A Jetstar flight to the Gold Coast has made history, becoming the first passenger departure from Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport — Australia's first greenfield airport in more than five decades. The opening ceremony drew Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, NSW Premier Chris Minns and a roll-call of airline and airport executives to the site, about 50km west of central Sydney.

Built to handle up to 10 million passengers a year from day one, WSI has big plans: the long-term goal is more than 80 million annual passengers, positioning it as a genuine rival — some say successor — to Sydney's Kingsford Smith as the country's main gateway. Unlike the existing airport, WSI operates 24 hours a day.

The launch flight, JQ362, carried Jetstar CEO Stephanie Tully among its passengers, and the airline is banking on Western Sydney's fast-growing population of around three million people ditching expensive cross-city taxis for low fares closer to home. A second Jetstar service to Melbourne followed the same day. Qantas joins in March 2027, though it already runs up to 72 freight flights a week from the airport's freight precinct, which opened in July.

International flying starts almost immediately. Air New Zealand launches the first overseas service on Monday, making it the inaugural international airline at the hub. Singapore Airlines begins the first long-haul flights to Asia on 23 November 2026, Vietjet arrives in January 2027 as the first overseas low-cost carrier, Fiji Airways starts three weekly flights to Nadi in March 2027, and Qatar Airways — the first Middle Eastern or European carrier on board — commences in December 2027.

There's a catch for travellers, though. The Metro rail line to the airport won't open until 2028, so for now road transport is the only option. The new toll-free M12 and upgraded roads help if you're driving, and there's a patchwork of alternatives: a free WSI Link shuttle from St Marys station (about 30 minutes), a Super Shuttle from the CBD ($55, 45-60 minutes), a train-plus-bus combo via Penrith for $10.31, or local buses from Penrith, Liverpool and Campbelltown from $5.77.

For anyone living in Greater Sydney's west — or flying to the Gold Coast, Melbourne, New Zealand, Fiji or Southeast Asia — WSI means shorter trips to the airport, more airline competition and fares that could genuinely drop. As the PM put it, this is a project that definitely hasn't been rushed: the first proposal surfaced back in 1985. After four decades, the planes are finally moving.