Sydney Airport posted a 5.9% increase in passenger traffic in January, with the international segment registering its highest ever traffic.

Total passenger traffic at Australia's main gateway rose 5.9% to three million from a year ago, says airport operator MAp Airports.

Domestic passenger traffic grew 2.7% to 1.9 million, and international traffic rose 11.5% to 1.1 million - the highest ever, adds MAp.

The number of travellers from Korea, the USA and France grew the most, says the airport operator.

Australia's new air services agreements with China and the United Arab Emirates will help Sydney Airport's growth, says MAp's CEO Kerrie Mather.

In Europe, passenger traffic at MAp's Copenhagen Airport grew 5.7% to 1.4 million in January from a year ago. Passenger traffic at Brussels Airport rose 1.8% to one million passengers, adds the airport operator.

"We have now returned to growth across the portfolio, and prospects for the coming year are positive with a number of new routes already having been announced," says Mather.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news