Sydney Airport in Australia has installed eight new Australian Border Force (ABF) SmartGate kiosks at its T1 International Terminal, which will increase inbound passenger processing capacity by 640 travellers per hour.
The deployment follows a 2024 agreement with the ABF, under the government’s procurement policy, for the airport to acquire 40 additional SmartGate units, which will be operated by the ABF.
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These new units complement the consolidation of existing SmartGate Kiosks into central clusters in Pier B and Pier C.
The kiosks have helped cut down immigration wait times by 10% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the fourth quarter of 2024, with 90% of inbound passengers clearing immigration process within 36 minutes, according to the airport.
Over the past 18 months, border processing times are claimed to have improved by 12 minutes, while international passenger volumes have risen by 14%.
By early 2026, an additional 32 SmartGate kiosks will be installed across the international terminal, doubling the total number of units. This expansion is expected to further streamline passenger flows, allowing frontline officers to focus on assisting travellers needing extra support.
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By GlobalDataSydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton said: “Delivering these 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.”
The SmartGate system automates border control, enabling passengers to use ePassports at kiosks, have their photographs taken and respond to on-screen prompts.
Passengers then proceed to SmartGate portal that uses facial-recognition technology to verify identity, facilitating a faster and more secure arrival process.
The kiosk deployment is part of Sydney Airport’s capital investment in the T1 International Terminal, which includes upgrades to security screening. Seven of 15 new CT scanning lanes are operational, with the remainder due by year-end.
These upgrades are expected to increase screening capacity by nearly 30%, allowing passengers to keep laptops, liquids, and aerosols in carry-on bags.
This initiative aligns with other airport enhancements, including a A$200m ($128.7m) transformation of the T2 Domestic Terminal and a food and beverage refresh at T3.
In March this year, the New South Wales (NSW) government launched the Western Sydney International Take-Off Fund to support the successful opening of the Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) in late 2026.
