The Eleventh-Hour Travel Edit Has Landed at Perth Airport

In partnership with Perth Airport, we explore the new-look T1 International precinct and the fashion, beauty, food and local finds worth leaving time for before take-off.

International travel often begins in a state of mild panic: passports checked twice, phones hovering at 12 per cent, one person insisting there was plenty of time. Then check-in is behind you, shoulders drop and the mood instantly changes.

For the first time since leaving home, there is nothing left to do but settle in. That first exhale of the holiday has always been one of travel’s underrated pleasures, and Perth Airport’s refreshed T1 International precinct makes the time before take-off part of the experience.

Fourteen new and revitalised outlets now span fashion, beauty, tech, food and drink, bringing together major international labels, homegrown favourites and distinctly Western Australian finds, from first-in-Australia stores and designer sunglasses to cult beauty names, premium headphones and local treats worth making room for in your carry-on.

For Everything You Forgot to Pack

Before security, Canadian-born Heys Luggage has opened its first Australian store for travellers whose packing ambitions have outgrown their baggage allowance. Its signature ultra-lightweight Airlite suitcases are joined by a chic pastel Puffer range of carry-on totes, duffels and waistbags.

Eye Love in Discover Perth tops off your holiday outfits with designer sunglasses from Ray-Ban, Prada, Burberry and more.

InMotion has your in-flight tech covered, from Bose QuietComfort headphones and Apple AirPods Max to chargers and other long-haul essentials. Nine hours suddenly feels much longer when your noise-cancelling headphones are still sitting on the kitchen bench.

Duty Free, With Nothing to Declare But Good Taste

Perth Duty Free’s beauty edit picks up where the packing list left off, with its expanded store adding new names across beauty and fragrance, including Australian favourites such as esmi, Lanolips and Goldfield & Banks.

There’s the perfume you suddenly cannot live without, the beauty find worth trying before take-off and, yes, insurance against the SPF left beside the bathroom sink. Somehow, it all feels more fun when bought en route to somewhere fabulous.

Liquor tastings offer another reason to stop on the way through, while a free collect-on-return service lets you pick up your purchases on the journey home. In other words, your holiday buys can skip the holiday altogether.

Now, About That Pre-Flight Drink

Hydration is key for a long-haul flight, but there’s something especially satisfying about the first drink of a well-deserved holiday. Before security, The.Social starts things with locally roasted Little Owl coffee alongside WA wine, beer and cider.

Once airside, Co & Co pairs views of the runway and Perth Hills with Perth’s own Blacklist coffee and cocktails once the holiday mood takes hold. There are few finer airport luxuries than a cold drink and nowhere to be until boarding.

For a taste of Broome before boarding, Matso’s Brewhouse puts a little of the Kimberley on the departure menu, pouring its famous Ginger and Mango beers alongside pub favourites.

Plane Snacks, Sorted

Then comes the very important question of plane snacks. Forget the squashed lollies rolling around the bottom of your bag – there are tastier and more nutritious options that won’t leave you feeling sluggish on the flight.

At The Jerky Co you can handpick your choice of air-dried fruit jerky options including mango and pineapple, or a selection of seasoned jerky and biltong meats that are packed with protein. Scoop Wholefoods at WHSmith brings the joy of pick-and-mix without the guilt, featuring Australian-sourced fruit and nuts such as cinnamon almonds, smoked cashews, peanut sesame bars and chocolate coated hazelnuts.

At curi.o.city, WHSmith’s first Australian outpost of the concept, the snack selection runs from dried fruit and nuts to local chocolate, including Fremantle Chocolate, alongside Honey for Life and Australian favourites such as Tim Tams.

Consider the carry-on formula sorted: something salty, something sweet and a little taste of WA for somewhere over the Indian Ocean.

The pleasure of the refreshed T1 International lies in the small indulgences that make a journey memorable. A pastel carry-on you had not planned on. A new beauty find. Better headphones. Local chocolate for the plane. A duty-free purchase waiting for you on the trip home. One last WA beer poured.

By the time your gate is called, the trip already feels well underway.

Discover more at Perth Airport.