Sydney Airport is Australia's international air freight hub. In 2006-07, 111,000 tonnes of freight (excluding mail) worth $10.4 billion was exported from Sydney Airport. This represents 38% of total air freight exported from Australia in volume terms, and 34% in value terms.

Major exports through Sydney Airport include fresh, chilled or frozen perishables such as meat, seafood, fruit, vegetables and flowers, and manufactures such as medical and pharmaceutical products. The bulk of air freight exports from Sydney are destined for Asian markets.

More than 200,000 tonnes of imports also passed through Sydney Airport in 2006-07, giving a total figure for internationally traded goods of 312,000 tonnes, or 45% of the Australian total in volume terms, and 77% in value terms.

Located only eight kilometres from the central business district, Sydney Airport handles about 50% of Australia's international air freight traffic and 30% of domestic volumes. More than 80% of cargo is transported by passenger aircraft, with the remainder carried by freight aircraft. In addition, there are some 300 Customs Agents, Freight Forwarders and Integrators, and hundreds of transport/trucking companies in the Greater Sydney area, with the majority located in the vicinity of Sydney Airport and Port Botany.