Melbourne Airport has unveiled a 20-year vision plan, with plans aiming to help enable better connections to both Australia and the wider world.
The draft Master Plan 2027 outlines how the airport will seek to evolve to support an expected doubling in passenger numbers over the coming 20 years, with 75 million people a year expected to use the airport by 2047.
Preparations are now underway, with new and expanded Pick up and Drop off zones scheduled to open this October.
The draft plan envisages upgrades to existing domestic terminals and safeguarding infrastructure for the long-term growth of Australia’s domestic airlines, as well as improvements to local links to the airport, including the implementation of new road infrastructure, improved bus connections to nearby neighbourhoods and rail access to the city via Sunshine.
Elsewhere, the draft plan also formalises the Eastern Extension Project, a 345-metre extension of the east-west runway, which is intended to account for the shortening of its western end – a measure deemed necessary for the construction of Melbourne Airport’s third runway.
Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus said:Last financial year Melbourne Airport welcomed almost 37 million passengers, but that number is expected to double over the next two decades.
We need to plan ahead to ensure we have the airfield, terminal and ground transport infrastructure in place to adequately service the growing number of travellers, exporters and importers who are using Melbourne Airport.
Local connectivity is a big part of this plan because we need to ensure our passengers and workforce have easy access to the precinct, which is already the state’s largest employment hub outside of the Melbourne CBD.
As we continue to work with the State and Federal Governments to deliver their airport rail connection to Sunshine, we also need to plan for better local bus services to our surrounding communities.
Further development of our business park will provide more employment opportunities for people living in Melbourne’s north and west, while sustainability is being integrated into our planning and operations through low carbon design, resource efficiency and climate resilience.
The draft Master Plan 2027 can be viewed on the Melbourne Airport website, and public submissions are welcome until the 4 November 2026.
