Qantas and Jetstar launch flights from Western Sydney, the city’s first 24-hour airport
Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) has announced the schedules of its first domestic Australian passenger flights.
Starting this October, Qantas budget subsidiary Jetstar will launch flights between the new airport and Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, marking the start of regular passenger operations from Australia’s newest airport.
Western Sydney Airport announces date of first passenger flights
From the end of October this year, air travellers in Australia will be able to fly to and from Sydney’s newest international gateway. Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport will open its doors to regular passenger flights on Sunday, 25 October – the start of the 2026/27 IATA northern winter scheduling season.
Initially, Qantas’ low-cost sister airline Jetstar will offer 21 weekly flights on some of the busiest airline routes in the world from the airport. From 25 October, the carrier will operate up to 14 flights a week between WSI and Melbourne, four weekly flights to the Gold Coast (OOL) and three weekly flights to Brisbane (BNE).
| Date | Flight | Frequency | From | Depart | To | Arrive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 October | JQ362 | – | WSI | 11:00 | OOL | 11:25 |
| 25 October | JQ363 | – | OOL | 12:30 | WSI | 15:05 |
| 25 October | JQ375 | – | WSI | 18:00 | MEL | 19:35 |
| From 26 October | JQ372 | Daily | MEL | 07:15 | WSI | 08:45 |
| From 26 October | JQ373 | Daily | WSI | 09:25 | MEL | 11:00 |
| From 26 October | JQ374 | Daily | MEL | 12:00 | WSI | 13:30 |
| From 26 October | JQ375 | Daily | WSI | 18:45 | MEL | 20:20 |
| From 26 October | JQ363 | Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun | OOL | 15:30 | WSI | 18:05 |
| From 26 October | JQ362 | Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun | WSI | 14:10 | OOL | 14:35 |
| From 26 October | JQ389 | Tue, Thu, Sat | BNE | 15:25 | WSI | 18:05 |
| From 26 October | JQ388 | Tue, Thu, Sat | WSI | 14:10 | BNE | 14:45 |
Note: All departure and arrival times are local airport times.
All flights are due to be operated by the airline’s Airbus A320 aircraft, offering 188 economy class seats on every flight. Seats on all flights went on sale on the morning of 10 June, with the first commercial passenger flight from WSI due to be Jetstar flight JQ362 at 11:00 local time on 25 October heading to the Gold Coast.
Jetstar will be joined at the airport from March next year when Qantas inaugurates its own domestic services from WSI. From 28 March 2027. Qantas will operate four flights per week to Brisbane and four flights per week to Melbourne.
Qantas services will be operated by QantasLink Embraer E190 aircraft that can accommodate 95 passengers, with up to 10 business class seats and the remainder being economy seats. Again, reservations have already opened for seats on these services.
| Flight | Frequency | From | Depart | To | Arrive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QF1835 | Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun | BNE | 08:00 | WSI | 10:45 |
| QF1834 | Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun | WSI | 16:10 | BNE | 16:55 |
| QF1836 | Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun | MEL | 13:50 | WSI | 15:25 |
| QF1837 | Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun | WSI | 11:30 | MEL | 13:05 |
Note: All departure and arrival times are local airport times.
WSI CEO Simon Hickey said the launch of domestic tickets was an exciting step forward for Australia’s business and leisure travellers, who will be able to enjoy more choice and flexibility when travelling to airports along the nation’s popular eastern seaboard.
“These Qantas and Jetstar flights will give all of Sydney, especially Western Sydney-siders, more choice and flexibility to travel domestically, with both airlines’ services expected to grow over the years ahead, in line with demand,” Hickey said.
“Despite the ongoing global conflict that continues to challenge the industry, today’s domestic ticket launch is another vote of confidence in Western Sydney International Airport, and the opportunities this rapidly growing region presents for the future of air travel in Greater Sydney.”
Cargo operations at WSI are due to start in July
In addition to the announcement regarding the start of passenger flights, WSI executives said the airport’s integrated 24-hour Cargo Precinct will officially open on Sunday, 26 July, with Qantas as the first cargo airline to fly from the hub.
The airline’s first flight is due to depart WSI on the evening of Monday, 27 July. Before this date, WSI said it would conduct some trial flights in early July to test the new precinct ahead of its formal opening.
Speaking about the opening of the new cargo facility, Hickey commented that the opening of the new Cargo Precinct would help boost Sydney’s air cargo capacity while supporting businesses in the area to grow more quickly and reach new markets.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, said the airport’s opening would be a big moment for Western Sydney.
“This is a project 15 years in the making, and I’m looking forward to passenger flights taking off in just 137 days,” she said.
Qantas Group Chief Executive Officer Vanessa Hudson said: “This is a major milestone for Australian aviation and one that has been years in the making. We are incredibly proud that Jetstar will be the first Australian airline to begin operations at Western Sydney International Airport, and Qantas will follow early next year.”
Why does Sydney need another airport?
WSI is the city of Sydney’s major new international airport being developed at Badgerys Creek in western Sydney. The airport was created to complement the services at congested Sydney International (Kingsford Smith) Airport, which is located closer to the city centre but operates under strict night curfew conditions.
Unlike Sydney Airport, WSI will operate 24 hours a day, allowing greater flexibility for passenger and freight flights, while offering room for future expansion.
Construction on WSI began in room for future 2018 on a 1,780-hectare site and includes a 3.7-kilometre runway, a modern passenger terminal, cargo facilities, and a business precinct.
The airport’s terminal design incorporates sustainable features, extensive natural lighting, and elements inspired by the landscapes and Indigenous heritage of Western Sydney. Major construction was completed in 2025, with extensive testing of infrastructure and systems having been taking place since.
International flights operated by carriers such as Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines are planned to begin within months following the new airport’s opening to passenger flights in October.
The airport is expected to handle up to 10 million passengers annually in its first stage and play a key role in economic growth, job creation, and improved connectivity across the Western Sydney conurbation and Australia as a whole.
