Flying start for Lunar New Year travel

Flying start for Lunar New Year travel

Brisbane Airport is welcoming in the Year of the Horse with more Lunar New Year flights than ever before. There's been a 17.4% surge in Lunar New Year inbound capacity between Queensland and key Asian cities, including Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Taipei.

Compared to the Lunar New Year period last year, China Southern Airlines has increased seats by 66.9%, Cathay Pacific and EVA Air have both increased capacity by 33.3% and China Eastern Airlines is up by 39.8%.

Lunar New Year marks one of East and Southeast Asia's largest annual travel periods, as millions of people journey home to reunite with family and honour long-held traditions.

The Year of the Horse is traditionally associated with energy, ambition and momentum, with 2026 expected to be a year for bold changes and chasing goals.

Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff said Lunar New Year travel has added to an already soaring demand from Chinese travellers.

"The Year of the Horse is about momentum; more seats, more flights and more opportunities for travellers to reunite with family and friends and celebrate the season together.

"Asia is a key market for Brisbane and we're seeing ongoing strong visitation, which is great news for hotels, bars, restaurants and tourism operators right across South East Queensland.

"Visitors from China remain Brisbane Airport's second largest inbound international market and they're also among the highest spenders."

"As we welcome in the Lunar New Year, Brisbane Airport continues to accelerate its growth as we invest $5 billion across the precinct over the next five years as part of the Future BNE transformation and fly to more destinations than ever."

Passengers travelling on Chinese passports have risen by 19% to 315,000 annual passengers, when compared to the same period last year.

To celebrate the Year of the Horse, Brisbane Airport has rolled out the red carpet with several opportunities across the International Terminal:

• Travellers can discover their Chinese zodiac's fortune for 2026 through an interactive exhibition near the departure gates.
• Lion dance performances on Tuesday 17 February and Friday 20 February.
• Passengers will be invited to try their luck at the Lucky Lever, located near the departure gates. Once activated, the machine will dispense a prize from the card slot.

Brisbane Airport has also officially launched its dedicated WeChat Mini Program, designed to support Chinese travellers before, during and after their journey. As one of the most widely used digital platforms among Chinese travellers globally, WeChat provides a direct and trusted communication channel. The Mini Program delivers customised Mandarin-language content, ensuring a more seamless, convenient and culturally relevant travel experience. The Mini Program features real-time flight updates, airport services, practical travel information, retail promotions, dining recommendations and the airport's online duty-free shopping mall.

More than 25 million passengers are expected through Brisbane Airport in Year of the Horse.

Brisbane Airport is now connected to 35 international destinations.