Western Sydney airport prepares for takeoff as experts question route to commercial viability

First commercial flight from Western Sydney International Airport this weekend, with comparisons drawn to Melbourne's Avalon

By LineZotpaper

Published21 October 2026

Updated21 October 2026

Read Time3 min

Sources2 outlets

Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) will welcome its first commercial flight this Sunday, marking the opening of Sydney's second airport after years of planning. The airport, located roughly 60km from the city centre, promises to relieve congestion at Kingsford Smith and offer greater competition for flights. But as it launches with a modest initial schedule, aviation experts and the operator of Melbourne's lesser-known second airport, Avalon, offer contrasting perspectives on its path to success.

This weekend's inaugural flight, operated by Jetstar, will carry passengers from the architecturally lauded terminal amid much fanfare. Seven airlines have already signed up to operate from WSI, including legacy carriers Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand and Qatar Airways. The federal transport minister, Catherine King, has said the airport will serve up to 10 million passengers annually, with "scalable expansion" to ultimately handle 80 million passengers a year by 2060.

A WSI spokesperson said the airport had been "built for long-term growth and will serve Sydney's growing population for the next century". They also noted that WSI is approved to operate 24 hours a day, unlike Kingsford Smith which has strict movement limits and an 11pm-6am curfew.

The opening has drawn comparisons with Melbourne's Avalon Airport, which launched passenger flights more than two decades ago. Avalon's chief executive officer, Ari Suss, cautioned that the two airports are "not really comparing apples with apples". A WSI spokesperson said "conceptually, the two are chalk and cheese".

Avalon, primarily a military airfield built in 1952, has never fully taken off as a major passenger alternative to Melbourne's Tullamarine. It currently handles about 55-60 commercial flights a week, including services to Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and the Gold Coast, and this year resumed international flights to Bali after a six-year break. Suss said Avalon has the capacity for 1.2 million passengers a year, though traffic is "up and down".

One key difference is that Melbourne's Tullamarine has greater capacity and room to expand compared to Kingsford Smith, making competition for passengers more difficult for Avalon. Suss noted that WSI may find it easier because Kingsford Smith is more constrained. However, Sydney's main airport currently has a quick rail link to the CBD, while WSI's promised rail connection is not due until 2027 or 2028. Neither Melbourne airport has rail infrastructure.

Associate Professor Chrystal Zhang, an aviation expert at RMIT University, said WSI would have to demonstrate passenger demand and connecting flights to keep airlines using its runways. "That would be an ongoing challenge," she said.

Professor Rico Merkert from the University of Sydney said WSI may need 10 years before becoming commercially viable and might require government financial support. WSI would not comment on that timeframe.

Avalon, meanwhile, is operated by Linfox as part of a broader logistics network. It handles a large amount of freight and recently opened an industrial precinct housing tenants including Cotton On Group, Australia Post and Lockheed Martin. Suss said the company does not comment publicly on profits but is "certainly very happy with its growth". Merkert noted that because Avalon is privately owned by Linfox, it may not matter if the airport breaks even on its own, as long as it benefits the broader organisation.

WSI also has freight ambitions: its 24-hour cargo precinct opened in July, with Qantas Freight and Dnata among its clients, and plans to ultimately handle up to 1.8 million tonnes of air cargo annually.

Analysis

Why This Matters

Western Sydney residents have long waited for a second airport to reduce travel time and congestion; the opening could reshape travel patterns in the region.
The success or failure of WSI will influence future airport development in Australian cities, as policymakers assess the viability of secondary airports.
Competition from WSI may put pressure on Kingsford Smith to improve services and potentially lower airfares for Sydney travellers.

Background

Western Sydney International Airport has been a project decades in the making, intended to serve the rapidly growing population in Sydney's west and to relieve pressure on Kingsford Smith Airport, which operates near capacity with movement caps and a night curfew. The airport is located at Badgerys Creek, about 60km from the city centre. Rail links to the new airport are under construction and expected to be completed by 2027 or 2028. Avalon Airport, Melbourne's secondary airport, opened to passenger services in 2004 and has operated as a smaller alternative to Tullamarine, but has struggled to attract a wide range of airlines and routes. It is now predominantly a freight and logistics hub.

