SYDNEY, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Sydney's new A$5.6 billion ($3.94 billion) airport opened to passengers on Sunday after more than a decade of planning, in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said was a milestone for the country's most populous city.
The new Western Sydney International Airport in Badgerys Creek, about 60 km (37.3 miles) west of central Sydney, will operate 24 hours a day, giving airlines access to a fast-growing and ethnically diverse population centre.
The current airport, located closer to Sydney's central business district, can host takeoffs and landings only until 11 p.m. and after 6 a.m., limiting airline scheduling options relative to other major Australian cities like Melbourne.
"For the first time in more than 50 years, Australia is opening a major new airport. It’s a milestone that has been decades in the making," Albanese said in a statement.
"I’m very proud to officially open it," he said.
Qantas' budget arm Jetstar was due to operate the first outbound flight to the Gold Coast on Sunday, the airport said in a statement. The airport has capacity for more than 80 million passenger movements annually, it said.
The start of passenger services comes after cargo flights commenced at the facility in July.
Located on a 1,780-hectare (4,398-acre) site purchased by the federal government in the 1980s, the airport was completed in July 2025 after a seven-year build and 15 years of planning.
($1 = 1.4219 Australian dollars)
(Reporting by Samuel McKeith; Editing by Nia Williams)
