travel
An artist impression of the upgraded terminal. Below: international gate lounge.
Adelaide Airport’s $600 million upgrade
Upgrades at Adelaide Airport are off to a flying start, with $600 million of works ramping up
in the coming months.
Several upgrades will be made to the terminal, which accommodates both domestic and international travellers.
This includes expanding the southern end of the check-in hall and northern end of the terminal, adding new aerobridges and gate lounges, and increasing aircraft parking.
With more overseas flights arriving in Adelaide in the coming months, a new international gate will be built to accommodate the increase in travellers.
“We are continuing to deliver the infrastructure required to accommodate that growth,” he says.
“Our expanded check-in space will incorporate the latest technology for check-in kiosks as well as more bag-drop facilities to create a more seamless process.”
A new play space will be installed for families, along with a sensory room for people with disabilities.
Security screening upgrades, for both passengers and checked luggage, will be completed by the end of the year.
Adelaide Airport Managing Director Brenton Cox says passenger numbers are at record levels and airline connectivity is growing.
3 best winter Christmas festivals
Experience a white Christmas at these Northern Hemisphere festivals.
WINTER WONDERS, BELGIUM
Ice skate, ride the Ferris wheel, and be wowed by light shows and huge Christmas trees at this festival in Brussels. Stalls serve mulled wine, Belgian beers and waffles so you won’t go hungry or thirsty.
SANTA CLAUS VILLAGE, FINLAND
Visit the Arctic Circle town of Rovaniemi and get a glimpse into Santa’s home. Enjoy food, drinks and Christmas lights. You might even see the Northern Lights from Finland’s Arctic Garden.
Christmas market, Canada
Held in the historic Distillery District, this Toronto market offers all the charm of a European Christmas market with a Canadian flavour. See brass bands and folk dancers perform, or take a distillery walking tour.
Visit samove.com.au/festive-markets for more fantastic international Christmas markets you should put on your must-visit list.
Book your next holiday with RAA Travel.
Visit travel.raa.com.au for details.
Meet the travel agent
Vanessa Shaw
RAA Shop Collonades
Thinking about going on an African safari? RAA’s resident safari expert visited Africa with Adventure World to learn more about these life-changing experiences.
Can you tell us a little more about your area of expertise?
Last year, I visited South Africa and the Zimbabwe side of Victoria Falls. The wildlife side of the safaris was the highlight. On my second trip, I visited the world-renowned Sabi Sands private game reserve, where I was lucky enough to complete my big five wish list and witness a leopard, which was awesome. The other four are lion, elephant, rhino and buffalo.
What advice do you have for people going on their first African safari?
Stay on a private game reserve – it’s worth investing in this experience.
In a national park anyone can hire a car and buy a pass, so they’re often very busy with many tourists and you’re not allowed to venture off the main roads.
When you’re on a private game reserve, it’s just you and the other guests staying at the lodge.
There are only a couple of vehicles travelling around at one time, and the guides can go off-road to explore the bush and track the animals, providing amazing, up-close encounters.
What’s your most memorable safari experience?
I had an amazing up-close encounter with an elephant. We were watching some elephants, and one started moving towards us and it came right up next to me in the open-air vehicle. My heart felt like it stopped, but it was an amazing experience.
Want to learn more about African safaris?
Visit raa.com.au/african-safari, call 8202 4589 or book an appointment with your local RAA travel agent.
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo visiting Brisbane
The world-famous Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will visit Australian shores in early 2026.
Featuring more than 1000 artists, the large-scale military spectacle will perform at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on 12 and 15 February.
It will be the first time the event has been held in Brisbane, with the Military Tattoo previously visiting Melbourne and Sydney.
Held annually at Edinburgh Castle, the performance is rooted in centuries-old Scottish tradition. Featuring mass pipes and drums, Highland dances and stunning displays, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo blends iconic military precision with performance.
The Brisbane edition is the exclusive Australian leg of the Tattoo’s 75th anniversary show, The Heroes Who Made Us, which celebrates the event’s rich history and puts a spotlight on local heroes.
For more than seven decades, the event has grown to become a stadium spectacular which travels the world, featuring performers from more than 50 countries.
Want to visit Brisbane for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo event?
RAA can help organise packages. Visit raa.com.au/military-tattoo for more information, or call 8202 4589.
Pets now boarding
More than a year after Virgin Australia announced its plans to let cats and dogs take to the skies, pets are now allowed on select flights with the airline.
Virgin Australia received the green light from Food Standards Australia New Zealand to carry small animals on board aircraft in the cabin – a major regulatory hurdle for the airline.
The first pets were welcomed on board in October. Currently, eligible pets can be in the cabin on select flights between Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast and Melbourne and the Gold Coast.
Small pets like cats and dogs are able to travel in airline-approved carriers stowed under the seat in front of their owner.
The pet and carrier must not weigh more than 8kg and need to be under the seat for the entire flight. Only one pet is allowed per passenger, and travellers with animals will be seated in designated rows, separate from general seating.
Virgin Australia will continue to offer pet transportation as cargo on all eligible domestic services through approved pet carrier services. Approved assistance animals will continue to be able to travel in the cabin of Virgin Australia flights at no cost.
Forget pigs – koalas flying soon
A new budget airline is launching in Australia in a bid to break Qantas’ and Virgin Australia’s hold on the domestic air travel market.
Koala Airlines announced its plans to launch flights in late 2026, with Australian Aviation reporting that the start-up carrier had secured leases for three 737 MAX aircraft to be delivered next year.
Founded in 2018 by chief executive Bill Astling, Koala Airlines purchased Desert Air Safaris in 2019, which had been operating in Australia, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands for 50 years.
The new airline’s launch follows the collapse of low-budget carrier Bonza and Regional Express (REX) entering administration after attempting to shake up the Australian domestic aviation market.
IMAGES: Getty, My Way Travel & Events, Virgin Australia.
