Western Sydney International Airport Opens Its Doors to Passengers on October 25

Sydney travellers are days away from a milestone decades in the making: Western Sydney International Airport will open to passengers on Sunday, October 25, giving Australia’s largest city a second major gateway and reshaping how millions of people fly in and out of New South Wales.

Who flies first

Jetstar has the honour of operating the airport’s first passenger flights on opening day. Air New Zealand follows the next day with a service from Auckland, and Singapore Airlines is scheduled to begin daily flights from late November. Qantas, which will keep its substantial operation at the existing Sydney Airport, is expected to arrive at the new airport in March 2027 — meaning many passengers will soon be choosing between two Sydney gateways when they book.

A curfew-free alternative

One of the new airport’s biggest selling points is time. Unlike the long-established Kingsford Smith Airport, Western Sydney International is curfew-free, so aircraft can arrive and depart around the clock. Supporters argue that the 24-hour operation will unlock better flight schedules, more freight capacity and thousands of jobs across Sydney’s fast-growing west, while easing pressure on the congested original airport.

The opening also caps a busy month for Australian aviation news. Qantas has confirmed that New York will be the second destination for its ultra-long-haul Project Sunrise programme, with nonstop Sydney–New York flights on specially configured A350-1000ULR aircraft due to begin in mid-2028. The roughly 18-hour journey will cut around three hours from today’s one-stop routings, with tickets expected to go on sale from August 2027.

What it means for travellers

For passengers, the immediate change is choice. A second gateway brings new departure times, potentially sharper fares as airlines compete across both airports, and easier access for the millions of people who live closer to Sydney’s west than to the harbour. If you are booking travel through Sydney in the months ahead, it will pay to check which airport your flight uses — the two are roughly 45 kilometres apart, and mixing them up on departure day would be an expensive mistake.

Source: CTM Travel