Sydney: Australia’s new AUS$5.6 billion Western Sydney International Airport opened to passengers on Sunday, after more than a decade of planning, in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described as a milestone for the country’s most populous city.
Located in Badgerys Creek, about 60 km west of central Sydney, the airport will operate 24 hours a day, giving airlines access to a fast-growing and ethnically diverse population centre.
Sydney’s existing airport, located closer to the central business district, permits takeoffs and landings only between 6 am and 11 pm. This restricts airline scheduling options compared with those in other major Australian cities, including Melbourne.
Qantas’ budget airline Jetstar operated the first outbound passenger flight to the Gold Coast on Sunday. Passenger services began after cargo flights commenced at the new facility in July.
The airport occupies a 1,780-hectare site purchased by the Australian federal government in the 1980s. Construction was completed in July 2025 after a seven-year build, following 15 years of planning.