On Christmas Eve in the international terminal at Melbourne Airport the tears flowed faster than complimentary champagne in first class, as travellers returned just in time for December 25. 

Lovers shared passionate embraces, parents welcomed home prodigal sons and daughters, and clans of aunts, uncles and cousins held impromptu family reunions. 

Some passengers were returning after spending years abroad, others were back in Melbourne just a few weeks after leaving. All were happy to have made it in time to join the feasts and gift-giving of Christmas Day.

Moments after walking through the sliding doors, Lachlan Hunter shared loving hugs with his two sisters, Oakley and Freya.

He'd been away for three years, travelling through Europe and the United States. His sisters hardly recognised him, what with the shaggy backpacker beard he'd grown overseas. 

"The timing for Christmas is perfect, I was never really homesick but now that I'm here it's fantastic," he said, well-worn bags still on his shoulders. 

Dianne Sanders couldn't stop smiling when she saw her daughter Amy for the first time in six months after living in Canada on exchange.

"It's a relief. I don't want her to go again," she said, wiping away tears and sharing plans to surprise relatives with Amy's arrival at Christmas lunch. 

Some were made to wait for their moment of joy. Anxiously holding flowers, impatiently glancing at the arrivals board, buying yet another coffee - there are only so many ways to pass the time.

Lisa Murphy waited for more than an hour for her 15-year-old son Jack Sullivan to return from a three-week basketball tour in the United States. 

"I haven't slept much. It's lovely to have him back for Christmas, we've all missed him," she laughed while still maintaining a hawk-like gaze on the sliding doors. 

The family held a sign, "Welcome home Jack", to herald the end of his first big trip away. When the well-travelled teenager eventually reunited with his mum, his coach joked that it was overkill. 

Others were surprised by the size of their welcome party. Newlyweds Felipe and Alejandra Sanchez came home from their honeymoon in Hawaii and California to find a big bunch of friends who wanted to share a group hug. 

"I didn't think anyone would come, it's Christmas Eve!" said Alejandra. 

Melbourne Airport spokeswoman Anna Gillett said this Christmas had been one of its busiest ever for international travellers, with a record 100,000 departures in the past week. 

"There's always a mixture of emotion at the airport, there are some people who experience a little bit of angst," she said.

"In the international terminal there are lots of people welcoming friends and relatives home, it's a nice place to be at the moment."

-The Age