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CLOSE to 40 million travellers scurried through Sydney Airport's three terminals in 2015, marking a record year for passenger traffic.
Total passengers grew 3 per cent with international markets growing 4.3 per cent and domestic markets growing 2.3 per cent.
Meanwhile, passenger traffic in December increased 8.6 per cent compared to the prior corresponding period.
"Domestic and total passenger traffic also performed well growing 5.6 per cent and 6.7 per cent respectively," says Sydney Airport (ASX:SYD) managing director and CEO Kerrie Mather.
"This exceptional December result was driven by both strong load factors and seat capacity growth."
Strong foreign nationality demand has driven international passenger growth by 9.7 per cent.
Australian outbound also grew strongly above trend increasing 7.6 per cent.
On 19 December, America Airlines touched down at Sydney Airport for the first time in 23 years, operating a B777-300ER daily between Sydney and Los Angeles in partnership with Qantas.
"The US is the most popular destination for Sydnesiders and this expanded partnership will increase capacity between Sydney and the US by 25 per cent or 225,000 seats annually," says Mather.
Sydney Airport also recently welcomed Hainan Airlines' twice weekly northern winter service from Xi'an to Sydney, the sixth new airline to commence services in 2015.
China Southern Airlines has also announced a new route Shenzhen to Sydney, commencing on 28 January. The new route is scheduled three times weekly with 284 seats.
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