Domestic travellers will enjoy greater connectivity along some of the busiest airline routes in the world, with Jetstar and Qantas tickets set to go on sale this morning to fly from Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) to the east coast hubs of the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Brisbane.
WSI CEO Simon Hickey said the launch of domestic tickets was an exciting step forward for Australia's business and leisure travellers who'll now enjoy more choice and flexibility along the nation's popular eastern seaboard – with Jetstar flight JQ362 the first commercial passenger flight scheduled to take off from WSI in October.
"Mark your calendars – the countdown is officially on to welcome our inaugural passengers to Sydney's new state-of-the art terminal with a Jetstar Airbus A320 the first commercial passenger flight set to take off for the Gold Coast at 11am on Sunday 25 October," he said.
The inaugural Jetstar and Qantas services from WSI comprise:
- From 25 October 2026, Jetstar will operate up to 14 flights a week between WSI and Melbourne; four weekly flights to the Gold Coast and three weekly flights to Brisbane.
- Jetstar services will be operated by Airbus A320 aircraft that can accommodate up to 188 passengers.
- And 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 around 95 passengers, with up to 10 business class seats and the remainder being economy seats.
"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," Mr 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."
In more exciting news for Australia's global city – WSI's integrated 24-hour Cargo Precinct will officially open on Sunday 26 July 2026, and Qantas will be one of the first cargo airlines to fly from the hub, when its freighter takes off on the evening of Monday 27 July. WSI will also have trial flights touching down earlier in July to test the new precinct ahead of its formal opening.
"We're delighted to welcome Qantas Freight from Monday 27 July, which will help boost our city's air cargo capacity and ensure people get critical goods more efficiently while supporting businesses to grow and reach new global markets," Mr Hickey said.
"Both exporters and importers will benefit from our integrated Cargo Precinct's 24-hour capacity, dedicated access via the recently upgraded Northern Road, and proximity to key freight and logistics hubs in Kemps Creek and developing industrial sites across the Aerotropolis."
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," said Minister King.
"Tens of thousands of people have worked on making this project a reality, and soon it will be Western Sydney's gateway to the world."
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're 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.
"We're excited by the potential of Western Sydney International Airport to spur local tourism and make aviation more accessible for millions of people in Western Sydney, who currently have to travel to Kingsford Smith to catch a flight.
"Jetstar has an incredible history of growing new markets and being the first airline to launch will give one of the country's fastest growing regions better access to low fares to some of our most popular destinations.
"We know there's growing demand for customers in Western Sydney and we're proud to be working with Gold Coast Airport and Tourism and Events Queensland to make our services to South East Queensland a reality.
"WSI will also become a key hub for Qantas Freight, with more than 850 tonnes of freight expected to move through our new terminal each week helping us meet growing demand for e-commerce and next-day deliveries."