Sydney’s new international airport opens to passengers

[SYDNEY] Sydney’s new A$5.6 billion (US$3.94 billion) airport opened to passengers on Sunday (Oct 25) after more than a decade of planning, in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said was a milestone for Australia’s most populous city.

The new Western Sydney International Airport ​in Badgerys Creek, about 60 km west of central Sydney, will ⁠operate 24 hours a day, giving airlines access to a fast-growing and ethnically diverse ​population centre.

The current airport, located closer to Sydney’s central business district, can host take-offs and landings only until 11 pm and after 6 am, limiting airline scheduling options relative ​to other major Australian cities like Melbourne.

“For the first time in more than 50 years, Australia is opening a major new airport. It’s a milestone that has been decades in the making,” Albanese said in a statement.

“I’m very proud to officially open it,” he said.

Qantas’ budget arm Jetstar ​was due to operate the first outbound flight to the Gold Coast on Sunday, the airport said in a statement. The airport has capacity for more than 80 million passenger movements annually, it said.

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The start of passenger services comes after cargo flights commenced at the facility in July.

Located on a 1,780-hectare site purchased by the federal government in the 1980s, the airport was completed in July 2025 after a seven-year build and 15 years of planning. REUTERS