Key Perspectives

Western Sydney International Airport: The airport positions itself as a long-term growth asset, launching with multiple airlines including legacy carriers and promising 24-hour operations to attract both passengers and cargo. It expects to scale to a capacity larger than Dubai, Hong Kong and New York's JFK.

Avalon Airport (Ari Suss): The CEO argues that comparing Avalon and WSI is not useful because their circumstances differ, particularly the capacity constraints at Sydney's main airport versus Melbourne's. Avalon is focused on its unique advantages in freight and logistics, not simply on competing as a passenger hub.

Aviation experts (Chrystal Zhang, Rico Merkert): Zhang warns that WSI must prove passenger demand and sustain airline interest. Merkert highlights the likely need for a decade of government support before commercial viability, contrasting with Avalon's model where profitability is secondary to broader logistics benefits for its owner.

What to Watch

Passenger numbers in the first year: Will WSI meet the projected 10 million annual capacity, or will demand fall short?
Completion of rail link: The promised train connection by 2027 or 2028 will be critical for accessibility.
Airline commitment: Whether additional airlines add routes and increase frequencies will signal market confidence.

Sources

Sydney’s second airport will soon be up and running. How different will it be to Melbourne’s Avalon? · Business | The Guardian
Sydney’s second airport will soon be up and running. How different will it be to Melbourne’s Avalon? · Australia news | The Guardian

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 9 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedExperts question whether Western Sydney International can become commercially viable.Business | The Guardian: “Prof Rico Merkert, an aviation expert from the University of Sydney, says WSI may need 10 years before it becomes commercially viable and may require financial support from the government to sustain it until then.”
SupportedWestern Sydney International’s first commercial flight is this weekend.Business | The Guardian: “This weekend, the first commercial flight will embark from Sydney’s much anticipated new airport.”
Not in the sourcesThe airport is opening after years of planning.
Partly supportedThe airport promises to relieve congestion at Kingsford Smith and offer more flight competition.Business | The Guardian: “Seven airlines are already signed up to operate flights out of Western Sydney, which opens amid promises to relieve congestion at Kingsford Smith and offer Sydneysiders more competition for flights.”
SupportedThe airport is roughly 60km from the city centre.Business | The Guardian: “Both airports share comparable footprints, similar distances to their respective city centres (roughly 60km away)”
SupportedJetstar will operate the inaugural flight, departing from an architecturally lauded terminal amid fanfare.Business | The Guardian: “Passengers will depart from Western Sydney international airport’s architecturally lauded terminals amid much fanfare on Sunday.”
SupportedSeven airlines have signed up, including Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand and Qatar Airways.Business | The Guardian: “Seven airlines are already signed up to operate flights out of Western Sydney”
SupportedCatherine King said the airport will serve up to 10 million passengers annually.Business | The Guardian: “the federal transport minister, Catherine King, has said WSI will serve up to 10 million passengers annually”
Partly supportedThe airport will ultimately handle 80 million passengers a year by 2060.Business | The Guardian: “The airport plans to serve up to 80 million passengers a year by 2060”
SupportedA WSI spokesperson said the airport was “built for long-term growth and will serve Sydney’s growing population for the next century”.Business | The Guardian: “a spokesperson says it has been “built for long-term growth and will serve Sydney’s growing population for the next century”.”
SupportedAri Suss said the airports are “not really comparing apples with apples”.Business | The Guardian: “Avalon’s chief executive officer, Ari Suss, says examining the similarities and differences between Avalon and Western Sydney is “not really comparing apples with apples”.”
SupportedThe cargo precinct plans to handle up to 1.8 million tonnes of air cargo annually.Business | The Guardian: “plans to “ultimately cater for up to 1.8m tonnes of air cargo annually”.”