Western Sydney goes international

The first international arrival to Australia’s newest full-service airport has touched down, with Air New Zealand NZ165 from Auckland landing at Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport earlier this morning.

After a short stopover, a full flight was boarded for the return leg and NZ166 departed. This is the first of three weekly return flights between Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) and New Zealand’s largest city.

The flights, operating on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, will boost what is already a thriving market, connecting Western Sydney to the Pacific and beyond.

With NZ165’s arrival, WSI is now a world-class international airport in every sense.

Its design can accommodate 10 million annual passengers, with seamless check-in, baggage handling and security screening services, and is designed to be expanded in the future.

WSI is one of the most significant infrastructure projects in recent times, with over 13,000 workers bringing it to life through its seven years of construction.

WSI will boost the economy of Western Sydney and beyond by increasing import and export capacity, driving tourism and creating thousands of local jobs.

It will increase airport capacity for Australia’s largest city, improve choice for consumers, and be a convenient domestic and international port for travellers in Sydney’s west and its connecting regions.

WSI also features a 24-hour cargo precinct, which has been in operation for nearly 3 months, increasing Sydney’s air cargo capacity by around 33 per cent.

Auckland is the first of a long list of options available to travellers from the new airport, with daily non-stop flights to Singapore from 23 November, and flights to Ho Chi Minh City starting in January 2027 and Nadi in March 2027.

“Australia’s first major new airport in more than 50 years is now welcoming international flights.

“This is a great day for Western Sydney and another important milestone for a project I’ve championed for many years.

“Western Sydney is now connected directly to the world, bringing more jobs, more visitors and more opportunities for local businesses.

“And importantly, it means people in Western Sydney can fly overseas without having to travel across the city first.”

“Western Sydney International Airport has hit the ground running, and it’s only going to get bigger and better from here.

“Next month, WSI will also welcome its first direct flights to Singapore, with new connections across the Pacific and South East Asia to follow next year.”

“Seeing the Government’s investment in Western Sydney International Airport come to life as Australia’s new full-service curfew-free airport and a new gateway to the world is something really special.

“Western Sydney International is about much more than getting people from A to B. It’s about connecting Australian businesses to new markets, bringing people and ideas closer together and creating new opportunities for trade, tourism and investment.”

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