Australia’s first major international airport in more than half a century, Western Sydney International Airport (WSI), officially opened on 25 October 2026.

Passengers travelled with Jetstar through WSI on its first domestic flight, while Air New Zealand touched down from Auckland on 26 October, connecting Western Sydney to the world.

WSI has opened with capacity to cater for up to 10 million passengers a year and has been designed to grow with Sydney. Over time, it is expected to welcome more than 80 million passengers annually.

Jetstar will operate up to 21 flights a week to WSI from Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Singapore Airlines will commence flights to WSI in November and Fiji Airways in March, when Qantas will also join the domestic line-up. Qatar Airways and Vietjet Air services will also follow in 2027.

As Australia’s first curfew-free passenger airport, WSI adds new capacity to Sydney’s aviation network and gives Western Sydney residents and businesses more convenient access to domestic and international travel.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined WSI CEO Simon Hickey, Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King and NSW Premier Chris Minns for the airport’s official opening.

Mr Albanese said: “Australia’s first major new airport in more than 50 years is now welcoming international flights.

“This is a great day for Western Sydney and another important milestone for a project I’ve championed for many years.

“Western Sydney is now connected directly to the world, bringing more jobs, more visitors and more opportunities for local businesses.”

NSW Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said: “The arrival of the first Air New Zealand flight into Western Sydney is a significant milestone for the region, opening the door to more visitors, new business opportunities, and local jobs.

“Direct international connections will help showcase Western Sydney to the world, supporting the region’s growth and strengthening NSW’s position as Australia’s leading visitor economy.

“The Minns Labor Government partnered with Air New Zealand and Western Sydney International Airport to secure the route through the $16 million Western Sydney International Take-Off Fund, established in 2025 to attract new international flights and deliver economic benefits for Western Sydney.”

The Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) has welcomed Sydney’s arrival as a two-airport city, describing it as a “landmark day for NSW”.

TTF CEO Margy Osmond said: “After years of planning, construction and testing, Western Sydney finally has its own front door to Australia and the world.

“Millions of people in Greater Western Sydney can now fly from their own backyard, and visitors can land right on the doorstep of the Blue Mountains, the Hawkesbury and the region’s growing food, events and cultural scene.

“WSI will play an important role in the long-term growth of the visitor economy and help bring the vision for Western Sydney’s city centre to life.”

Accommodation Australia said the official opening of WSI was an important moment for tourism, jobs and economic growth in NSW and beyond, creating significant new opportunities for hotels, accommodation providers and tourism operators.

Accommodation Australia CEO James Goodwin said: “This is a game changer, not just for Sydney, but for the entire Australian visitor economy.

“Greater aviation capacity, increased competition and new international connections will help attract more visitors, support business travel and encourage investment in accommodation and tourism infrastructure.

“With 24-hour operations and capacity for 10 million passengers annually, the airport will also strengthen Sydney’s position as a competitive international tourism destination.

“This is particularly important as Australia works to grow its visitor economy, attract new international markets and support the thousands of businesses and workers who rely on tourism.”

Accommodation Australia (NSW) General Manager Dominic Catanzariti said: “The benefits will extend well beyond Western Sydney, creating opportunities to attract more visitors to destinations across regional NSW, including the Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands and beyond.

“Improved access will also help regional destinations reach new international markets, encouraging visitors to stay longer and spend more in local communities.

“The investment in aviation infrastructure must be matched by strong transport connections to and from the airport and a coordinated plan for accommodation investment to support the airport’s projected growth over the coming years.”

Corporate Traveller said the new airport is set to change the way Western Sydney businesses travel.

Corporate Traveller General Manager NSW/ACT Tore Bruce said: “For businesses based in Western Sydney, the trip across the city to Sydney Airport has long been part of the cost of doing business. WSI changes that.

“A curfew-free airport opens up same-day return travel in a way that simply wasn’t possible before, and for small and medium businesses, where every hour away from the office counts, that’s a big deal.

“As airlines add routes and frequencies, we’ll be helping our customers make the most of having a second airport on their doorstep.”

The NSW Government’s Western Sydney International Take-Off Fund has secured four international airlines for WSI: Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, VietJet and Qatar Airways.

Delivered by Destination NSW, the fund is forecast to attract more than 162,000 international visitors to NSW and generate an estimated $530 million in visitor expenditure.