Learmonth Airport (LEA)

Departures from Learmonth Airport (LEA) at a glance

• 2flights a day81st busiest of 111 airports
• 1route from here
• 1airline
• 16:50 – 19:15first and last00061218

Collected 29 October 2026. Not live — check with the airline before booking.

Learmonth Airport (LEA) is the airport for Exmouth in Western Australia, about 36 kilometres south of Exmouth and 120 kilometres north of Coral Bay. The Shire of Exmouth operates it as the civil airport inside the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Learmonth base, and it is a Security Controlled Airport. This site's schedule records show direct flights from Learmonth Airport to Perth with Qantas.

The things to plan around are the distance to town, transfers and hire cars that the Shire says should be booked before you land, a baggage drop that the Shire says closes 40 minutes before departure, and the recovery that followed Tropical Cyclone Narelle on 27 March 2026. The Shire reports that the terminal has reopened and that Qantas has resumed flights, and it asks visitors to confirm their accommodation before they arrive.

Learmonth Airport after Cyclone Narelle

The Shire of Exmouth says it has moved from immediate response into long-term recovery following the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Narelle on 27 March 2026. Its recovery page says the Learmonth Airport departure and arrival terminal has reopened and that Qantas has resumed regular passenger flights into Learmonth.

The Shire asks travellers to contact Qantas directly to arrange or rebook flights, so check the current arrangements at the airport with Qantas before you fly. The Shire says Main Roads Western Australia announced on Wednesday 8 April 2026 that it had lifted road restrictions into Exmouth.

The Shire also says accommodation options remain limited while recovery and rebuilding continue. It urges visitors to confirm their booking with their accommodation provider before they arrive in Exmouth.

Who runs Learmonth Airport

The Shire's Learmonth Airport page says the airport sits on Commonwealth land and is owned by the RAAF under the Department of Defence. The Shire leases the airport from the Department of Defence under a Deed of Operation and operates the civil airport within the base.

The Shire's 2020 master plan describes three areas at RAAF Learmonth: a military area used by the Department of Defence as a RAAF base, a licensed area holding the runway and a taxiway in common use by the Department of Defence, the Shire and others, and the civil airport site the Shire manages for its passenger terminal and other aviation functions.

The terminal at Learmonth Airport

The civil terminal is the passenger terminal for Qantas flights. The Shire says airlines recommend presenting for check-in no later than 60 minutes before the scheduled departure time, and that the baggage drop closes 40 minutes before it. If you arrive later than that, the Shire says you will not be able to board with your luggage.

For flight status, the Shire points travellers to Qantas. For travelling with a pet, it asks you to contact the airline directly.

Lost property at Learmonth Airport

For items lost in the terminal building, the Shire asks you to contact the airport. For items left on board, contact the local airline staff, and for items lost at Perth, contact Perth Airport directly.

The heliport terminal

A separate heliport terminal, south of the civil terminal, serves helicopter operators flying crews to offshore oil and gas operations. It was the original airport terminal until 1999, and the Shire has operated the heliport since 1 January 2012.

Security screening at Learmonth Airport

The Shire asks passengers to take these items out of their hand luggage and place them in a separate tray at screening, and says that leaving them in will delay the screening process:

• all electronic items
• spare or loose batteries
• power banks
• aerosols
• cigarette lighters
• excess charging cables

The Shire says bladed implements such as knives, letter openers, sharp scissors and tools are prohibited in hand luggage and should be packed in checked luggage. Among the items its screening most frequently detects, it lists Swiss Army knives and Leatherman tools, cable ties, screwdrivers, kitchen and cooking equipment, and imitation firearms and toys. Passengers who fail to surrender a detected prohibited item are in breach of Australian Government regulations, the Shire says, and the airline will not let them travel.

The Australian Government sets general conditions for when an open charter or regular public transport air service must be screened. It says a service must be screened if it:

• uses aircraft with a seating capacity of 40 or more persons
• operates from an Australian designated, tier 1 or tier 2 security controlled airport
• uses any aircraft departing from the same apron as a screened air service operating at a designated airport

When the liquids restrictions apply

The Department of Home Affairs TravelSECURE page says its restrictions on liquids, aerosols and gels apply in these situations:

• when departing Australia
• when transiting through Australia from one country to another
• when travelling on the domestic leg of a flight departing from an Australian international terminal
• before boarding an inbound flight at its last point of departure before it reaches Australia

Getting to and from Learmonth Airport

The airport is off the Minilya-Exmouth Road. The Shire says bookings are essential for airport transfers, taxis, charter vehicles and rental cars, because operators do not always meet each flight and may only run when a booking is made before you arrive.

