30 Years of Brisbane’s global gateway
Brisbane Airport’s International Terminal marks 30 years today, celebrating three decades of connecting Queensland to the world. Since it opened in 1995, 118 million travellers have passed through the terminal, making it one of Australia’s key international gateways.
Construction of the $240 million facility began in 1993, with a target opening two years later. In a rare feat for large-scale infrastructure projects, it was delivered ahead of schedule and under budget. On 5 September 1995, then Prime Minister Paul Keating officially opened the terminal to the public, with words that still resonate today.
“This building is a confident building. It says something about Australia and it says something about Queensland and I think the confidence that Australia has, Queensland has by the bucket. This is a very confident place.” — Paul Keating, Prime Minister, 1995
The terminal set a new standard for international travel at Brisbane with 8 aerobridges giving passengers seamless boarding, unlike the old terminal where they boarded via the tarmac. The building featured 42,000 square metres of profiled steel decking and 55 hectares of landscaped gardens, a nod to Queensland’s tropical beauty.
In 2008 a major expansion was revealed, with 33,000 additional square metres of space across the four floors of the Terminal, plus expanded and reconfigured airline processing, retail, customs, security and baggage areas.
The terminal now has 19 aerobridges servicing 26 airlines to 35 direct destinations.
Transformation now underway
Brisbane Airport’s International Terminal is embarking on its biggest reconfiguration of the terminal, part of the $5 billion Future BNE investment over the next five years. Passengers will soon benefit from:
- The relocation of Security and Passport Control to the atrium on the same level as check-in
- Smarter security screening where laptops and devices can stay in bags
- More self-service check-in and bag drop options for smoother departures
- Upgraded baggage systems with standard 3 screening technology
- Covered walkways to expand boarding capacity
- An expanded choice of dining with 10 new and refreshed food and beverage outlets
- A duty-free space almost twice the size of the current area.
“Airports are never finished and we’re always evolving to meet the needs of a growing city. This latest transformation will ensure we continue to serve Queenslanders for decades to come,“ says Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff.
“Our International Terminal is Queensland’s gateway to the world, a vital link that underpins the state’s visitor economy and global connectivity.”
“Thirty years on, the terminal still ignites the excitement of a holiday departure and the joy of arriving in Queensland, and is a true credit to the vision and skill of its original designers.”
Animation of the transformation can be viewed here: Brisbane Airport’s future International Terminal revealed
Record level of connectivity
The International Terminal is now directly connected to 35 overseas destinations, a record high for Brisbane. In the year to June just ended, 6,518,653 people travelled through the terminal, up 16.3% on the previous year.
New research reveals that the number of Brisbane passengers flying overseas via other Australian airports is at a historic low of just 7.1%, indicating Brisbane’s network is meeting travellers’ needs better than ever before.
“You don’t need to fly south to travel north. Brisbane's International Terminal has a network we can truly be proud of, delivering for Queenslanders every single day.”
Upcoming significant connectivity increases include:
- Malaysia Airlines returning to Brisbane from November, offering five weekly services to Kuala Lumpur
- Jetstar launching a new seasonal service to Cebu, Philippines, starting December
- American Airlines resuming seasonal flights from Dallas Fort-Worth, operating its flagship 787-9
- Delta Air Lines returning with seasonal services to Los Angeles
- China Southern Airlines doubling services from Guangzhou to Brisbane, moving to double daily flights during the peak 2025/26 summer season
- Cathay Pacific increasing to double daily from October, which is also a record high.
Committed volunteers
Two decades ago, a volunteer program was established at the terminal to provide international arrivals with a warm welcome and helpful advice. What began with just 6 volunteers has now grown into an incredible team of 165, who assisted over 860,000 passengers in the terminals over the past year. Remarkably, two of the original volunteers remain actively involved in the program today. 
Allyce Mattock and Jeff Lurie volunteer weekly at the terminal and still remember how it transformed international travel in Brisbane.
Allyce recalls, “It was an eye-opener. People couldn’t believe that we went from tin sheds to an actual building, it was just wonderful.”
Sentiments echoed by Jeff: “It was like stepping from one century into another, in terms of the facilities and the feeling. And to see it continue to evolve is what’s made it even more exciting, it’s not static, it’s always changing and changing for the better.”
The tin shed
The tin shed they refer to was Brisbane Airport's Interim International Terminal which opened 50 years ago in 1975. It was only meant to function for 5 years, but would serve as Brisbane's international gateway for 20 years! 
By the late 1960s, Brisbane Airport's terminals, which had been converted from repurposed World War II hangars, were no longer sufficient to handle the immense passenger growth of the jet age. Gavan Ranger, a Senior Architect for the Department of Housing and Construction, was tasked with designing an international terminal on the new airport site. The “Interim International Terminal,” as it was called, was required to accommodate the departure and arrival of three fully laden Boeing 747s and two Boeing 707s simultaneously.
The interior was designed by Don Watson, and it's 1970s palette was delightfully striking with a visual expression of the passenger journey represented by 3 distinct geometric designs that encapsulated each area of the terminal.
• Clouds for the departure lounge, inviting passengers to “take to the sky.”
• Geometric interlocking shapes, representing passengers moving through the check in, customs and transit processes.
• Finally, a tree design for the arrival hall, welcoming passengers back to terra-firma, after a long-haul flight.
For a building only designed to serve for 5 years, it made an impact across two decades until the present terminal opened in 1995, revolutionising travel in Brisbane.
Lights, Camera, Action
Not only is the International Terminal an international gateway, over the past 3 decades it has also featured on the movie screen. With its contemporary design and open walkways, it’s been the backdrop for major Hollywood productions like Dora The Explorer, Young Rock, Thirteen Lives, and Ticket to Paradise, starring Julia Roberts and George Clooney.
More recently, the International Terminal appears in the global animated sensation Bluey, where Chilli works in airport security.
Celebrating 30 years
The terminal was designed by BVN, and its Practice Director Geoff Hehir reflects proudly on the project he helped shape.
“When we set about designing the entry to Brisbane our goal was to create a space that was timeless, flexible and memorable that was at the same time international in character and reflective of the Brisbane and Queensland quality of light, colour and vegetation. 30 years on, we are seeing the building accommodate change to the way we all travel without losing its original character and quality.”
This milestone for the International Terminal comes as part of Brisbane Airport’s 100-year celebrations.
To download historical images of the terminal, celebration photos from today, or renovation images, head here:
For more information contact Brisbane Airport’s 24/7 media hotline: 0466 322 485
