How much does it cost to land a plane at an airport

Have you ever considered the cost associated with landing and parking an aircraft at an airport?

I have, so I thought I'd investigate.

Landing fees at airports vary significantly based on factors like airport, aircraft weight, and time of day. A general guideline is that landing fees can range from around $150 to $500 for a single landing, with some airports having more complex tiered systems. 

Charges at some airports are more complex than described here and may include charges that are not listed specifically. Charges for training activity, parking, night usage etc. may apply even if not specified. 

At Brisbane Airport, light planes at the airport are charged according to their maximum take-off weight (MTOW), starting at $33 for up to 5000kg.

Brisbane Airport also charges a minimum $60 landing fee plus a $1.13 security fee. 

Adelaide Airport has a minimum general aviation fee of $41.15 depending on the MTOW. 

Perth Airport charges $9.14 per tonne of MTOW so that equals around $8.91 for a small light aircraft.

There are also fees for landing during peak periods at some airports, for example Brisbane Airport charges $150 extra between 7am and 10am and 4pm and 7pm.

Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart airports are the most expensive airports for light planes.

At Sydney Airport there is a flat fee of $110 per day for light plane parking, compared to $56. A runway charge of $4.88 per day also applies.

At Melbourne Airport a plane parking charge of $40 per 15 minutes applies after the first 90 minutes. There is also a landing fee of $250.

Pilots get 12 hours free parking for their light planes at Hobart Airport, and after that a fee of $20 for per day applies. There is also a landing fee of $40, or $16 per tonne of MTOW.

The cost to land a plane at Sydney Airport (SYD/YSSY) varies significantly depending on the aircraft's weight and the type of operation. For general aviation (GA), there is a minimum landing fee of $9.09 per tonne, with a daily apron parking fee of $4.86 per tonne. For larger, commercial aircraft, the landing fee is $20.9090 per tonne. Additionally, there are fees for runway use, parking, and other services.

Key Details:

• Light Aircraft: A flat fee of $110 per day for light plane parking, and a runway charge of $4.88 per day.
• General Aviation (GA): $4.86 per tonne (minimum $25.00) for apron parking, and $9.09 per tonne for landing (minimum $9.09).
• Heavy Aircraft: $260.00 or $520.00 per night for apron parking, depending on the duration.
• Landing Fee: $20.9090 per tonne for commercial flights.

The ACCC monitors the prices of certain services provided by Australia’s major airports, but this doesn’t restrict them from increasing their fees.