Transfers to Exmouth

Exmouth Bus Charter runs airport transfers between the Town of Exmouth, the airport and other key locations in Exmouth, with air-conditioned buses and a door-to-door service. The Shire says you can book by phone, online or through the Ningaloo Visitor Centre. The Ningaloo Visitor Centre adds that taxi and charter vehicle services run between the airport and Exmouth, with Cabs on Call and Exmouth Bus Charter offering charter vehicles, again by booking.

Transfers to Coral Bay

The Shire says transfers to Coral Bay are provided by Coral Bay Airport Transfers or arranged through the Ningaloo Visitor Centre. The Ningaloo Visitor Centre also names Cabs on Call for transfers between the airport and Coral Bay.

Car hire at Learmonth Airport

The Shire says a number of rental car companies run booths in the terminal, generally staffed during scheduled flight arrival periods, and that key drop-off boxes are in the check-in area. Its list includes Escape Car Hire, Ningaloo Car and Boat Hire, Allens Car Hire/Hertz, Europcar and Budget Rent-A-Car. The terminal was damaged in the cyclone, so confirm with your hire company where to collect and return the car when you book.

The Shire says a surcharge applies to rental car hire because of the airport's distance from town. The Ningaloo Visitor Centre says cars hired from agencies in Exmouth can be picked up at the airport, and that a relocation fee is payable for airport pick-up or drop-off.

Parking at Learmonth Airport

The Shire's 2020 master plan describes a public car park at the terminal, with the hire car bays marked within it.

Flights from Learmonth Airport to Perth

Direct domestic flights recorded from Learmonth Airport go to the destination below, with Qantas.

Destination	Airport	Airlines recorded
Perth	Perth Airport (PER)	Qantas

Exmouth and Perth are both in Western Australia, which does not observe daylight saving. Queensland and the Northern Territory do not either, while New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory do.

Fruit and plants from South Perth

A flight from Perth to Learmonth stays inside Western Australia. A Queensland fruit fly quarantine area covers the area within a 15-kilometre radius of the intersection of South Terrace and Sandgate Street, South Perth. The quarantine area notice gazetted on 17 April 2026, amended on 22 September 2026 and in force until 31 March 2027, restricts moving fruit and host plants out of the area to other parts of Western Australia, with rules that differ between its two zones, so check the current notice before you pack fruit or plants from there.

Ningaloo Coast and Cape Range National Park

The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) says the Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Area stretches more than 300 kilometres along the coast and was inscribed on the World Heritage list on 24 June 2011. It takes in the Muiron Islands, the Bundegi and Jurabi coastal parks at the tip of Cape Range National Park, the adjoining Learmonth Air Weapons Range, and Ningaloo Marine Park. DBCA says whale sharks make their way to Ningaloo each year around the time of the mass coral spawning event.

DBCA says Cape Range National Park is part of the World Heritage Area, and recognises the Baiyungu, Thalanyji and Yinigurdira people as its Traditional Owners. Park entry fees apply, and a valid park pass covers them. DBCA says humpback whales pass during their annual migration from May to October, that summer temperatures can rise above 45°C, and that walks should only be attempted between April and September.

DBCA's Cape Range National Park page carries a Cyclone Narelle camping notice for nearby areas: all campgrounds in Nyinggulara National Park need complete rebuilding, with no estimated reopening time, and campsites 12 to 28 at 14 Mile Campground on the Warroora Coast close from Thursday 29 October for works. Check DBCA's park alerts for Cape Range before you plan a visit.

History of Learmonth Airport

The Shire's history says the airfield was established in the 1940s, during the Second World War, as part of a military operation called POTSHOT, and was redeveloped in the 1950s as a RAAF base. It is named for Wing Commander Charles Cuthbertson Learmonth.

The civil terminal opened on 3 December 1999.

Questions about Learmonth Airport

Who runs Learmonth Airport?

The Shire of Exmouth operates Learmonth Airport as the civil airport within the RAAF Learmonth base. The Shire leases it from the Department of Defence.

How far is Learmonth Airport from Exmouth?

The airport is about 36 kilometres south of Exmouth and 120 kilometres north of Coral Bay. Book your transfer, taxi or hire car before you land.

Is Learmonth Airport open after Cyclone Narelle?

The Shire of Exmouth says the Learmonth Airport departure and arrival terminal has reopened and that Qantas has resumed flights into Learmonth. Contact Qantas for the current arrangements before you fly.

How early should I check in at Learmonth Airport?

The Shire says airlines recommend checking in no later than 60 minutes before the scheduled departure time. The Shire says the baggage drop closes 40 minutes before departure. Confirm the times with Qantas before you fly.

Does Exmouth change its clocks for daylight saving?

No. Exmouth and Perth are both in Western Australia, which does not observe daylight saving.