Sydney's New Western Sydney Airport to Open in October After Decade of Planning

Western Sydney International Airport, located in Badgerys Creek approximately 60 km west of Sydney's CBD, will welcome its first passengers on October 25, 2026, after more than a decade of planning and at a cost of A$5.6 billion. The airport addresses a longstanding constraint at Sydney's existing Kingsford Smith Airport, which is barred from operating between 11pm and 6am due to noise regulations — a restriction not faced by other major Australian cities such as Melbourne. Jetstar will operate the inaugural flight to the Gold Coast and plans services to Melbourne, the Gold Coast, and Brisbane from late October, while parent carrier Qantas will begin regional flights to Melbourne and Brisbane from March 2027 using Embraer E190 aircraft operated by Alliance Airlines. Internationally, Air New Zealand will launch Auckland services on October 26, and Singapore Airlines will begin daily flights to Singapore on November 23, with the departure timed just before midnight to exploit the absence of a curfew. The terminal features biometric automated passport control gates, and Qantas will also use the site as a freight hub beginning next month. The airport is expected to handle up to 10 million passengers per year initially — roughly a quarter of the throughput at the existing Sydney Airport — and anchors an A$18 billion federal government investment in the Western Sydney region that also includes a future metro rail link and road upgrades.