With a record 6.6 million people taking to the sky to and from the Gold Coast in the past financial year, it may be surprising to find out who the airport’s typical passengers are.

Gold Coast Airport passenger numbers increased by 1.7 per cent in the past 12 months, helping the airport to clock up its busiest year ever.

Survey data shows three in every five of those 6.6 million Gold Coast Airport passengers are visitors, with international travellers most commonly arriving from Auckland, while domestic visitors are usually from Sydney or Melbourne.

Auckland or Tokyo are the most common destinations for locals heading overseas and surprisingly, half of all passengers departing from Gold Coast Airport are travelling alone.

Visitors are most likely arriving for leisure and holidays, while locals departing from the Gold Coast are usually headed for Sydney or Melbourne to visit friends or relatives.

Queensland Airports Limited CEO Chris Mills said the Gold Coast, which was the group’s largest airport, had seen growth throughout most of the 2018 financial year and a series of passenger records were set in the 12-month period.

“We set records for the airport’s busiest day and month in January, which then led into the hectic Commonwealth Games period and finally the busiest year,” he said.

“Overall it is the domestic market that has shown the most growth, achieving a 2.2 per cent uplift.”

Mr Mills said passenger numbers had tapered off slightly in the final months of the year for Gold Coast Airport.

“Towards the end of the financial year we saw reduced domestic airline capacity impact passenger numbers,” he said.

The airport welcomed 473,000 passengers in June, a two per cent decline on the same month last year.

Mr Mills said the Gold Coast continued to be one of the most desirable places in the country for domestic and international travellers.

A summary of full year results is provided in the table below:

Mr Mills said the airport had recently undertaken projects to improve efficiency, including an $86 million airside upgrade.

“The next stage of Project LIFT will include a terminal expansion which, when combined with other developments in the precinct, including a Rydges hotel, will transform the precinct,” he said.

“We look forward to starting work on the second stage of Project LIFT later this year.”

Gold Coast Airport is owned and operated by Queensland Airports Limited, which also operates Townsville, Mount Isa and Longreach airports.