Touchdown: new Gold Coast international terminal now open

After lifting the lid on its long-awaited international terminal expansion back in August, Gold Coast Airport is officially welcoming its first overseas travellers through the new facility – complete with glass aerobridges and impressive hinterland views – from today.

Domestic flyers have been travelling through the terminal since September 8, while additional facilities including border control and an expanded Heinemann duty free store were still receiving the finishing touches. They’re now complete.

A bird’s eye view of the new terminal expansion.

The Gold Coast Airport currently sees international flights with Scoot, Jetstar and Air New Zealand, while Virgin Australia will kick off its inaugural Bali services from March 2023.

There are hopes Air Asia X, once a regular fixture in pre-pandemic times, will return too.

As previously reported by Executive Traveller, it’s a huge improvement on the old ‘terminal’, which was tucked away at the northern end of the domestic and home to little more than a duty free store, cafe and newsagency.

Hinterland views are the star of the show.

Now split over three levels, the complex – dubbed the southern building – features six gates, four glass aerobridges (a first for the airport) and a departure lounge facing the hinterland. In the late afternoons, the sunset over the hills is an impressive sight.

Ten years in the making and three under construction, the $260 million terminal is part of a precinct-wide rejuvenation project, one doubling the capacity of the already-busy airport.

The departures lounge is light, bright and full of colour

As a nod to its New South Wales-Queensland border location, the baggage claim area features a line marking the split between the states. It’s destined to be a popular photo-stop. 

A NSW-QLD border line slices through the terminal’s baggage hall.

Furnished in shades of green and bronze to echo its hinterland-side location, the departures lounge boasts an incredible view to the horizon, plus a wide mix of seating options, many of which have conveniently-placed power outlets. 

Charge up before you take off with conveniently placed power outlets in the departures lounge.

Elsewhere the airport takes its colour-cues from the coast with subtle blues and greens.

The soaring, 11-metre high transit area is also home to an impressive spotted gum feature wall, which mirrors the rise and fall of the nearby hinterland range. It’s just one of several design features which reference the local area.

Multilingual signage also includes approximate walking times.

A refresh of the existing terminal has also already begun, with a total of 18 new food and beverage and retail outlets rolling across domestic and international by mid 2023.

The new Heinemann Duty Free store is almost double the size of its predecessor.

Although mostly good news for travellers, those hoping for a new Qantas Club or Virgin Australia Lounge are out of luck, with Queensland Airports confirming the existing lounges in the older domestic terminal will remain the sole options for frequent flyers.