Airport Guide for Darwin International Airport

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  February 08, 2012  

The main airport in the Northern Territory region of Australia, Darwin Airport (DRW) is approximately 13 km / 8 miles to the north-east of Darwin city centre and off the busy McMillans Road, covering some 750 acres / 300 hectares. Airlines here are both domestic and international, with the highest number of flights being offered by Qantas and the city's very own Airnorth, a regional airline service linking many remote towns and villages.

With two runways, one of which is more than double the length of the other, the airfield at Darwin Airport shares with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and various helicopters. The airport itself features just one terminal and has recently installed a new automated parking system, with a competitive sliding-scale tariff. Also opened a short time ago is the Bagot Road intersection, which is expected to ease the load of more than 500,000 vehicles travelling to and from Darwin Airport each year.

A modern, automatic parking system is now in place at Darwin Airport and features both long-term and short-term parking, with convenient 'pay stations' nearby. Central Darwin is easy to reach along the nearby Stuart Highway, using either hire car, taxi operators, or frequent shuttle buses, which can be found directly outside of the terminal.

Darwin Airport (DRW) Information: History and Facilities
One of Australia's oldest airports, Darwin Airport dates back to 1919, when it was first established as a military airfield. In the mid-1940s, civilian airlines were permitted at the airport and resulted in a rapid expansion of the available facilities, growing to become the Northern Territory's premier international and domestic airport. In 1991 and now owned by the Federal Airports Corporation (FAC), Darwin Airport opened is present-day terminal building, being later leased to the Northern Territory Airports organisation in 1998. A 20-year 'Master Plan' has recently been approved, forecasting around two million annual passengers by 2025.

Darwin Airport's air-conditioned passenger terminal features two floors, with the luggage carousels on the lower level. A range of shops and refreshments can be found upstairs, in the departures lounge, including an outlet of Australia's JR Duty Free and also a branch of Travelex foreign currency exchange.