Sydney Just Got an Airport That Never Closes at Night

Western Sydney International Airport, also known as Nancy-Bird Walton Airport, opened to commercial passengers on Sunday, October 25. The first scheduled departure was Jetstar flight JQ362 to the Gold Coast, which was due off the ground at 11am and took off at 11.20am. Air New Zealand followed on Monday with the new airport’s first international service, a flight to Auckland.

The airport sits about 44 kilometres west of the Sydney CBD and handles international and domestic travellers under one roof. The terminal has more than 40 check-in kiosks and 34 bag-drop kiosks, and the runway is built to take the newest ultra-long-haul airliners. International carriers listed at launch include Fiji Airways, Vietjet, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways, while Qantas and Jetstar cover domestic routes.

The detail that sets it apart from Kingsford Smith is the clock. Western Sydney operates around the clock with no curfew, whereas the older airport restricts flights between 11pm and 6am. That matters for long-haul schedules and for freight, and it is a rare advantage among major city airports. Jetstar alone plans up to 24 return services a week from the new airport, including up to 14 to Melbourne, daily Gold Coast flights and three weekly to Brisbane, and it will also fly to Bali.

Expectations are modest for the early months. One aviation academic quoted at the opening expects fewer airlines, frequencies and destinations than Kingsford Smith offers, with growth building over time. For travellers, the practical question is whether the extra distance from the city is worth the 24-hour operation and potentially cheaper access. Check which airport your booking uses before heading out, because both Sydney airports will now be in service.

Sources: The Nightly, Prime Minister of Australia