Most people who work at an Australian airport aren’t employed by the airport company. Melbourne Airport says there are nearly 10 times as many jobs based at the airport as there are with the company that runs it. Airlines, ground handlers, security screening contractors, retailers, cafés, cleaners, freight companies and government agencies employ everyone else. Many of these roles call for customer service or practical skills rather than aviation experience, which makes airports a realistic option if you’re wanting to start out in the industry.
This guide covers who hires at airports, what’s happening at Sydney Airport, Western Sydney International, Adelaide, Canberra and Melbourne, and the security card you’ll almost certainly need.
Quick answer
- Airports hire across customer service, ground handling, security screening, retail, hospitality, cleaning, freight, trades and corporate roles
- Sydney Airport in Mascot has more than 30,000 workers across over 800 businesses, and most of them hire through their own careers pages
- Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport at Badgerys Creek opened for freight in July 2026 and starts passenger flights on 25 October 2026
- Most people who work in secure areas need an Aviation Security Identification Card (ASIC), and the background check can take six to eight weeks
- Apply through employers’ own careers pages as well as job sites
- Expect shift work with early starts and weekend rosters, because airports operate every day of the year
Who hires at Australian airports
Think of an airport as a small city with one landlord. The airport operator runs the terminals, runways, car parks and property, and almost everyone else is a tenant or contractor.
Melbourne Airport gives a sense of scale. It hosts more than 20,000 jobs, a number forecast to nearly double by 2038, across aviation and the freight, retail, transport and construction businesses that support it.
Quick guide to Australia’s major airports
Airport jobs at Sydney Airport
Sydney Airport in Mascot is Australia’s busiest airport, with more than 30,000 people working for over 800 businesses across the precinct. The airport company advertises its own corporate and operations roles on its careers page, but most jobs sit with its partners. Its jobs with our partners page links straight to their careers sites, from airlines such as Qantas and Virgin Australia to ground handlers like Swissport and government agencies including the Australian Border Force.
If you’re weighing up Sydney Airport against Western Sydney International, think about your commute and your hours. Sydney Airport is close to the city centre, with train stations at its domestic and international terminals. It also has a curfew, so most flights stop overnight. Western Sydney International runs around the clock, which means more overnight shifts, and its metro line isn’t due to open until 2027. Browse airport jobs in Sydney to see roles at both.
Western Sydney International (Badgerys Creek)
Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport is Sydney’s second major airport, built at Badgerys Creek to operate around the clock with no curfew. Its cargo precinct opened in July 2026, and passenger flights begin in October 2026. The airport is designed to handle up to 10 million passengers a year in its first stage.
The Department of Infrastructure says the project has created more than 12,900 jobs, about half of them filled by people from the local area. With passenger flights close, hiring is shifting from construction to operations, including terminal and ramp staff, security screening, cleaning, food outlets and airline roles. If you live in Western Sydney, keep an eye on the WSI website and the careers pages of airlines and contractors operating there, and browse airport jobs in Sydney. Before you accept a role, work out how you’ll get there for early shifts, as the airport’s metro line isn’t due to open until 2027.
Airport jobs at Adelaide Airport
Adelaide Airport is Australia’s fifth-largest domestic and international airport, with more than 8.7 million passengers a year. Adelaide Airport Limited advertises its own roles in areas such as engineering, operations, customer service and corporate work through its candidate portal. Airlines, retailers and ground handlers at the airport recruit separately. Browse airport jobs in Adelaide or broader jobs in Adelaide.
Canberra Airport jobs
The team employed by Canberra Airport itself is fairly small, at more than 150 staff. As at other airports, airlines and contractors employ many of the people working in the terminal, and Canberra Airport notes that contractors may need an ASIC. Search airport jobs in Canberra and check the tenants’ own careers pages.
Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth & other airports
Melbourne Airport runs a Joblink site listing current vacancies across the whole precinct, not just its own roles. For other capitals, go straight to the careers pages of the airlines and contractors there, and use airport jobs in Brisbane, airport jobs in Perth or airport jobs in Melbourne. To see everything at once, start by searching airport jobs across Australia on Workinitiatives.
