FAQs

Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) will generate socioeconomic prosperity for the people of Sydney’s west. In fact, the airport has already created thousands of local jobs in construction and will create even more jobs when it is operational in late 2026.

Today, there are more than 3,200 people (May 2023) on site working in this peak construction phase, half of the project’s workforce live in Western Sydney and almost a third are learning on the job, through apprenticeships, traineeships and other vocational training.

While WSI will be an airport serving all of Sydney, it is set to strongly benefit communities across Western Sydney. To date the project has spent more than $400 million with 250 businesses based in Western Sydney and First Nations businesses account for over 10% of contracts across the airport project.

We’re supported by more than $15 billion of investment in road and rail infrastructure, including the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney International Airport rail line and the M12 motorway. In the long term, WSI is driving the creation of 200,000 new jobs across the region and, indirect job creation as the flow-on benefits of the airport will further stimulate the local economy. 

Our  international, domestic and air cargo operations will provide a source of aviation growth for Sydney for decades. It’s predicted to generate an estimated $24.6 billion in direct expenditure by 2060 and to contribute to a $23.9 billion increase in the nation’s GDP (EIS 2016).
 

The Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts is responsible for flight paths, while Western Sydney International Airport is responsible for developing the airport and operating WSI when it opens in late 2026. 

Preliminary flight paths and an online noise tool, which allows you to understand what aircraft noise impacts will be at your address have now been released by the Commonwealth at wsiflightpaths.gov.au. On this website, you will also find information on flight path design and community engagement. 

For any queries regarding Preliminary Flight Paths, the Commonwealth Department can be reached on 1800 038 160 or via email at WSIflightpaths@infrastructure.gov.au.
 

Now that initial concept designs have been completed, further detailed refinement will take place. We’ll be ramping up our engagement, consulting a wide range of government, airlines, industry and community stakeholders and local Aboriginal groups to further refine the designs and drill down on the details.

In early 2019, we launched an international design competition seeking expressions of interest to design the terminal at Sydney’s new airport. The objective was to create a terminal that would serve as a destination in itself and deliver great customer service. Sustainability was a key criteria, along with passenger experience, ensuring our customers have a reliable, fun and stress-free airport experience. Firms pitching for the project also had to outline how they plan to involve university students with a link to Western Sydney. 

Following a multi-stage evaluation, the winning design was from internationally renowned Zaha Hadid Architects and Australian firm Cox Architecture. The architectural team engaged with the local Dharug community as well as Western Sydney University students during the design development process. 

The terminal features stunning vertical gardens representing the Western Parkland City, creating a calm space with a sense of place and belonging. The curvature and lighting of the striking timber ceiling provides intuitive wayfinding through the terminal for passengers. The light filtration is inspired by the Australian bush, mimicking the experience of standing beneath a eucalyptus tree canopy.

Having two major airports in Sydney means that people will have a choice of where they want to fly from.

The interest from airlines in Western Sydney International has been very strong. We've already signed memorandum of understandings (MOUs) with the Qantas and Virgin Australia groups and we have more MOUs with major international airlines on the way. 

While connections to the Sydney CBD will be important, we're building an Airport for Western Sydney - so our first priority is to make sure it's connected to the immediate region. 

When the Airport first opens, anyone using Western Sydney International will be able to get to the Sydney CBD in a number of ways. You will be able to use the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport rail service to connect with Sydney's rail network at St Marys station to travel to the CBD. Express buses will connect to Parramatta and Liverpool, where you'll also be able to change to catch a train to the city. 

Western Sydney International will also have a direct motorway connection to its business precinct and passenger terminal. The toll-free M12 motorway will connect to Sydney's motorway network via the M7 motorway, which means road journeys from the Airport to Sydney's CBD can be exclusively by motorway. 

Growing in stages and over decades, Western Sydney International is set to become Sydney's primary airport around 2060. This means that before then, direct rail access to all parts of Sydney from the Airport will be vital.  

Local roads around the Western Sydney International site are being upgraded so they can cater for the increase in vehicles that the Airport and surrounding precinct will generate. There’s even a brand new motorway, the M12, being built to the Airport’s front door from the M7 motorway. The NSW Government has committed to the M12 being toll-free.
 

The Australian Government established a government-owned corporation, Western Sydney Airport, to build and operate Western Sydney International. 

The organisation is overseen by experienced leaders with diverse experience across business, airport development and city-shaping infrastructure, who are responsible for ensuring the project meets the regulatory requirements, as well as delivering an airport the people of Western Sydney will be proud of.   As a government-owned corporation, Western Sydney Airport reports to two Federal Government departments, ensuring there is official oversight along with a responsible and transparent approach.

Aircraft need to take off and land into the wind. Airports that have cross runways are in areas with variable wind conditions, so they can keep operating, even if the wind direction changes. 

Wind conditions at the Western Sydney International site have been observed over several decades and have been found to be far more predictable. Generally they vary much less, which means aircraft will be able to land in the vast majority of local wind conditions, so we don’t need a cross runway. 

However there are plans to build a second parallel runway around the 2050s, when the Airport grows and there is increased demand. Until then, one runway is all Western Sydney International needs. 

We’re building an airport for Western Sydney, so we’re committed to ensuring we create local jobs and business opportunities. Building Western Sydney International will create thousands of jobs and there will be even more when the Airport is operating.

As of 30 June 2020, 51% of the Airport's workforce were from Western Sydney - that's much higher than our minimum target of at least 30% of construction jobs going to people who live in Western Sydney.

The minimum local employment target increases to 50% of jobs when Western Sydney International opens.

We also guarantee at least 20 per cent of jobs for apprentices, trainees and other learning workers.