Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) has released its Preliminary Draft Master Plan, outlining its future development strategy for the next 20 years.
The document sets out the airport’s intended growth trajectory and its role in shaping economic and transport outcomes for Greater Sydney.
The Plan, which is open for public consultation, details four core areas: airport infrastructure and legislative context; planning forecasts and anticipated growth; sustainability approaches; and future development plans for both aviation and non-aviation uses.
The Master Plan will act as a roadmap for the airport’s evolution to support the growing demand for air travel in the region. Projections indicate that Sydney’s aviation needs could double over the next 25 years, and WSI is positioning itself to play a central role in meeting that demand.
WSI CEO Simon Hickey said:As Sydney’s only 24-hour domestic, international and cargo gateway – WSI is well placed to meet our global city’s significant growth and offer greater choice for airlines and travellers, while driving progress for Greater Sydney, our state and our nation.
Our Plan charts this pathway to greater prosperity for all of Sydney and covers a diverse depth and breadth of issues and opportunities from future aviation needs and long-term land uses to sustainability initiatives and environmental management as well as flight paths and noise mitigation measures.
Our vision over the next two decades is for WSI to become the gateway of choice to Australia and the world – connecting people, places and opportunities.
The airport’s longer-term ambitions also focus on its role within the broader economic landscape of Western Sydney. The region has seen extensive public infrastructure investment, including more than 17 billion USD from federal and state governments in transport links such as roads and rail. The airport itself represents a 5.3 billion USD construction effort.
Economic modelling cited in the Plan suggests that by 2063, investment in New South Wales could increase by an estimated 96 billion USD due to WSI’s development and associated infrastructure, with a substantial share of this projected for Western Sydney.
WSI anticipates the creation of 6,000 to 8,500 jobs by the time the airport reaches 10 million annual passengers, which is forecasted around 2033.
As a Commonwealth-leased airport, WSI is required to submit a Master Plan under the Airports Act 1996. These plans must be updated every five years to reflect evolving policy, operational needs, and community expectations.
The Preliminary Draft Master Plan is now open for feedback from the public and stakeholders, with consultation closing on 2 September 2025. Following this, the Plan will be submitted to the federal government for review, with final approval expected in the first half of 2026.
