NSW will be the most popular state for Australians to visit this spring according to new research from Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF).

Sydney Airport is preparing for a bumper September school holidays with 2.5 million passengers forecast to travel through the terminals from Monday 23 September 2024 to Sunday 13 October 2024.

The airport's forecast anticipates almost 200,000 more passengers than the equivalent period during the 2023 September school holidays, with a total of one million passengers expected to pass through the T1 International terminal during the holidays, an 11 per cent increase on 2023, and a total of 1.5 million domestic passengers forecast to pass through the T2 and T3 Domestic terminals, a five per cent increase on 2023.

The busiest day for domestic travel is set to be Friday 27 September, with more than 80,000 passengers expected, while Saturday 28 September is forecast to be the busiest day for travel at International with 52,000 passengers set to travel through the airport.

Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) research shows 71 per cent of Australians have getaways planned for the September school holidays.

TTF CEO Margy Osmond said: “Australians are clearly keen to travel these school holidays, even as families continue to feel the pinch from rising living costs, with the vast majority taking some sort of break before
the end of next month."

The TTF research, which surveyed Australians about their travel plans between 1 – 6 September 2024, found:

  • 71 per cent of Australians are going on a holiday this September or October. This includes 33 per cent of Australians travelling within their own state and 25 per cent interstate.
  • The most popular state for Australians to visit this spring will be NSW. Popular regional areas include the Far North Coast and NSW Mid-North Coast.
  • One in five pet owners will take their pet(s) with them on holiday, while 80 per cent will leave their pet(s) with loved ones or a pet-sitter.
  • Two thirds of Australians (66 per cent) are going away for seven days or less this spring. And 80 per cent plan to spend less than $5000 on their holiday, including 41 per cent who’ll spend less than $2000.
  • 54 per cent of Australians say cost-of-living pressures have impacted their spring travel plans, relatively unchanged from 55 per cent this time last year. For those impacted, 23 per cent are shortening their trip, 10 per cent will holiday locally instead of overseas, nine per cent will stay with family or friends and five per cent will spend less on activities during their stay or have chosen a cheaper hotel.
  • The number one non-essential spending priority is holidays/travel (by 25 per cent of Australians.
  • 81 per cent of Australians plan to go on a holiday within the next 12 months, including 29 per cent who plan to travel overseas.
    • The most popular city for Australians to visit within the next 12 months is Sydney