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Sydney Airport has installed eight new inbound SmartGate kiosks at its international terminal.
The kiosks, procured by the airport in an agreement with Australian Border Force, will boost incoming passenger capacity by 640 per hour and are part of a larger order of 40 SmartGates to be installed by early next year.
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“The eight new kiosks complement the consolidation of existing SmartGate units into central clusters in Pier B and Pier C,” the airport said in a press release.
“This helped reduce wait times by 10 per cent in Q1 2025 compared to Q4 2024, with 90 per cent of inbound passengers clearing immigration within 36 minutes.
“More broadly, border processing times have improved by 12 minutes over the past 18 months, with international passenger volumes increasing 14 percent over the same period.”
According to Scott Charlton, chief executive of Sydney Airport, delivering the eight kiosks in under six months “demonstrates the strength of our partnership with the Australian Border Force”.
“We applaud the Albanese Government for demonstrating flexibility and innovation in how public assets can be procured, as it allows acceleration of improved services and makes Sydney more competitive on the global stage,” he said.
“Being early adopters of this approach reflects our commitment to working hand-in-hand with government to deliver outcomes that benefit passengers, the economy, and the broader aviation sector.”
Belinda Conn, ABF Commander, added that the gates will help Border Force officers process inbound passengers.
“The Australian Border Force’s priority remains protecting and upholding the nation’s border control, and with increased access to technological enhancements, we hope that traveller’s experiences will be seamless from gate to gate,” she said.
“ABF officers will always be on site to assist travellers through the border clearance process.”
As reported in The Australian, Melbourne Airport is also acquiring 18 new gates, with CEO Lorie Argus saying the current international arrivals process is “a major pain point for passengers”.
“We know passengers are frustrated with the current experience and we’re listening,” she said.
“Our hope is that by Melbourne Airport funding additional kiosks, Border Force can fast-track their delivery to relieve what is currently a poor experience for our passengers. We want this done as quickly as possible.”
Sydney’s T1 international terminal is receiving a number of upgrades, including 15 new security screening lanes using CT technology, which are expected to increase throughput from 4,500 to 5,850 passengers per hour.
Seven international departure gates will also be refreshed, with the airport having said they will provide more comfort to waiting passengers.
