Brisbane Airport gets $45m 'tropical terminal' makeover

Brisbane Airport's international terminal is set for a $45 million facelift inspired by 'tropical outdoor living'.

That means high vaulted ceilings, wooden decking, water features, natural light flooding into the terminal and plenty of greenery – mostly live trees, ferns and shrubs but also a fake grass strip as a centrepiece of the waiting area.

Work on the extensive facelift is due to begin in February 2014 and be finished by mid-2015.

Unsurprisingly, there's also more space set aside for dining and retail.

"Most airport terminals are alike, no matter where you are in the world,'' reflects Brisbane Airport Corporation CEO and managing director Julieanne Alroe. "Brisbane is about to break that mould and set a new world-best standard for terminal design.'' 

"When we've finished, our international terminal will be the most impressive and unique in Australia, and completely different from anywhere else in the world" Alroe says.

It's the first makeover since the terminal opened 18 years ago. Last year saw 4.5 million international passengers pass through the airport but that number is expected to rise to 5.8 million by 2018, and exceed 7 million passengers by 2022.

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David Flynn

David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.