They’ve just like us! Matt Damon ditches the private jet and joins locals on a commercial flight from Sydney to Ballina with wife Luciana Barroso

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Despite being a major Hollywood star, Matt Damon happily joined cattle handlers during his trip to Australia on Monday.

The 53-year-old man and his wife, 49-year-old Luciana Barroso, flew from Sydney to Ballina on a regular Virgin Australia flight.

Instead of flying by private jet, the celebrity avoided the typical glamorous arrival, opting to check in, wait in line to board, and exit the plane just like any other passenger – without any special treatment.

Matt and Luciana were joined by friends, including Paul O’Brien, an Australian businessman and the founder of AVMIN – it’s ironic considering he made his money in private jets.

The group was driving to Ballina, a coastal town in New South Wales, not far from Byron Bay. Matt’s close friend, Chris Hemsworth, lives there, and Matt’s family has enjoyed many summer vacations in the area.

For the quick trip, the actor from ‘The Martian’ kept it casual, opting for a blue plaid flannel shirt and a pair of classic blue jeans.

Matt popped on a pair of designer sunglasses and carried a black backpack over one arm. 

He completed his outfit with white sneakers and was spotted pulling his own luggage, without any help from assistants.

Luciana also opted for a casual look, sporting a fitted white top with matching trousers. 

She elevated her look with a classic black leather Chanel bag, but kept it casual with simple flip-flops.

For accessories, the Argentinian-born star wore a dangling silver necklace and a number of rings. 

She initially arrived wearing a black cardigan, but she quickly took it off in the airport terminal, probably because it was warm outside.

Luciana appeared to have on minimal makeup and wore he brunette bob in soft waves around her face. 

Once the plane landed, the group walked across the airport pavement with their bags, and they were still on their own without any assistance from staff.

Damon feels a deep connection to Australia, having spent significant time there with family and built lasting friendships.

The actor often visits Byron Bay, where his friend Chris Hemsworth lives, and is frequently spotted on vacation with Chris and his wife, Elsa Pataky.

Damon is well-known in the Melbourne area and often attends local events like AFL games and the Derby Day horse race.

The celebrity has been actively enjoying their recent trip to Australia, and added some high-profile sparkle to Sydney’s major horse racing event this weekend.

Damon stepped out at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse for the 70th TAB Golden Slipper on Saturday.

Matt Damon, known for his roles in films like Good Will Hunting and the Bourne series, looked stylish as he arrived, wearing a well-fitted suit, a yellow tie, and dark sunglasses. He headed into the track and was then led to a private dining space.

Damon quickly stood out from the large crowd of thousands who came to the important event at Rosehill.

Matt frequently travels throughout the country when he visits, and he’s shared his fondness for Queensland, especially Brisbane’s famous Ekka agricultural festival.

‘I’ve been a few years in a row to The Ekka,’ Matt admitted in a recent interview. 

‘I don’t know if I’m gonna make it this year, though, because I have to come back to America.’

The actor said he’s typically the adventurous one who rides the scariest attractions, while his wife and kids are happy to watch.

Matt explained that his kids enjoy the amusement park because they make him ride the scariest attractions, and their mother doesn’t like to join them.

‘So I draw the short straw. They like watching me get whipped around on those things.’

The Ekka, officially the Royal Queensland Show, is Queensland’s yearly agricultural show and takes place at the Brisbane Showgrounds.

Damon first became connected to Australia after his father, Kent Damon, passed away in 2017. This was a difficult time for him personally.

After my father passed away, we spent four months traveling and camping in various locations, as Damon explained.

I think he’d never been before, and it just seemed like a good place to create some lasting memories with the kids.

The trips have since become a yearly ritual for Damon, his wife Luciana and their four daughters. 

The family often chooses to spend the American summer in Australia.

We’ve been going back every year, even throughout the pandemic. We spent around six months there once, and it really feels like a second home to us, he explained.

‘We just love it and we love the people and everything about it.’

Damon shared that they have a lot of close friends and family in the area – around 30 to 40 people – and really enjoy visiting them.

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2026-03-23 11:04