The Minns Labor Government is inviting the aviation industry to apply for grants under the NSW Take Off Fund – a $12.5 million program designed to attract new airline services and boost aviation capacity across the state.

The fund supports delivery of the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2035, which targets $91 billion in visitor expenditure by 2035. Achieving this goal will require an additional 8.5 million airline seats – comprising 3.7 million international and 4.8 million domestic.

The fund will provide financial support to airlines that commit to launching new or additional services into NSW.

Aviation is a vital driver of visitation, regional connectivity and economic growth. The NSW Take Off Fund builds on previous NSW Government programs that have already secured major new routes and created more than 25,000 jobs across the state, including 15,000 direct jobs.

Through previous Aviation initiatives, NSW’s three international gateways – Sydney, Western Sydney and Newcastle – are gaining strong momentum.

Sydney Airport has added new international routes to major global hubs including Istanbul (Turkish Airlines) and Shanghai (Juneyao Air), while increasing capacity to India, South Korea and Southeast Asia.

At Western Sydney International Airport (WSI), Air New Zealand will commence services from Auckland in mid-2027, joining Singapore Airlines, Qantas and Jetstar as inaugural airline partners and supporting the airport’s goal of reaching 10 million annual passengers.

Newcastle Airport has also expanded its network, securing new routes from Perth (Qantas), Hobart (Jetstar) and Denpasar (Jetstar), supported by the opening of its new international terminal.

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Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said:

“The Minns Labor Government continues to back the aviation industry. The NSW take off fund follows the Western Sydney Take off fund introduced earlier this year.

“NSW is competing on a global stage for new air routes, and the NSW Take Off Fund gives us the tools to stay ahead.

The Minns Labor Government is pulling every lever we can to grow the NSW visitor economy through crucial practical investment to attract more airlines, more seats and more visitors – helping us reach our goal of $91 billion in visitor expenditure by 2035.

“By partnering with airports and airlines, we’re building the aviation capacity that will keep growing our visitor economy for decades to come.”

Chief Executive at Tourism and Transport Forum, Margy Osmond said:

“New South Wales aviation continues to build real momentum, backed by Sydney Airport’s strong performance, Newcastle Airport’s expansion, and the countdown to Western Sydney International opening next year.

“Government support like this gives the industry a platform to thrive in what has become one of the most competitive travel markets worldwide.”

Business NSW CEO Daniel Hunter said:

"The aviation industry remains a key driver of NSW’s visitor economy, and it can be improved. The way to achieve that is through healthy, robust competition for customers and reliable, affordable service.

“Hundreds of thousands of NSW businesses are directly or indirectly linked to the visitor economy. Improving competition in the aviation sector will only help these businesses grow. "