- Sydneyโs second international airport โ Western Sydney International Airport (otherwise known as Nancy-Bird Walton Airport) โ is on track to open in late 2026.
- Located at Badgerys Creek, itโll be situated 65 kilometres from Sydneyโs CBD and 52 kilometres from Sydney Airport.
- Western Sydney International Airport is projected for an initial capacity of 10 million passengers per year; eventually matching Londonโs Heathrow with 80 million annually.
Frequent flyers living out in Sydneyโs west will be delighted to hear that the Harbour Cityโs second international airport, located at Badgerys Creek, is on schedule for its 2026 launch date.
Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) has now completed its terminal, landside, and airfield construction, with the scale of the $5.3 billion project designed to eventually match Londonโs Heathrow in annual passengers.
WSI is projected to eventually become Sydneyโs largest airport, servicing 10 million passengers a year from the day it opens in 2026 โ growing to an annual capacity of 80 million passengers as both Western Sydneyโs population and airline uptake increase over the next decade.
Access to this particular corner of Sydney will also become far more convenient by the time it begins welcoming passengers, with the toll-free M12 motorway that takes you directly to the WSI under construction, alongside the forthcoming Sydney Metro connection well underway.
One of the main dilemmas faced by Sydney Airport is its nightly curfew (11 PM to 6 AM), which limits operations to 80 flight movements per hour. The Western Sydney International Airport, however, wonโt be hamstrung by any such issues, given its 24-hour operating licence and a terminal that houses both domestic and international flights under a single roof.
Though as reported by The Australian, a few alarm bells have been sounded as not a single airline has officially inked any contracts to use the airport. So far, only Qantas Group, Singapore Airlines, and Air New Zealand have signed a letter of intent to fly in and out of the new facility.
Perhaps we can expect more concrete paperwork and commitments the closer we get to late 2026.
As for the terminal itself? Defined by light and sandstone, the โInstagrammableโ final designs and construction plans for the terminal have been created by the teams at Multiplex and Woods Bagot.
Championing the concept of sustainability, youโll find over 6,000 solar panels installed on the roof to provide energy efficiency and renewable electricity; while rainfall collected on-site will be recycled for use in the airportโs bathrooms, irrigation systems, and cooling towers.
The countdown continues for Western Sydneyโs global gatewayโฆ
