Sydney inaugurates its new giant airport: the first passenger flights will take off as early as October

After more than a decade of planning and construction, the new Western Sydney International Airport will welcome its first passengers on October 25. This major project, costing AU$5,6 billion (approximately US$3,6 billion), is set to transform air travel in Australia's largest city.

Located in Badgerys Creek, about 60 kilometers west of Sydney's city centre, the new airport has one major difference from the city's current hub: it will operate 24 hours a day. Sydney's historic airport is subject to a strict nighttime curfew that prohibits takeoffs and landings between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. in order to limit noise pollution.

This uninterrupted operation will offer airlines greater flexibility in their schedules, particularly for routes to Asia and the Gulf countries. Australian authorities also believe the infrastructure will meet the needs of a rapidly growing Sydney region.

Qantas and its low-cost subsidiary Jetstar will be among the first airlines to operate from the new airport. Jetstar will operate the inaugural flight to the Gold Coast and will offer several regular services to Melbourne, Brisbane, and other domestic destinations. Qantas' regional subsidiary will add its own flights starting next March.

The airport is expected to handle up to 10 million passengers annually in its initial phase, roughly a quarter of the traffic at Sydney's main airport. It will also play a significant role in freight transport, with Qantas planning to expand its logistics operations there in the coming weeks.

Internationally, Air New Zealand will launch a route to Auckland on October 26, while Singapore Airlines will begin daily flights to Singapore on November 23. Some of these flights will directly benefit from the absence of a curfew, with departures scheduled late into the night.

For Australian authorities, the opening of this airport is one of the country's most important infrastructure projects and marks a new stage in the economic and demographic development of the Western Sydney region.