The ASIC: your airport security card
An Aviation Security Identification Card (ASIC) shows you’ve passed a background check. AusCheck, the government service that runs the checks, says you’re likely to need one if you need regular unescorted access to secure areas of an airport or work in a security-sensitive aviation role. Roles like these include baggage handlers, airport cleaners, screening officers and retail or food workers at an airport.
- A red ASIC covers the airside security zone, such as the ramp and tarmac
- A grey ASIC covers other secure areas, such as some retail areas in the terminal
- A white ASIC is for security-sensitive roles that don’t need unescorted access, such as some air cargo work
An ASIC is valid for up to two years. AusCheck suggests applying at least six weeks before you need it, because background checks can take up to six to eight weeks. You’ll need identity documents and evidence of why you need the card, which usually comes from your employer.
Until your card arrives, your employer may be able to put you to work under the Visitor Identification Card (VIC) scheme, which allows escorted work for up to 28 days a year.
How to get started with no aviation experience
You don’t need a pilot licence to work at an airport. There’s plenty of opportunity for people experienced in customer service, hospitality, retail, warehousing or security transfers.
- Pick a role that matches what you already do, such as customer service, forklift driving or cabin crew
- Check the ad’s requirements, since screening roles involve specific training and ramp roles often ask for a driver licence
- Make sure you can pass an ASIC background check and have your identity documents ready
- Show on your resume that you can work rotating shifts, including early mornings and weekends
- Apply through the employer’s own careers page as well as job sites, then follow up after a week
- Remember the power of networking: if you have a dream role at the airport but have no experience, consider an entry-level role in an unrelated field at the airport, and use that experience to meet people and make connections.
What airport jobs are really like
Airports operate long hours every day of the year, so rostered shifts are the norm. Early starts and split shifts are common in ground handling and food outlets. Public transport may not run early enough for the first shift of the day, so plan how you’ll get there and check parking costs before you accept a role.
Large airport precincts have many employers on one site. That makes it easier to build experience and move between roles without changing where you work.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a job at an airport with no experience?
Start with roles that use skills you already have, such as retail, hospitality, cleaning or warehouse work. Apply directly through the employer’s careers page, and be ready for an ASIC background check if the role is in a secure area.
Do all airport jobs need an ASIC?
Not all, but most jobs in secure areas do, and your employer will tell you if you need one. AusCheck lists baggage handlers, cleaners, screening officers and airport retail and food workers as examples.
How long does an ASIC take?
AusCheck says background checks can take up to six to eight weeks and recommends applying at least six weeks before you need the card. In the meantime, your employer may be able to use a Visitor Identification Card for escorted work.
When does Western Sydney International Airport open?
Freight flights began in July 2026. Passenger flights start on 25 October 2026 with a Jetstar service to the Gold Coast, followed by Air New Zealand on 26 October and Singapore Airlines on 23 November.
Who hires at Adelaide Airport?
Adelaide Airport Limited hires for roles such as engineering, operations, customer service and corporate work. Airlines, retailers, ground handlers and security firms at the airport recruit their own staff.
Are airport jobs well paid?
Pay depends on the role and the award or enterprise agreement that covers it. Shift penalties and allowances can lift earnings for roster-based jobs, so ask how they apply before you accept. The Fair Work pay guides show minimum rates for each award.
Sources
- It’s official: Western Sydney to open to passengers on 25 October and freight on 26 July 2026, Prime Minister of Australia
- Western Sydney Airport set to open, Department of Infrastructure
- Freight takes flight at Western Sydney International Airport, Department of Infrastructure
- Western Sydney International Airport
- About Adelaide Airport and Working for Adelaide Airport, Adelaide Airport
- Working at Canberra Airport, Canberra Airport
- Jobs with our partners, Sydney Airport
- Careers at Sydney Airport, Sydney Airport
- Careers, Melbourne Airport
- Melbourne Airport Joblink
- Apply for an Aviation Security Identification Card, AusCheck
- Pay guides, Fair Work Ombudsman
