Sydney’s Long-Awaited Second Airport Just Sent Off Its First Flight

Western Sydney International Airport welcomed its first passengers on Sunday, October 25, ending a long wait for Sydney’s second major airport. The first scheduled departure was Jetstar flight JQ362 to the Gold Coast, leaving at 11am, and Jetstar is also flying from opening day to Melbourne and Brisbane. The airport sits at Luddenham, in Sydney’s west, and its first stage is designed to handle up to 10 million passengers a year. For travelers, it is the first real alternative to Sydney’s existing airport, though only a handful of airlines have committed so far.

International service starts small. Air New Zealand began three weekly flights to Auckland on October 26, and Singapore Airlines plans a daily Singapore service from November 23, subject to regulatory approvals. Qantas is due to begin Melbourne and Brisbane flights from March 28, 2027. Updated air service agreements will also let Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways each add up to seven extra weekly flights to the new airport, according to Head for Points, which means the long-haul map should widen over the coming year.

Getting there is the main question for anyone booking. A toll-free M12 motorway links the airport to the M7, and public buses serving Penrith, Leppington, Liverpool, Campbelltown and Mount Druitt have been running since July 5. A free shuttle from St Marys interchange begins with the first passenger flight and takes about 30 minutes by road. Drivers get more than 6,000 parking spaces, with online booking due to open in the second half of the year.

The missing piece is rail. A Sydney Metro line is scheduled for 2027, with about 15 minutes between St Marys and the terminal, so until then most travelers will depend on road transport. Anyone booking a flight from the new airport should check which airport the ticket names and allow extra time for the transfer from the city, especially for early-morning departures.

Sources: Wego, Head for Points