern, with the strongest volumes in the second half of 2025 and a low point in late summer.
- October 2025 was the busiest month of the year, with 89,431 passengers, followed by July with 83,624 and September with 82,801.
- August was also strong at 81,356 passengers, while December remained relatively high at 80,719.
- The weakest months were February with 64,437 passengers, and January with 68,359 passengers.
How many routes are there at Mackay Airport?
Mackay Airport operates only domestic routes within Australia, with no international services.
- Mackay Airport currently has 3 scheduled non-stop domestic passenger routes: Brisbane, Townsville and Rockhampton.
- Brisbane is by far the main route, with multiple daily services by Qantas, Virgin Australia and Jetstar.
- Townsville and Rockhampton are smaller regional routes operated by Qantas/QantasLink-style regional aircraft.
On-time performance at Mackay Airport
- At Mackay Airport, overall on-time performance was 76.5% for arrivals and 80% for departures on BITRE-reported routes.
- Qantas had the best arrival and departure punctuality, with 86.2% of arrivals on time and 86.9% of departures on time.
Mackay Airport On-time Performance (2025)
| Airlines | On Time Arrivals (%) | On Time Departures (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Jetstar | 48.5 | 50.3 |
| Qantas | 86.2 | 86.9 |
| QantasLink | 75.4 | 85.0 |
| Virgin Australia | 78.2 | 80.2 |
| All Airlines | 76.5 | 80.0 |
What are the main causes of flight disruptions at Mackay Airport?
- Tropical weather during the wet season (December to March), including cyclones and heavy rain. For example, Tropical Cyclone Debbie in March 2017 led to a 48-hour airport closure.
- Disruptions at Brisbane, the main connecting hub, often affect Mackay flights.
- Fog and low visibility in winter can delay early morning departures.
- Mining industry scheduling changes can affect FIFO services.
- Aircraft issues or crew shortages, though less frequent, may also lead to delays.
- Ballina Byron Gateway Airport Statistics
- Broome International Airport Statistics
- Canberra Airport Statistics
- Emerald Airport (YEML) Statistics
- Esperance Airport Statistics
- Geraldton Airport Statistics
- Griffith Regional Airport Statistics
- Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport Statistics
- Launceston Airport Statistics
- Merimbula Airport Statistics
- Newcastle Airport (Australia) Statistics
- Rockhampton Airport Statistics
What are the notable incidents at Mackay Airport?
- June 10, 1960: A Trans Australia Airlines Fokker F-27 "Friendship" (Flight 538) crashed into the sea while approaching Mackay in dense fog, killing all 29 people on board. It remains the worst aviation accident in Mackay's history and led to improvements in navigation systems.
- March 28-30, 2017: Tropical Cyclone Debbie forced a full closure of the airport for 48-hours. Operations resumed on March 30 with no infrastructure damage, highlighting strong emergency planning.
- February 14, 2025: A Fairchild Metroliner operated by Toll/Pel-Air had an unsecured forward cargo door discovered during taxi. The pilot closed it before takeoff. An ATSB investigation emphasized the need for detailed pre-flight inspections1.
References
- Incident at Merimbula Airport · atsb.gov.au ↑
- Australian Airports Traffic Data · bitre.gov.au
- FlightConnections — Routes from Mackay Airport · flightconnections.com
