Western Sydney International Airport opens for first commercial flights

Western Sydney International Airport officially opens to passengers today, marking the launch of the first service from a major new Australian airport in more than 50 years.

First Flights

The first-ever commercial passenger flight departs from the new facility for the Gold Coast at 11am. Operated by Jetstar as flight JQ362, the sold-out service is followed by a return flight, JQ363, landing back at the airport at 3pm. A departure to Melbourne is scheduled for 6pm on the same day.

Airport Details

Situated in Badgerys Creek, the aviation hub is located 45 kilometres from Sydney's central business district and 18 kilometres from Penrith's city centre. Unlike Sydney's Mascot terminals, this new facility operates around the clock. Cargo operations at the site began earlier in July.

Growth And Capacity

Chief Executive Officer Simon Hickey states that the facility is built for future expansion. The current terminal is comparable in size to Adelaide Airport, which handles about 10 million passengers annually. While starting below that figure, leadership expects passenger numbers to approach that level by the early to mid-2030s. With future additions of more terminals and another runway, the airport could reach a full capacity of 82 million passengers per year by the 2060s. For comparison, London's Heathrow Airport welcomed over 84 million passengers in 2025.

Jobs And Community

Construction of the facility involved about 10,000 workers, with roughly half coming from the local Western Sydney region. As passenger numbers grow toward 10 million in the 2030s, up to 8,500 jobs will be needed to support operations across the precinct. The terminal also features art by Indigenous artists from Western Sydney, including sculptures titled Barayabinyang, or Songbirds, by Dharug and Darkinjung artist Adam Laws.

Context

New major airports are rare infrastructure projects that take decades of planning and construction to relieve pressure on existing urban transport hubs. Regional aviation growth often sparks surrounding commercial development and local employment opportunities as transport links expand.