Jetstar will operate the first commercial passenger service from Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport when it opens on 25 October 2026, connecting the hub’s inaugural passengers to the Gold Coast.
The inaugural flight, JQ362, departs at 11am on 25 October 2026 bound for Gold Coast Airport, making Jetstar the first commercial passenger airline to take off from Australia’s newest international airport, with Qantas to follow next March.
The schedule follows a five-year agreement between Qantas Group and Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) covering domestic passenger flights and freight, allowing both carriers to grow services as demand builds.
For travel advisors, it opens a third Sydney area departure point for clients across the city’s fast-growing west with new domestic connections to Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
From launch, 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 on its Airbus A320 aircraft.
Qantas passenger operations begin on 28 March 2027 with four flights a week to both Melbourne and Brisbane operated by QantasLink using Embraer E190 aircraft.
Qantas will also be one of the first commercial carriers to use the airport overall with its inaugural freighter service set to take off from WSI’s 24-hour Cargo Precinct on 27 July.
Qantas Group CEO 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.”
“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.”
Western Sydney International Airport CEO Simon Hickey said: “Mark your calendars, as the countdown is officially on to welcome our inaugural passengers to Sydney’s new state-of-the art terminal when the very first commercial passenger flight takes off for the Gold Coast on Sunday, 25 October.”
“These Qantas and Jetstar services will give Western Sydney’s frequent business and leisure travellers more choice and flexibility to fly from Sydney’s new 24-hour gateway to some of our nation’s most popular east coast hubs with flights expected to grow over the years ahead.”
ATIA CEO Dean Long said the launch confirmation is exciting news for both travellers and the travel industry.
“More flights always mean more options for travellers, and more options mean more business for the travel agents and tour operators who are there to help Australians plan their trips,” he said.
“Western Sydney International is a transformative addition to Australia’s travel landscape. It gives millions of people in western Sydney direct access to the network for the first time, and it gives the whole country a new gateway. We look forward to watching this airport grow and to the increased connectivity it will bring for Australian travellers.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Transport Minister Catherine King also welcomed WSI’s official opening date after 15 years of planning, seven years of construction and one year of testing.
“It wasn’t ‘a matter of if Sydney needed a new airport, but when’. Fifteen years later, this new airport is almost ready to open. I want to thank the tens of thousands of people who, over the years, planned, built and are now testing Western Sydney International Airport and the surrounding infrastructure right here in Western Sydney,” Albanese said.
“This is a big moment for Sydney with passenger flights at Western Sydney Airport commencing in just 137 days. With the new Nancy-Bird Walton Terminal, and brand-new cargo and business precincts readying to open, this won’t just be the centre of travel in Western Sydney, but also jobs,” King said.
Special launch fares for Qantas and Jetstar flights from WSI are available for purchase from 10 June 2026 with one-way economy fares available from $59 on Jetstar to the Gold Coast and from $99 (economy) or $299 (business) on Qantas to Melbourne and Brisbane.
The new base adds to a busy period of network growth for Jetstar, which is also expanding internationally with a new Perth-Christchurch service from October 2026.
Ahead of the opening, the airport gave the public a rare chance to access the tarmac with a one-day runway run and walk event on 26 April 2026
WSI has also revealed the international airlines that will commence operations from the hub. Air New Zealand will commence flights to Auckland on 26 October and Singapore Airlines will start daily flights to Changi on 23 November 2026.
KARRYON UNPACKS: A new airport in Sydney’s west gives advisors a closer departure option for the millions of clients living between Parramatta and the Blue Mountains, starting with high-frequency domestic routes to Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
