Adelaide Airport named No.9 best in world in 2016 with features added and international carriers increased

The Adelaide Airport entrance plaza.

Adelaide was named No.9 in the World’s Best International Airports by the Travel + Leisure website in 2016. This follows being honoured, in 2006, as the Capital City Airport of the Year by the Australian Aviation Industry Awards and rated the world's second-best airport in the 5–15 million passengers category at the Airports Council International awards in Dubai.

The airport’s manager, Adelaide Airport Ltd, has worked hard at adding features such as being first in Australia to offer free wi-fi, via Internode and the second in the world to offer a Google street view walkthrough for passengers.

Singapore Airlines has been a mainstay of international flights from Adelaide since 1984. It was followed by Malaysia Airlines, Emirates, Cathay Pacific and Air New Zealand. In 2016, Qatar Airways joined international carriers with China Southern starting flights between Adelaide and Guangzhou, marking the city’s first regular flights to mainland China.

Adelaide is a heavy cargo destination for the Russian Volga-Dnepr Airlines, who require 2.5km of runway for the Antanov cargo plane.

Adelaide also hosts interstate airlines Qantas, Virgin, Jetstar and Tiger and intrastate carriers Rex Regional Express, Alliance and Sharp, along with Cobham Aviation Services Australia.

Adelaide Airport’s vision included turning its business district into a centre for the Asia Pacific region. Attracting high-calibre tenants like OZ Minerals, who moved into new Export Park Building 183, shows its ability to provide a globally connected next-generation hub with industry clusters connected via seamless air access, national and international. Adelaide is Australia’s fifth busiest airport, capable of handling 27 aircraft and 3,000 passengers an hour.