Western Sydney International Airport opened to passengers on Sunday, October 25, ending decades of debate and more than a decade of planning for a second major airport serving Australia's largest city. The A$5.6 billion facility at Badgerys Creek is designed to operate around the clock, giving airlines and travellers an alternative to Sydney Airport's overnight curfew.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese formally opened the airport and described the launch as a milestone for Sydney. Reuters reported that the new terminal is about 60 kilometres west of central Sydney. Passenger operations began after freight flights started at the site in July.
First passenger services begin
Jetstar was scheduled to operate the first outbound passenger service from Western Sydney to the Gold Coast on opening day. Australian government information also lists regular Jetstar services to Melbourne and Brisbane. Air New Zealand is due to begin flights to Auckland on October 26, while Singapore Airlines is scheduled to start daily Singapore services on November 23.
The airport's 24-hour operating model is one of its main differences from the existing Sydney Airport, where takeoffs and landings are restricted between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. The new facility is intended to give airlines more scheduling flexibility, particularly for long-haul and freight operations. Government planning documents say Western Sydney International is expected to become the main location for Sydney's overnight freight movements from November 1, subject to the relevant arrangements.
A long-planned infrastructure project
The airport occupies a 1,780-hectare site purchased by the federal government in the 1980s. Reuters said the project followed 15 years of planning and seven years of construction, with the airport completed in July 2025 before testing and operational preparations continued. The opening is the first launch of a major new Australian airport in more than 50 years.
Government figures say construction created more than 12,800 jobs, around half of them filled by local workers. More than A$500 million was invested in 360 Western Sydney businesses during construction. Those figures describe the build phase and do not represent a guarantee of future passenger demand or permanent employment.
Reuters reported that the airport has long-term capacity for more than 80 million passenger movements annually. That figure is an eventual design capacity rather than an opening-year forecast. Passenger numbers are expected to grow gradually as more airlines and routes are added.
Connections remain part of the wider plan
Road upgrades form part of the surrounding infrastructure program, while the Sydney Metro connection to the airport remains a separate project. Until rail service is available, passengers can reach the terminal by car, taxi, rideshare, bus and shuttle services listed by the airport.
The start of passenger operations does not replace the existing Sydney Airport. Instead, Western Sydney International adds capacity for domestic, international and freight services, with a particular focus on the rapidly growing population west of the city. Its opening-day network is limited compared with the long-term plan, but the first scheduled services mark the transition from construction project to operating airport.
The next immediate milestone is the start of international passenger service to Auckland on October 26. Later route launches will depend on airline schedules and operational approvals; announced future services should not be treated as completed until they begin.
