<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australians are continuing to jet overseas in record numbers despite the outbreak of conflict in </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/middle-east" rel="" target="" title="the Middle East"><span>the Middle East</span></a><span>, with the country's international terminals busier than ever.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A total of 4.57 million international passengers </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/flights" rel="" target="" title="flew"><span>flew</span></a><span> in and out of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/sydney" rel="" target="" title="Sydney"><span>Sydney</span></a><span> Airport between January and March this year, new figures show – an increase of 5.8 per cent compared to the same period last year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That's the highest number of passengers the airport has ever seen in its first quarter.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-shooting-iran-live-updates-us-politics-april-28-king-charles/b8458881-ea3b-4a8c-b1a8-23b686b4bdce" rel="" target="" title="Billionaire's superyacht slips through Strait of Hormuz unopposed"><strong><span>Billionaire's superyacht slips through Strait of Hormuz unopposed</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It comes on the back of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/sydney-airport" rel="" target="" title="Sydney Airport"><span>Sydney Airport</span></a><span>'s busiest year on record for international travel last year, when 17.17 million passengers flew in and out of the international terminal.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Melbourne Airport has also seen a surge in passenger numbers, </span><a href="https://www.melbourneairport.com.au/corporate/record-international-travel-through-melbourne-airport-in-march?srsltid=AfmBOoqJxgdegrphJZVVcyXXVQ6llJkTwUD2HiWJN3q3GH-vPMHQj_tr" rel="" target="_blank" title="surpassing one million international passengers in March"><span>surpassing one million international passengers in March</span></a><span> for the first time.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"March was a difficult month for many travellers, with conflict in the Middle East causing significant disruption for some of our major hubs and key routes to Europe," Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus said.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-international-flights-reach-record-levels-despite-middle-east-conflict/dbda6b6c-7650-4ff5-a35e-750c3ada32f0" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"While Middle East services are progressively resuming and stabilising, it has been pleasing to see other airlines add capacity."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/health/measles-alert-nsw-health-japan-airport-hospital-warning/d35ad93c-fa21-4973-aab4-1669874b3381" rel="" target="" title="Measles case triggers major health warning"><strong><span>Measles case triggers major health warning</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Airport traffic has been steadily rebuilding since the historic lows of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the outbreak of war in Iran on February 28 </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/us-israel-attacks-iran-thousands-of-flights-to-middle-east-cancelled-or-postponed/9cf4b34a-ae5c-4913-88a2-537101a61562" rel="" target="" title="grounded thousands of flights"><span>grounded thousands of flights</span></a><span> and forced thousands more to re-route around the conflict zone.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Most of the Middle East remains a no-fly zone according to federal government travel advice, including the major transit hub of Doha.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>New Zealand and China were the top overseas destinations for Australians flying out of Sydney Airport, up 13.5 and 14 per cent compared to last year, while</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Travel through much of the Asia-Pacific rose, with Hong Kong trips up by more than 20 per cent and Kuala Lumpur by almost a third.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Conversely, trips to the United States dropped fractionally, down 0.7 per cent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton said the figures were "a great outcome" given the disruptions in the Middle East.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Growth across China and broader Asia is increasingly supporting travel into Europe, helping to offset softer conditions in parts of the Middle East," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, it remains to be seen whether ongoing geopolitical tensions and soaring jet fuel prices tamper demand in the coming months, with both domestic and international airfares </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/virgin-increases-domestic-airfares-by-five-per-cent-due-to-rising-oil-prices/8f5040b8-8669-457f-ba83-b736beaa9bb0" rel="" target="" title="already seeing significant price jumps"><span>already seeing significant price jumps</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>