The Qantas Group and Western Sydney International Airport have entered into a landmark agreement that will see Qantas and Jetstar operate domestic flights from the new airport when it opens in late 2026.
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The Australian group plans to base up to 15 narrow-body aircraft, 10 Jetstar and 5 Qantas, from West Sydney – Nancy-Bird Walton International Airport (WSI) during the first year of operation, flying domestic routes such as Melbourne, Brisbane and Gold Coast.
These new aircraft are estimated to move nearly four million passengers per year through WSI on more than 25,000 flights. More than 700 operational jobs are also assessed to be created, with local hiring to take place ahead of the first operations.
«Our data shows that people living in the Western Sydney catchment make more than two million trips a year, so we know there will be demand for these flights from day one. Jetstar has a long history of stimulating demand when it starts flying to new destinations through low fares, so expect to see some great value travel options«, said Alan Joyce, CEO of Qantas Group
The use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is of fundamental necessity to the future of aviation, the airport and airlines agreed to collaborate together in developing projects in Western Sydney to supply SAF at WSI that can be used to power flights.
SAF drives carbon emissions reductions of up to 80% over the lifecycle unlike other fossil fuels and is paramount to the decarbonization of the aviation industry.
Western Sydney Airport and Qantas Group continue to be in negotiations over international and cargo operations at WSI.
«WSI is being designed to grow and will eventually become Sydney’s largest airport. We have a roadmap to grow to 82 million passengers annually, roughly the size of the world’s major airports such as Dubai and London Heathrow«, commented Simon Hickey, CEO of Western Sydney Airport.
However WSI will be an airport serving all of Sydney, it will greatly benefit the communities of Western Sydney. To date, the program has invested more than A$400 million in businesses in the region.
Half of the airport’s workforce resides in Western Sydney and nearly a third learn on the job, through apprenticeships, internships and other vocational training.
