Western Sydney International Airport is still under construction.
A A$16 million ($10 million) fund is being launched to attract international airlines to serve Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) ahead of its planned opening in late 2026.
The New South Wales (NSW) government has pledged $8 million toward the Western Sydney International Take-Off Fund, which is being matched by WSI to support new international routes and boost passenger traffic.
The initiative aligns with NSW’s broader goal of achieving A$91 billion in visitor expenditure by 2035. The combined fund is projected to facilitate more than 162,000 international arrivals to NSW, generating an estimated A$530 million in visitor spending.
“With tickets for our first flights set to go on sale later this year and our opening day rapidly approaching, this initial investment with the state government is very welcome news and another strong signal that Western Sydney International Airport is well and truly open for business,” WSI CEO Simon Hickey says.
The fund will provide financial incentives for airlines, including passenger subsidies and marketing support, to establish and sustain new international routes. It will be administered by Destination NSW, the state’s lead agency for visitor economy initiatives, with allocations determined on a case-by-case basis in collaboration with WSI.
Singapore Airlines has already committed as WSI’s first international carrier, joining Qantas and Jetstar on domestic routes. The NSW government aims to encourage additional international operators to commit ahead of ticket sales, which are set to open in late 2025.
WSI, which has been under construction since 2018, spans approximately 1,780 hectares and is expected to handle up to 10 million passengers annually in its initial phase. Long-term plans call for WSI to expand to more than 80 million annual passengers, putting it on par with major global hubs.
The airport, located about 31 mi. (50 km) from central Sydney, is seen as an alternative to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD), which is slot constrained. SYD CEO Scott Charlton has already acknowledged WSI as a “serious competitor.”
The funding commitment for the Western Sydney International Take-Off Fund has been welcomed by advocacy body Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) Australia. “With increased aviation capacity, more travelers mean more business for local vendors,” TTF CEO Margy Osmond says. “It’s not just about flying passengers in, it’s about creating long-term economic benefits for the businesses and communities that will thrive around the airport.”
The NSW government says the aviation investment comes on top of A$10 billion of joint federal funding for roads and transport infrastructure to connect WSI to Sydney’s transport network.
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