Gold Coast Airport is poised for peak passenger movements over the busy Christmas period and suggests travellers plan ahead to make their festive journey a pleasant one.

A record near-24,000 passengers moved through the terminal on January 3 this year and the airport anticipates reaching similar numbers once again.

Gold Coast Airport Chief Operating Officer Marion Charlton said the airport was well equipped to handle the holiday rush, having implemented a comprehensive self-service check in, bag tagging and bag drop product commonly referred to as Common Use Passenger Processing Systems (CUPPS).

Ms Charlton said whilst CUPPS would allow for faster processing and reduced queuing and congestion, passengers should plan ahead to alleviate any travel-related stress.

“This is a busy time for most airports across the country and with the Gold Coast’s status as Australia’s tourism capital, that brings a spike in passenger movements,” she said. “While we do our best to streamline and enhance the travel experience, we encourage passengers to always allow plenty of time for travel to the airport, car parking and check-in.” Gold Coast Airport’s tips to make air travel more enjoyable:

Take advantage of online check-in, which is available through most airlines up to 24 hours before departure.

Allow extra time to travel to the airport and park your car. Airport car parking is at a premium over this period, so allow more time than usual to find a parking space. Gold Coast Airport has open air and undercover car parking options for both short and long term requirements, as well as long term premium parking. You can book your parking online here.

Check all the booking information supplied by your airline, as some have different check-in requirements and closure times.

International travellers should be familiar with what can and can’t be packed in both carry-on and checked-in luggage to avoid potential delays when being processed through international screening.

CUPPS is part of Gold Coast Airport owner Queensland Airports Limited’s (QAL) vision to use available innovation to deliver exceptional service to passengers while reducing operating costs to airlines.

Virgin Australia, Air New Zealand and Tigerair are all now CUPPS equipped at Gold Coast Airport.