Located in the north-east of Canberra city, Canberra International Airport serves, not only the capital but also the surrounding area of south-eastern New South Wales. It is a major transport link between other major Australian cities, as well as a provider of longer flights to Singapore and New Zealand. The Airport is the eighth busiest in Australia, and over 3 million travellers pass through its gates every year.
Two wings separate the building of Canberra International Airport, divided into the Southern Concourse and the Western Concourse, with an impressive and vast Atrium in the centre, looking out onto the runway. Inside the terminal, visitors can enjoy a range of entertainment, from dining services to duty-free shopping, and find useful services like SIM card shops, ATMs, and money exchange centres. The airport regularly utilises the space for creative purposes, by inviting musicians to entertain the guests, who can listen to live music and enjoy a beer or coffee at the many bars while they wait. The international terminal of the airport is one of the best in Australia, designed in luxurious style with a range of shops and cafes, as well as exclusive artistic sculptures created by famous artists.
There are many ways to access Canberra International Airport, including road and parking access for drivers, with thousands of car spaces and an express passenger pick-up facility available. Visitors can also find rental car services, taxis, and private limousines to take them into Canberra city centre, which is less than a ten-minute drive from the airport. The Airport Express Bus is a particularly useful service, travelling between the airport and the city on a regular basis.
The origins of Canberra International Airport began with an old airstrip laid in the 1920s, taken over by the RAAF before becoming a public airport in the 1990s. In 2009, a major redevelopment project transformed the airport, created a new concourse, modernised the interior and reopened the gates in 2013.