Air New Zealand flight NZ166 departed Western Sydney International on Monday, October 26, 2026, after NZ165 arrived from Auckland at 7.28am. The return flight left about an hour and a half later, carrying a full flight of passengers, the airport operator said.
Background: ZHA, Cox Architecture, and Woods Bagot Complete Western Sydney Airport Terminal
Passengers using the new airport can now book an international service, but the trans-Tasman route runs only three days a week. Rail access is also still in development.
Captain Andrew McGuigan, who commanded the inaugural flight, described the arrival as a shared moment for passengers and crew.
“There was a real sense of excitement onboard as we made our approach into Western Sydney. It was a special moment for our crew and customers, but also for the many people on both sides of the Tasman who have spent months getting us ready for today.”
The trans-Tasman timetable changes in April
The three weekly return flights operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays through the end of March 2027. From April 2027, the service moves to Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Check the operating day before booking a trip around the route. The airport is in Luddenham, about 45 kilometres west of Sydney’s central business district.
Passengers still need a bus or road transfer to reach the terminal
There is no direct rail service to the terminal yet. A metro service from St Marys is not scheduled to open until late next year, and a direct rail link is not expected until at least December 2027.
- Buses and a free shuttle operate from St Marys train station. Passenger Francis took a train there and continued by bus, a journey of about one hour and 20 minutes.
- Drivers can use the toll-free M12 motorway for direct access. Surrounding road works include upgraded roads and interchanges.
- The Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport line is jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments.
Four more international routes have announced start dates
The next services are scheduled to arrive in stages. Singapore flights are planned daily from 23 November 2026, followed by Ho Chi Minh City in January 2027 and Nadi in March 2027.
| Destination | Announced service timing | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore | 23 November 2026 | Daily non-stop flights |
| Ho Chi Minh City | January 2027 | Service planned |
| Nadi | March 2027 | Fiji Airways service |
| Doha | December 2027 | Qatar Airways plans three weekly return flights |
The Doha route is due to use Boeing wide-body aircraft with capacity for up to 354 passengers per flight. QR906 and QR907 are scheduled to go on sale 19 December 2026, with the maiden flight departing Doha on 15 December 2027.
Destination NSW forecasts that the Qatar service will attract more than 162,000 international visitors and generate an estimated $530 million in visitor expenditure. The route received support from the NSW Government’s Western Sydney International Take-Off Fund, administered by Destination NSW.
The fund supports a wider state plan to add 8.5 million seats and grow the visitor economy to $91 billion by 2035. The Qatar flights follow an updated bilateral air services agreement secured earlier this year. Qatar Airways serves 177 international destinations in 87 countries and ranks among Australia’s top 10 international airlines by passenger numbers.
Cargo and domestic services opened before international passengers arrived
Cargo operations began 26 July 2026. Passenger services started the next day on the calendar, 25 October, with Jetstar flight JQ362 to the Gold Coast as the first commercial passenger service.
The flight was fully booked. Check-in opened at 8 a.m. local time, and it took off around 11:20 a.m. Jetstar is the airport’s main domestic carrier, with services to the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Brisbane.
The airport is designed to handle 10 million annual passengers and expand further. Its 24-hour cargo precinct has operated for nearly three months, increasing Sydney’s air cargo capacity by around 33 per cent.
The $5.3 billion airport was built for round-the-clock operations
Construction cost Aus$5.3 billion (US$3.7 billion), excluding surrounding transport works. More than 13,000 workers built the airport over seven years.
Construction began on 24 September 2018, with major earthworks across the 1,780 hectare site. The project included a 3.7 kilometre runway, rapid exit taxiways, a terminal and a purpose-built cargo precinct. The runway and terminal were completed in June 2025.
The Commonwealth bought the Badgerys Creek site in the 1980s. WSA Co Limited, the airport’s operator, was established on 7 August 2017. The airport is Australia’s first new major international airport since Melbourne Airport opened in 1970.
Kingsford Smith, Australia’s busiest airport, handled more than 42 million passengers last year across its three runways. Passenger aircraft there cannot operate from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily. The new airport operates around the clock, a model that local residents have strongly opposed.
Opening-day passengers described easier airport trips. James Irwin and his parents drove 22 minutes to the terminal, paid $24 for day parking and walked three to four minutes to the entrance. He compared the journey with about 55 minutes and roughly $15 in tolls to reach Sydney’s established airport.
Corinne Leslie travelled with her seven-year-old son Ethan from Baulkham Hills. She said the airport felt calm and that the trip had gone smoothly. Mark Igantiv, from Queensland, said he drove to the airport to take a flight back before flying down again.
Officials expect the network to grow as more carriers sign on
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the airport would let people in western Sydney fly overseas without first travelling across the city. Infrastructure Minister Catherine King said Singapore flights would start the following month, with Pacific and Southeast Asian connections to follow next year.
Tourism Minister Don Farrell said the airport could connect Australian businesses with new markets as well as bring visitors. Air New Zealand chief operations officer Kate Boyer said more than 75 teams from the airline and its partners had prepared for the launch.
Airport chief executive Simon Hickey told reporters that services would reach 250 destinations by the end of 2027. He also said annual passenger traffic was expected to approach 10 million by the early to mid-2030s. NSW Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper called the Doha route a win for tourism, local businesses and jobs.
The next dated international start is Singapore’s daily service on 23 November 2026.
