Broome International Airport
IATA: BME ICAO: YBRM
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	Broome International Airport
Location	Broome, Western Australia
Elevation AMSL	57 ft / 17 m
Coordinates	17°56′59″S 122°13′40″E / 17.94972°S 122.22778°E / -17.94972; 122.22778
Website	www.broomeair.com.au
Maps
YBRM Show map of Western Australia YBRM Show map of Australia
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 10/28 2,368 7,769 Asphalt
Statistics (2010/11[1])
Passengers 409,663 Aircraft movements 5,828
Sources: Australian AIP and aerodrome chart[2] passenger and aircraftmovements from the BITRE[3]

Broome International Airport (IATA: BME, ICAO: YBRM) is a regional airport located 0.4 nautical miles (0.74 km; 0.46 mi) west of the Broome GPO, Western Australia.

Broome International Airport is the regional hub of the northwestern part of Western Australia. It is considered the gateway to the Kimberley region. In the year ending 30 June 2011 the airport handled 409,663 passengers. It is ranked the 20th busiest airport in Australia.^[1][3]

The airport field was attacked on the morning of 3 March 1942 during World War II. The attack on Broome was part of a larger Japanese campaign against northern Australia and the Dutch East Indies and resulted in the deaths of at least 88 people. At the time, the airfield was being used by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and allied forces as a staging and refuelling point.

The Japanese raid destroyed at least 22 aircraft on the ground and in the harbour, many of which had been evacuating civilians and wounded soldiers from the Dutch East Indies. Some wreckage from the attack remains preserved and can still be viewed at the Broome Historical Museum, serving as a lasting reminder of the town's wartime experience and strategic role.

The runway at was extended between 2004 and 2006, and in the years since, the airport has seen several enhancements to support helicopter operations. It is also equipped with state-of-the-art firefighting facilities, reflecting its role in both passenger and resource industry aviation. These improvements have been part of a broader effort to modernise the airport and support its mixed commercial and emergency functions.

The main entryway to the airport, Macpherson Road, carries historical significance as it was named after a pioneer of the town. It was purpose-built to accommodate the telegraph cable that once ran from a point 200 metres east of the Vine walking trail, through a junction box now located on private land, to the Broome Court House, formerly known as Cable House. This link underscores Broome's role in early international communications.

On 18 November 2010, Broome International was reclassified as a Class D non-radar controlled aerodrome, meaning air traffic controllers separate aircraft using pilot position estimates and altitude reports, rather than radar tracking. The Kimberly Qantas lounge received upgrades during a broader terminal refresh between 2014 and 2015, which included landscaping and maintenance works. On 14 May 2019, the airport handled its largest aircraft to date when a Qantas A330, operating flight QF44 from Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia to Sydney, diverted to Broome due to an electrical fault.^[4]

For years, Singapore has been Broome's only seasonal international destination.^[5] The route was first introduced by SilkAir, which operated four charter flights from Changi Airport in 2018, running from 22 May to 2 June. This was repeated in 2019 from 13 June to 24 June. No flights took place in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and SilkAir was later merged into Singapore Airlines in 2021, bringing the initial service to an end. The route remained dormant until 2024, when it was revived by Jetstar Asia as the first post-pandemic link between the two destinations. This seasonal service operated from 25 June to 26 October 2024.^[6]

Encouraged by the response, Jetstar Asia resumed the route in 2025, beginning on 1 April with plans to run flights until 25 October. However, the season was cut short, with services ending on 31 July following the announcement that Jetstar Asia would cease operations by that date. This marked another pause in Broome's only international connection, leaving its future once again uncertain.^[6]

Busiest domestic routes into and out of Broome Airport
(FY 2012^[1])^[9]

Rank	Airport	Passengers carried	% change
1	Perth Airport	313,627	2.7

• On 21 January 1974, Douglas C-47A PK-GDC of the Burmah Oil Co was damaged beyond economic repair in an accident.^[10]
• On 11 July 2012, a Piper PA-34 Seneca of Golden Eagle Airlines crashed into sand dunes near the runway threshold. The aircraft, registration VH-LCK was operating a scheduled cargo flight to Port Hedland in good weather conditions at night. The pilot was the sole occupant. He was killed in the accident.^[11] Investigations by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau into the cause of the accident found that the collision was due to a likely loss of engine power.^[12][13]

• Attack on Broome
• Broome Seaplane Base
• Australian Overland Telegraph Line
• List of airports in Western Australia
• Aviation transport in Australia
• Submarine communications cable

• Airservices Aerodromes & Procedure Charts