Travel between Queensland and Japan has surged beyond 2019 levels, with Japanese visitors up 124% and Queenslanders visiting Japan up 255%The United States has become the third-largest group of international tourists flying into Brisbane, driven by improved flight connections and cultural appeal
The strong bond between Queensland and Japan is flourishing, with two-way travel soaring well beyond pre-pandemic levels.
Japan has become Queensland’s fastest-growing international market, with a 124% rise in Japanese visitors arriving at Brisbane Airport, over 2019 numbers. Each day there are an average of 236 Japanese visitors arriving through Brisbane Airport (12 months to Feb-25), with Japan now the 5th biggest inbound market (behind New Zealand, UK/Europe, USA and China). This reaffirms the importance of the tourism relationship that has long been central to the state’s international visitor economy.
Meanwhile, interest from Queenslanders visiting Japan has surged, with a 255% increase in outbound travel vs 2019. Each day there are an average of 494 Australian residents departing Brisbane Airport for Japan (12 months to Feb-25), with Japan now the 4th biggest outbound market (behind New Zealand, UK/Europe, and Indonesia), and overtaking USA and Fiji
“The facts back up what your Instagram feed is already showing, Japan is a hot destination for Queenslanders right now. But we’re also seeing strong growth in the number of Japanese visitors coming to Queensland, which is great news for tourism operators in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Great Barrier Reef,” notes Ryan Both, Aviation Executive General Manager at Brisbane Airport.
“We know when Brisbane Airport is busy, Queensland is thriving.”
Visitors from the United States are now the third-largest group of international tourists flying into Brisbane, thanks to improved flight connections to North America.
In the past year, flights by American Airlines and Delta Air Lines have joined carriers United Airlines, Qantas and Air Canada in boosting travel across the Pacific.
“The rise of the U.S. to our third-largest inbound market highlights the growing appeal of Queensland to American travellers, helped by cultural icons like Bluey and growing global awareness ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
The findings are sourced from the latest passenger arrival card data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Brisbane Airport (+12%) has also overtaken Melbourne Airport (+8%) and Sydney Airport (+2%) for international recovery in February 2025 vs February 2019.
The majority of international passengers through Brisbane airport are travelling for a holiday (49%), while 31% are visiting friends and relatives and 12% are on business.
New Zealand remains Brisbane’s biggest international market, with 1.3 million passengers per year travelling across the ditch, an exact 50/50 split of inbound Kiwis and outbound Australians.
“Travel between Brisbane and New Zealand remains our number one market, proving that visiting the neighbors is always a top choice for both Kiwis and Queenslanders.”
Overseas visitors to BNE (inbound)
Passengers arriving per day
Residents from BNE (outbound)
Passengers departing per day
1
New Zealand
918
1
New Zealand
918
2
UK/Europe
594
2
UK/Europe
886
3
USA
257
3
Indonesia
551
4
China
251
4
Japan
494
5
Japan
236
5
USA
305
6
India
156
6
Fiji
250
7
South Korea
155
7
Thailand
181
8
Taiwan
154
8
India
166
9
Canada
112
9
China
156
10
Singapore
99
10
Vietnam
149
*Data is 12 months to Feb 2025, sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Info is from the arrival card that every international passenger presents at BNE Airport, sorted by the country of residence (for overseas visitors) or the country where they spent the most time away (for BNE residents).
Additional services and upgrades this year:
China Southern Airlines will increase its number of services to Brisbane from 4 flights per week to daily services, year-round from 10 June Singapore Airlines to increase Brisbane-Singapore services from 25 per week to 28 per week from 16 JuneVirgin Australia launching Brisbane to Doha starting 19 June in partnership with Qatar Airways American Airlines will resume seasonal service from DFW to BNE this October with its newly designed Boeing 787-9 aircraft Qantas upgrading its Los Angeles service to Boeing 787 Dreamliner flights 3pw from August and daily from OctoberAmerican Airlines will operate selected services from Brisbane to Los Angeles in December and January, temporarily replacing some services operated by QantasUnited Airlines increasing services to daily in September which is a month earlier than previous seasons Malaysia Airlines relaunching Brisbane to Kuala Lumpur from 30 November Delta Air Lines returning to the Brisbane to Los Angeles route one month earlier than last season, with flights commencing on 31 October
Brisbane Airport has Australia’s largest domestic network, and direct connections to 33 international destinations.
2025 marks 100 years of Brisbane Airport, from a paddock to Queensland’s most important gateway.
On January 1, Brisbane Airport became the first airport in Australia to announce that travel through its terminals was now via 100% renewable backed energy.
With more than $5 billion of Future BNE investment planned—in refurbishments to existing terminals, development of the region’s best connected commercial land, and much more—Brisbane Airport is truly connecting the world and creating the future.
Brisbane Airport won the top award for the Best Airport Staff in Australia & Pacific at the 2025 World Airport Awards.
For interviews contact Brisbane Airport’s 24/7 media hotline: 0466 322 485
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