Published on : 26 Oct 2026

Western Sydney Airport Opens: What the First Day Looked Like — First Jetstar Flights, Passenger Confusion and How to Get There

TRENDING: WESTERN SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL (NANCY-BIRD WALTON) AIRPORT OPENED TO PASSENGERS ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 25. JETSTAR OPERATED THE FIRST FLIGHT TO THE GOLD COAST, AIR NEW ZEALAND STARTS INTERNATIONAL SERVICE TODAY, AND SOME TRAVELLERS HAD NO IDEA THEIR FLIGHT WAS GOING TO THE NEW AIRPORT. HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.

Published: October 26, 2026 | Source: ABC News, SBS News, Sydney Times, Australian Traveller, Executive Traveller, Russian Tourism News

Western Sydney International Airport, officially Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI), has opened at Luddenham, in the city’s west. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called it a “great day for the nation” and said it is the first new major Australian airport in more than 50 years (SBS).

Opening Day: What Happened

Item	Detail
First flight	A Jetstar flight to the Gold Coast, scheduled for 11am. SBS reports it departing just before noon. Sydney Times and Russian Tourism News give the flight number as JQ362
Other flights that day	Three Jetstar domestic flights were scheduled, including Melbourne and Brisbane (ABC, SBS)
Ceremony	The PM, Opposition Leader Angus Taylor, the airport’s chief executive Simon Hickey (who called it “surreal”) and local mayors attended and spoke
First passengers	One passenger, from Western Sydney, flew with his partner and their baby on the baby’s first flight, calling it a “once in a lifetime opportunity” (SBS)
Capacity	Up to 10 million passengers a year to start, with a long-term goal of 80 million
24 hours	Sydney’s first 24-hour airport, with no overnight curfew

The Confusion: Some Passengers Landed at the “Wrong” Airport

ABC News reports that some travellers did not realise their flights were going to WSI:

A Swedish traveller flying from Melbourne to Sydney on Jetstar JQ373 had booked a return to Sydney Airport but landed at WSI. She said she had checked the airport name on her boarding pass days earlier, and when she searched “west airport” the results pointed to Sydney Airport. She and her friend were stranded with their car parked at Sydney Airport, about two hours away.
A holiday-maker on Air New Zealand NZ165 from Auckland thought he was flying to Perth in Western Australia. He realised his mistake before or during the flight and took it in stride.

ABC says it received no statement from Jetstar or Air New Zealand about the confusion.

The lesson: check the airport code and name on your booking and boarding pass. Western Sydney’s code is WSI. Sydney Kingsford Smith is SYD. They are about 45–60 km apart.

Airlines and Schedule

Airline	Route	Status
Jetstar	Melbourne (up to 14 weekly, per published plans), Gold Coast (four weekly), Brisbane (three weekly)	Operating from Oct 25. Launch fares from $59 were advertised in June
Air New Zealand	Auckland, three flights a week	First international flights Monday Oct 26 (today)
Singapore Airlines	Singapore	From November (daily plans reported)
Qantas / QantasLink	Melbourne and Brisbane	From March 28, 2027. Qantas has not started flying at WSI
VietJet	Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok	From January 2027
Fiji Airways	Nadi	From March 2027
Qatar Airways	Doha	Cleared for daily flights. Australian Traveller lists December 2027

Schedules and fares change. Confirm your flight with the airline.

Getting There

Option	Detail
Rail / Metro	No rail link yet. A Sydney Metro line from St Marys is under construction. SBS and ABC say it is expected next year (2027). An earlier report (Executive Traveller, June) said 2028. Do not plan on it
WSI Link	A free interim express bus from St Marys Station, about 30 minutes, every 30 minutes (4:30am–midnight Sun–Thu, until 1am Fri–Sat), per Australian Traveller
Train plus bus	Sydney Central to St Marys by train, then WSI Link: about 1 hour 20 minutes
Other buses	Routes 790 (Penrith), 825 and 860 (Liverpool), 845 (Campbelltown) and 772 (Mount Druitt) (Australian Traveller)
Car, taxi, rideshare	About an hour from the CBD. The toll-free M12 Motorway serves the airport
SuperShuttle	Paid transfers: $25 to Parramatta CBD, $55 to Sydney City, $65 to Sydney Airport (Australian Traveller)
Parking	From $14 a day, against $50 to $70+ at Kingsford Smith (Australian Traveller)

If you are connecting between WSI and SYD, allow several hours. They are separate airports with no direct link.

Facilities

One integrated terminal serving domestic and international flights (the Nancy-Bird Walton Terminal).
A single 3.7 km runway.
The Rayleigh Lounge opens in November 2026 for eligible Singapore Airlines passengers.
No on-site hotel yet. A 200-room Courtyard by Marriott is planned with no confirmed date.
A large artwork, My God! It’s a Woman!!, honours Nancy-Bird Walton above the domestic departure gates.

Concerns and Questions

Transport: local business leaders say they are ready but waiting for better connections (SBS). Penrith’s mayor said governments must invest in roads and amenities.
Noise: residents under new flight paths in western Sydney and the lower Blue Mountains have raised concerns about night-time aircraft noise (Sydney Times, a news aggregator).
Profitability: one University of Sydney expert said the airport could take 10 years to become profitable (The Nightly).

Before You Fly From WSI: Checklist

✓ Check that your booking says WSI (Western Sydney) or SYD (Sydney Airport) ✓ Check the airport name on your boarding pass and confirmation email ✓ Plan transport in advance: WSI Link from St Marys is free ✓ Allow extra time on a first trip, as facilities are new ✓ Book parking early (from $14 a day) ✓ If connecting with other flights, do not assume WSI and SYD are linked ✓ International travellers: check passport, visa and ETA requirements as usual

Your Rights

If your flight is cancelled or you booked the wrong airport by mistake, ask the airline about changing your booking. Airlines’ conditions vary.
For a significant schedule or airport change by the airline, you may be entitled to a refund or alternative under the airline’s terms and Australian Consumer Law. Check your booking conditions.
Keep booking confirmations and screenshots.

For More Resources:

Australian ETA: Download “Australian ETA” app from App Store or Google Play
Digital Passenger Declaration: abf.gov.au/DPD
Department of Home Affairs: homeaffairs.gov.au
Western Sydney International: wsyinternational.com.au

Posted By : Vinay

As a lead contributor for Travel Tourister, Vinay is dedicated to serving our Tier 1 audience (US, UK, Canada, Australia). His mission is to deliver precise, fact-checked news and actionable, data-driven articles that empower readers to make informed decisions, minimize travel risks, and maximize their adventure without compromising safety or budget.

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Western Sydney Airport Opens: What the First Day Looked Like — First Jetstar Flights, Passenger Confusion and How to Get There