Qantas, Perth Airport Sign Historic Agreement to Create Major Hub

Qantas and Perth Airport announced a landmark 12-year agreement on Friday, unlocking a multi-billion-dollar investment in infrastructure.

A Qantas 787 Dreamliner lifting out of Paine Field in Washington. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)
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Key Takeaways:

Qantas and Perth Airport announced a landmark 12-year agreement on Friday, unlocking a multi-billion-dollar investment in infrastructure and plans to bolster Australia’s tourism industry. This agreement represents the largest airport infrastructure deal in Qantas’ history and the largest private infrastructure development ever undertaken in Perth, the airline noted in a press release.

Perth Airport Transformation

Perth Airport will invest around $3 billion in new terminal facilities and a new parallel runway, creating a larger hub in Western Australia. This investment is part of a larger $5 billion capital investment program that includes multi-story parking garages, major roadworks, and the airport’s first hotel.

Qantas and its Jetstar subsidiary will relocate all services to a new terminal in the Airport Central precinct. This move, along with Qantas’ investment in new aircraft, aims to turn Perth into a major domestic and international hub for the airlines. Combined, Qantas and Jetstar plan to add 4.4 million seats to and from Perth annually by 2031.

Enhanced Connectivity

According to the airline, the new terminal will offer a world-leading travel experience with seamless connections and state-of-the-art check-in facilities. Qantas will collaborate with Perth Airport to develop a multi-lounge precinct with a new design and upgraded dining and wellness options.

“Not only will it allow us to bring hundreds of thousands more travelers to and through Western Australia each year, it will also make it easier for overseas tourists to connect to more destinations across Australia,” Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson said in a news release.

In addition, Perth Airport will invest in upgrading Terminals 3 and 4 to create additional capacity while the new terminal is built. These upgrades will allow Qantas to add new services and destinations from Perth, including Auckland and Johannesburg, starting from mid-2025.

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
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