Port Lincoln Airport Statistics

Published 15 July 2026 · Updated 8 Sept 2026

Port Lincoln Airport (PLO) is South Australia's busiest regional airport and the main air gateway for the Eyre Peninsula. It connects the region to Adelaide, supporting essential business travel, government services, tourism and seafood exports.

How many passengers pass through Port Lincoln Airport each year?

Port Lincoln Airport handles approximately 170,000 passengers annually.

The airport served 167,322 passengers in 2025, a 1.3% decline from 169,504 in 2024.
In 2019, before the pandemic, it handled 172,234 passengers.
Passenger numbers dropped sharply to 89,181 in 2020 (a 48% decline), then rebounded to 141,888 in 2021.
Recovery gained pace with 170,285 passengers in 2022 and 173,774 in 2023.

Vertical bar chart of annual passenger volume at Port Lincoln Airport from 2017 to 2025, peaking near 174,000 in 2023 and dropping to 89,200 in 2020. — Annual passenger volume at Port Lincoln Airport, 2017–2025.

What is the total number of aircraft operations at Port Lincoln Airport each year?

The airport has historically seen around 6,500 to 7,500 RPT aircraft movements each year, though 2025 saw a dip to 5,710, operated by Regional Express (Rex) and QantasLink.

In 2025, there were 5,710 RPT movements, a 13.2% decrease from 6,582 movements in 2024.
In 2019, there were approximately 7,426 operations.
The lowest point came in 2020 with 3,364 movements.
Operations increased to 5,440 in 2021 and 6,691 in 2022 before slightly declining to 6,558 in 2023.

Vertical bar chart of annual RPT aircraft operations at Port Lincoln Airport from 2017 to 2025, peaking at about 7,430 in 2017 and falling to 3,364 in 2020. — Annual aircraft operations (RPT) at Port Lincoln Airport, 2017–2025.

Which airlines operate the most flights out of Port Lincoln Airport?

Two regional carriers operate exclusively on the Port Lincoln-Adelaide route, creating a duopoly.

Rex operates Saab 340 turboprops on the Port Lincoln–Adelaide route and currently appears to provide the higher number of scheduled departures, although frequencies vary by day and timetable period.
QantasLink operates larger 74-seat Dash 8-Q400 turboprops, flying fewer daily services but with more seats per flight.
Together, Rex and QantasLink handle 100% of scheduled passenger flights from the airport.

What are the monthly trends in passenger traffic at Port Lincoln Airport?

Port Lincoln Airport records relatively stable passenger traffic throughout the year, with modest seasonal fluctuations between approximately 12,900 and 15,100 passengers per month.

March is the busiest month, handling about 15,100 passengers, followed closely by October and November, each with around 14,900 passengers.
Passenger numbers remain strong in December (14,300) and January (13,900), reflecting sustained travel demand during the summer holiday period.
July is the quietest month, with approximately 12,900 passengers, while June (13,300) and August (13,100) also record comparatively lower traffic levels.

Vertical bar chart of monthly passenger traffic at Port Lincoln Airport in 2025, highest in March at about 15,100 and lowest in July at about 12,900. — Monthly passenger traffic at Port Lincoln Airport, 2025.

How many routes are there at Port Lincoln Airport?

Port Lincoln Airport operates one scheduled commercial route: Port Lincoln to Adelaide (PLO-ADL), which accounts for 100% of regular passenger flights.
There are no international flights, and all scheduled services are domestic.
Occasional charter flights operate to mining areas like Moomba and other South Australian locations, but these are irregular.

Which destinations are the most popular from Port Lincoln Airport?Adelaide (ADL) is the only scheduled commercial destination, handling 100% of total passengers.
The city pair ranked approximately 51st among Australia’s busiest domestic routes.

On-time performance at Port Lincoln Airport

At Port Lincoln Airport, overall on-time performance was 78.7% for arrivals and 82.2% for departures on BITRE-reported routes.
QantasLink had the best arrival and departure punctuality, with 86.6% of arrivals on time and 90.2% of departures on time.

Port Lincoln Airport On-time Performance (2025)AirlinesOn Time Arrivals (%)On Time Departures (%)
QantasLink86.690.2
Rex Airlines73.577.0
All Airlines78.782.2

Airlines	On Time Arrivals (%)	On Time Departures (%)
QantasLink	86.6	90.2
Rex Airlines	73.5	77.0
All Airlines	78.7	82.2

What are the main causes of flight disruptions at Port Lincoln Airport?

Winter fog is the most frequent cause of delays and occasional diversions, especially during early mornings from June to August when visibility drops below safe levels.
Weather disruptions in Adelaide (such as thunderstorms, wind or air traffic delays) often affect connecting flights.
Crosswinds can lead to runway changes or delays, though the airport's multiple runways help reduce the impact.
Technical issues are rare but may cause delays if maintenance is required. Both airlines keep spare aircraft in Adelaide to reduce disruption.
Since 2023, the use of RNP satellite navigation has improved all-weather operations and reduced weather-related delays.

What are the notable incidents at Port Lincoln Airport?

On 22 December 2023, a Bombardier DHC-8 and a Van’s RV-6 were involved in a runway incident at Port Lincoln Airport. The RV-6 began taking off while the DHC-8 was on the runway, but no collision or injuries occurred. ATSB said the event highlighted the need for clear communication at non-towered airports.¹
On 4 May 2020, an Aero Commander 500-S freight aircraft had a landing-gear problem after take-off from Port Lincoln. The pilot safely landed the aircraft after confirming the gear was locked down. No injuries or damage occurred, and ATSB later found a failed nose gear actuator shaft.¹

References

Incident at Merimbula Airport · atsb.gov.au ↑ b
Australian Airports Traffic Data · bitre.gov.au