SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — Qantas and Jetstar to fuel growth with Western Sydney's new airport and sustainable aviation initiatives.
Qantas and its subsidiary, Jetstar, have disclosed their operational strategy for the forthcoming Western Sydney International (WSI) Airport, slated to commence operations in late 2026.
Both airlines have inked an agreement with WSI Airport to provide domestic services from the state-of-the-art facility. Qantas plans to station five of its aircraft at the new Sydney airport, while Jetstar is set to dispatch 10.
In the airport's inaugural year, both Qantas and Jetstar will fly to destinations such as Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Melbourne, utilizing the 15 aircraft based there. Qantas predicts that these planes will transport approximately four million passengers and make 25,000 flights annually. This level of activity will position the new airport as the Qantas Group’s sixth largest within a year of its opening.
Qantas CEO, Alan Joyce, shared that the two airlines' operations at WSI Airport, beginning in just over three years, will offer direct flights across Australia from one of its fastest expanding regions. As the airlines continue to augment their fleets and acquire more aircraft, Joyce sees the new airport as a significant opportunity for group growth. He highlighted the facility's lack of curfew and design optimized for expedient aircraft turnarounds.
Adding to Joyce's statement, WSI CEO Simon Hickey stated that the airport is constructed for growth and is projected to eventually become the largest airport in Sydney. He revealed plans to accommodate up to 82 million annual passengers, matching the scale of global major airports like Dubai and London Heathrow.
In collaboration with WSI, the airlines are also working on projects in Western Sydney to produce sustainable aviation fuel for flights operating from the new airport.
