After more than 15 years of planning and seven years of construction, Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport will officially open to passengers on 25 October 2026, marking a major milestone for Australia’s aviation sector and Western Sydney’s economic development.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Infrastructure Minister Catherine King announced that the airport’s first commercial passenger flight will depart on Sunday, 25 October, with a Jetstar Airbus A320 flying from Western Sydney International (WSI) to the Gold Coast at 11am.
PM said the opening represented the culmination of a long-term vision for Sydney’s aviation future. “In 2011, I commissioned a joint study with the NSW Government into how we’d deliver a second airport. I said at the time it wasn’t a matter of if Sydney needed a new airport, but when,” he said.
“Fifteen years later, this new airport is almost ready to open.”
Freight operations will commence earlier, on 26 July 2026, with Qantas Freight beginning regular services the following evening.
The new airport, Australia’s first major greenfield airport in decades, will operate as a full-service, curfew-free facility providing domestic, international and freight services. The airport is expected to handle up to 10 million passengers annually in its initial phase, with the capacity to expand significantly in the future.
Jetstar will be the airport’s launch carrier, operating up to 14 weekly flights between WSI and Melbourne, four weekly services to the Gold Coast and three weekly services to Brisbane.
Qantas will commence operations from the airport on 28 March 2027 through its QantasLink network, offering four weekly flights to Brisbane and four weekly flights to Melbourne using Embraer E190 aircraft.
International services are also set to begin shortly after the airport opens. Air New Zealand will launch flights between Auckland and Western Sydney on 26 October, while Singapore Airlines will commence daily services to Singapore Changi Airport from 23 November 2026.
The airport is a central component of the Albanese Government’s nearly $18 billion investment in Western Sydney, which includes the Sydney Metro Airport rail link, upgrades to Elizabeth Drive, Fifteenth Avenue and Mamre Road, as well as the recently completed M12 Motorway.
According to the government, construction of the airport has generated more than 12,800 jobs, with approximately half going to workers from Western Sydney. More than $500 million in contracts has also been awarded to over 360 local businesses during the construction phase.
Infrastructure Minister Catherine King described the announcement as a significant milestone for the region.
“With the new Nancy-Bird Walton Terminal, and brand-new cargo and business precincts readying to open, this won’t just be the centre of travel in Western Sydney, but also jobs,” she said.
The airport’s opening is expected to strengthen Western Sydney’s position as a major economic hub, with the region now home to around half of Sydney’s population and Australia’s third-largest economy.
The government also confirmed that, in line with the Sydney Airport Curfew Act 1995, 1 November 2026 will be the intended gazettal date allowing Western Sydney International Airport to operate overnight aircraft movements. This change will end currently permitted overnight freight movements at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, except in emergencies or where special dispensations apply.
Federal MPs representing Western Sydney welcomed the announcement, highlighting the economic, employment and infrastructure benefits expected to flow from the airport’s operation.
The opening of Western Sydney International Airport is widely regarded as one of Australia’s most significant infrastructure developments in recent decades and is expected to transform aviation, freight logistics and economic activity across the region for generations to come.
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