Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) has marked 100 days until its inaugural passenger flight.
Jetstar will launch the first services on October 25, followed by Air New Zealand the following day and Singapore Airlines on November 23, and QantasLink will begin Embraer E190 services in March. An Air New Zealand flight from Auckland will be the first international service to land.
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“It’s a good time to strengthen trans-Tasman connectivity, given that Australia and New Zealand represent each other’s largest inbound market, and those numbers are increasing every year,” WSI chief executive Simon Hickey said.
“Travellers will be able to move through our state-of-the-art terminal with ease thanks to our efficient digital check-in experience, enjoy a touch of shopping through our retail partner, Lagardère AWPL, and relax at their departure gate in a comfortable seat with convenient loading portals and stunning views of the nearby Blue Mountains.
“With final operational preparations continuing each day and our inaugural international flight just 100 days away, we look forward to welcoming travelers to Sydney’s new 24-hour global gateway.”
Air New Zealand will operate three return services per week between Auckland and WSI, with flights on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays using A320 and A321 aircraft.
According to Air New Zealand general manager for Australia, Kathryn O’Brien, WSI will provide an important link to the airline’s trans-Tasman network.
“The Western Sydney team has built a world-class terminal that will provide an exceptional travel experience for our customers and strengthen trade and tourism connections between New Zealand and Australia,” he said.
“Flying from Western Sydney directly to our hub in Auckland offers Sydneysiders more choice and convenience when traveling across Tasmania.
“Flights are perfectly timed to connect with many of our destinations in the Pacific Islands, North America and the 20 domestic ports we fly to across New Zealand. This makes western Sydney a great new departure point for international travel.”
Hickey told media earlier this week that airlines are experiencing strong demand for their initial flights, which was confirmed by Air New Zealand.
“Bookings are steadily increasing as more customers realize the benefits of flying to and from Western Sydney Airport, and we are excited to land in 100 days,” a spokesperson said.
While Singapore Airlines (SIA) was unable to confirm exact booking figures due to commercial sensitivities, a spokesperson told Australian Aviation that Sydney as a whole “continues to see healthy passenger demand”.
“SIA remains committed to working closely with the airport and industry partners to support the development of Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) services and the long-term growth of the airport,” the spokesperson said.
“With the introduction of a daily return service to and from WSI from 23 November 2026, which will complement SIA’s existing four daily services to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, SIA will offer five daily flights year-round to the Sydney market.
“The new daily service will add 2,121 weekly seats in each direction, bringing the total seat capacity on SIA services to Sydney to 12,334 weekly seats in each direction.
“This reflects our commitment to improving connectivity to and from Sydney, a key market for SIA Group. The introduction of WSI aims to provide more choice and convenience to travelers in Greater Sydney and beyond.”
WSI will see its first cargo services on July 27, with test flights beginning on Monday the 13th.
