The Qantas Group has signed an agreement with Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) for both Qantas and Jetstar to operate domestic flights from the new site when it opens in 2026.
The Qantas Group plans to operate 10 Jetstar and five Qantas narrowbody aircraft from WSI within the first year, flying routes to destinations such as Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
These aircraft are expected to carry four million passengers through WSI each year, operating more than 25,000 flights. This will create around 700 operational jobs.
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said:In just over three years Qantas and Jetstar will take off from Western Sydney connecting one of Australia’s fastest growing areas through direct flights across the country. As we take delivery of more aircraft and expand our fleet, we see Western Sydney Airport as a significant growth opportunity for the Group, which will complement our existing operations in the Sydney basin and nationally.
Western Sydney International Airport has some big strategic advantages with no curfew, technology that allows aircraft to be turned around quickly and a next-generation baggage system. Our data shows that more than two million trips per year are taken by people who live in the Western Sydney catchment so we know there will be demand for these flights from day one.
To celebrate this agreement, Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King joined leadership from WSI and Qantas on a tour of the airport’s construction, which is now more than 50 percent complete.
The airport and the Qantas Group are also continuing discussions on international and freight operations from Western Sydney.
WSI CEO Simon Hickey said:This is a substantial Qantas and Jetstar presence at Sydney’s new major airport. We’re enabling WSI with the latest technology, which will deliver an easier and more seamless travel experience.
WSI is being designed for growth and will eventually become Sydney’s biggest airport. We have a roadmap to grow to 82 million annual passengers, around the size of the world’s major airports, such as Dubai and London Heathrow.
