Sydney Airport's Economic Impact

Sydney Airport is one of NSW's major job generators and an engine room of economic activity, contributing billions of dollars annually to Sydney households and the NSW economy.

The Economic Impact of Growth at Sydney Airport was prepared by URS Australia for Sydney Airport.

The Report estimates that Sydney Airport's contribution to direct employment – full time and part time – is 75,580 jobs, plus indirect employment of 130,550. Expressed as full time job equivalents, this represents a direct 44,389 jobs plus a further 75,774 indirect jobs for a total of 120,162.

Around 650 businesses and other organisations operate in and around Sydney Airport, relying on the airport to generate jobs and incomes.  The activities are varied and include airlines, aircraft maintenance, air traffic control, cargo terminals, car rental and parking, ground transport such as rail, taxis and buses, freight forwarders, fuel services, ground handlers, hotels, in-flight catering, cleaning, maintenance,  security, retail operators, and government functions such as customs, immigration, quarantine and policing.

Airports are essential to the transport networks that all successful modern economies rely on. 

Sydney Airport is Australia's national gateway.  It handles about 46% of all international passengers and around $36 billion of airfreight each year.  It connects Sydney to other cities and regions across Australia and provides access to all the benefits of the global aviation network.

The airport underpins NSW's vitally important tourism, events and conference industries and creates jobs and economic growth for Sydney and NSW.  International air services are also an essential factor for the high value service industries of education, finance, legal services and commerce business as they provide access to new customers, markets and opportunities.

The Report is available for downloading here.  Please note that it is a large file.

Economic Impact Report 2008 (PDF - 959 kb)