Australians receiving the Age Pension from Centrelink are being reminded their payments and concession cards could be impacted if they head overseas. Millions of Aussies are gearing up to head abroad, with one airport saying this year was shaping up to be its "busiest winter ever" for international travel.

While most people can continue to get the Age Pension "paid indefinitely" while they are travelling outside of Australia, there are some exceptions. That includes people who are planning to travel for more than six weeks.

Services Australia community services officer Justin Bott said the pension you received would change depending on how long you were away for and whether you were leaving to live in another country.

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“For those temporarily going overseas, for the first six weeks you’re away, nothing happens. You don’t need to tell us you’ve gone, and your pension rate won’t change,” Bott explained.

“After six weeks, your pension rate will automatically go down as the Energy Supplement stops and the Pension Supplement reduces to the basic rate. They stay at the reduced rate until you return to Australia.

“After six weeks, your Pensioner Concession Card will be cancelled. A new card will be issued when you return to Australia if eligible.”

The Energy Supplement is currently $14.10 a fortnight for singles and $21.20 a fortnight combined for couples. The maximum Pension Supplement is $83.60 per fortnight for singles and $126 for couples combined.

Different rules apply if you are travelling for extended period

If you travel for 26 weeks, or six months, your age pension rate may reduce depending on how long you’ve lived in Australia between the ages of 16 and age pension age. This is known as your Australian Working Life Residence.

“If you’ve been an Australian resident for 35 years or more between the ages of 16 and age pension age, then there will be no change,” Bott said.

“If you’ve been a resident for less than 35 years, then the rate of pension you get will be based on how long you were a resident during that 35-year period.”

For example, if you’d been a resident for 10 years, you would get 10/35ths of your present rate of the age pension.

A different calculation applies if you are travelling to New Zealand.

If you are leaving to live overseas, the supplements are reduced, and your pension concession card is cancelled as soon as you leave.