Sydney’s New $14 Billion Airport Officially Opens As First Jetstar Flight Takes Off

Published Oct 24, 2026, 11:54 PM EDT Journalist – Aaron is an aviation and travel journalist with 14 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry. His background spans airport operations, aviation infrastructure, and travel consulting, having worked with global organizations across New Zealand, Europe, and North America. Combining industry expertise with firsthand travel experience across more than 52 countries and five continents, Aaron covers airlines, airports, aviation policy, and the wider travel sector. He is based in Canterbury, New Zealand. His work has been published in Simple Flying and featured by MSN, SAM CHUI Aviation & Travel, EIN News, Pakistan Defence, and Climate Depot. Sunday 25 October marks a special day for Sydneysiders, with the historic opening of a second Sydney international airport. Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) opens to passenger flights today, after a $14 billion build and development from scratch. The new airport plays a critical part in the city's and country's infrastructure, and is the first time a brand new airport has been built in Australia in more than half a century. First Flight At Western Sydney Airport Departs To The Gold Coast Credit: Western Sydney Airport Jetstar was the first commercial operator with passenger flights to begin at Western Sydney Airport, as the Airbus A320 departed for the Gold Coast (OOL) at 11:00 AM under flight number JQ362. Later this evening, Jetstar will begin its second new service to Western Sydney, with JQ375 scheduled to depart for Melbourne Airport (MEL) at 6:00 PM. Jetstar has four planned routes from Western Sydney, with the Gold Coast and Melbourne becoming the first today, followed by Brisbane Airport (BNE) on Tuesday, October 27, and Denpasar (DPS) on March 15. Its parent company, Qantas, will begin operating under the QantasLink brand to both Brisbane and Melbourne from March 28. Western Sydney is located around 27 miles (44km) from downtown Sydney, and just 20 minutes from Penrith. The new airport will operate curfew-free, meaning flights can arrive and depart 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in contrast to the city's main airport, which is restricted to daytime operations between 6:00 AM and 11:00 PM. Air New Zealand To Become First International Operator Tomorrow Credit: Ryan Fletcher | Shutterstock The first international airline to operate to Western Sydney will be Air New Zealand. The Star Alliance carrier will depart from Auckland Airport (AKL) on Monday, flying to Western Sydney up to three times a week. This will be the airline's seventh year-round destination in Australia after Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, while seasonal services also operate to Cairns, Hobart and the Sunshine Coast. Further international airlines which have signalled their plans to operate to Western Sydney include Fiji Airways, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and VietJet Air. Full details of these international airlines' WSI plans can be viewed in the table below: Airline Planned Destination From Western Sydney Start Date Air New Zealand Auckland October 26, 2026 Fiji Airways Nadi March 19, 2027 Qatar Airways Doha December 15, 2027 Singapore Airlines Singapore November 23, 2026 VietJet Air Ho Chi Minh City January 10, 2027 The airport has already opened with regular freight services on July 27, with Qantas Freight operating alongside ASL Airlines and National Jet Express. Destinations include Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Melbourne and Perth. Could Grow To Be The Same Size As London Heathrow Credit: Western Sydney Airport New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King all attended the airport this morning for its official opening, with the airport's Chief Executive Officer Simon Hickey. Hickey noted to Nine News that this was a historic day for Sydney, and after decades of Sydneysiders advocating for a second airport, the day has finally come. Starting out with a small network of both international and domestic operators, the airport has been designed to accommodate flight operations for the years ahead, with Hickey noting that it has actually been designed to be the same size as London Heathrow Airport (LHR), the busiest airport in Europe. Flights to and from the airport are already popular, with the inaugural Jetstar service selling out in an hour. The airport is currently connected to the city by a bus service and new road infrastructure, but a direct train line to the airport is expected to open next year. Domestic and international flights all operate under one roof, and all of the airport's check-in kiosks and bag drops work for any airline, meaning the days of queueing for your specific airline to check in are over. The airport's design allows security screening and baggage claim to be adjusted from international or domestic at any one time, subject to the flights arriving and departing at that time of day.