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After more than a decade of work, Sydney’s second international airport has finally locked in its take-off window – and it’s just around the corner. Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI for short) has confirmed that cargo flights will begin from July 2026, with the first passenger flights officially set to take off in October, marking the long-awaited soft launch of Sydney’s newest 24-hour holiday gateway.
According to WSI CEO Simon Hickey, the airport is now firmly in trial mode, with systems being tested, staff trained and infrastructure pushed through its paces. “We’re getting more and more match-fit each day,” Hickey says, adding that inaugural passenger tickets – operated by launch airline partners Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Air New Zealand and Jetstar – will be announced in the coming weeks.
RELATED READ: We got a sneak peek inside the airport’s passenger terminal, and it’s genuinely stunning
According to the team, the staggered rollout is deliberate. Cargo operations will fire up first in July, boosting NSW’s freight capacity, before passenger services follow in October. It’s a measured approach that allows the airport’s “modern, technologically enabled” terminal to come to life gradually while avoiding the chaos that often plagues major openings.
RELATED READ: A whole new city is being built on the doorstep of WSI
After first being announced back in 2014, the architecturally striking terminal at Badgerys Creek is now complete, flight paths are locked in, and Sydney’s global connectivity is about to step up. If your next overseas getaway is scheduled for the second half of the year, you might want to hold off booking so you can be among the first lucky passengers to fly from WSI’s beautiful new terminal.
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