The New Western Sydney Airport: What’s Happening At Bankstown

Sydney’s west is changing fast—and now, we officially have dates. The long-awaited Western Sydney International Airport is just months away from opening, with the first flights locked in for 2026.

For locals across Bankstown, Liverpool and Penrith, it marks a major shift in how we travel—and a new economic chapter for the region.

Here’s everything you need to know about Sydney’s second airport, how it will work, and what it means for Western Sydney.

Know what you want? Skip to

• M12 Motorway Construction
• Aldi Distribution Centre
• Where Is The New Western Sydney Airport Being Built?
• When Will The Airport Open And Who Will Fly There?
• How Will It Change Travel For Sydneysiders?
• What It Means For Western Sydney

M12 Motorway Construction

Image credit: Connell Griffin | Website

Now if you’re an avid motorist around Western Sydney, you’ve no-doubt caught wind of the 16km M12 motorway development.

It’s basically a fresh highway that’s been built to connect Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport. at Badgerys Creek, connecting it directly to the Westlink M7 Motorway and then the wider motorway system. So, he’s the big boy of all roads for the airport, essentially acting as the main gateway. His job is to, pretty much, keep freight, cargo, commuters and tourists moving and mitigate heavy traffic on local roads. It's set to officially open on Saturday 14 March.

And for those of you who like to keep tabs of numbers, he's come in at a whopping $2.1 billion, with the federal government covering about 80 per cent of this.

Aldi Distribution Centre

Image credit: Aldi | Website

At this point, we're kind of balls deep in any big transformation out here. Turns out, supermarket giant Aldi has just been approved to build a *checks notes* billion-dollar automated distribution centre inside what's known as the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, right beside Western Sydney International Airport.

While you may be asking why this matters (stick with us), the scale of this build is pretty enormous with the facility stretching across the equivalent of 15 soccer fields and running 24 hours a day, with around 80 per cent of the operations handled by...automation. Once complete, this big boy will feed stock to more than 200 Aldi stores across NSW, essentially becoming the nerce centre of how those groceries move throughout the state.

But the bigger stort, in our eyes anyway, is what this deal signals. With thousands of construction jobs, hundreds of permanent roles and global retailers betting big on the precinct, Western Sydney is very slowly bu surely shifting into one of Australia's most important logistics and employment hubs.

Western Sydney Airport To Launch New Brisbane Flights From October 2026

Brisbane has been confirmed as one of the first domestic destinations to be connected to Western Sydney International Airport when it opens on October 25 2026.

Jetstar will launch three weekly flights between Brisbane and Western Sydney from October 26, followed by Qantas services from March 28 2027. The new route will provide Greater Western Sydney's growing population with a more convenient alternative to travelling via Sydney Airport.

The announcement marks another major step towards the opening of Australia's newest airport, which is expected to improve domestic connectivity and boost tourism, business and investment between Queensland and Western Sydney.

Where Is The New Western Sydney Airport Being Built?

The new airport is taking shape across 1,800 hectares at Badgerys Creek, about 40–50 kilometres west of the Sydney CBD. It forms part of the broader Western Sydney Aerotropolis—a fast-growing precinct expected to house logistics hubs, business parks, advanced manufacturing and education campuses.

While often mentioned alongside Bankstown, the two airports will serve very different roles. WSI will be a full-scale, curfew-free international, domestic and freight airport. Bankstown Airport will continue operating as a key base for light aviation, aerospace, manufacturing and logistics.

The $6 billion project has been more than a decade in planning and construction. Now in its final stretch, the terminal is complete, flight paths are locked in, and the airport is deep in system testing—checking infrastructure, training staff and running full operational trials ahead of opening.

Environmental planning has been guided by the 2015–16 Environmental Impact Statement, with strict controls around noise, biodiversity and air quality management.

When Will The Airport Open And Who Will Fly There?

The timeline is now clearer than ever.

• July 2026: The first flights begin—initially cargo.
• October 2026: The first passenger flights take off.

Western Sydney International has confirmed four major launch airline partners:

• Qantas
• Singapore Airlines
• Air New Zealand
• Jetstar

Ticket sales are expected to begin in the coming weeks, with airlines timing releases outside peak holiday booking periods.

International flights are scheduled to operate before the end of 2026, meaning Western Sydney will quickly become a genuine global gateway—not just a domestic overflow.

By 2030, the airport is forecast to add more than 200 extra flights per day to Sydney’s aviation capacity. With demand expected to double over the next two decades, WSI will play a crucial role in relieving pressure on Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport.

Jetstar’s confirmed presence is also expected to shake up competition on key routes. Industry watchers suggest it could pressure competitors like Virgin Australia to add Western Sydney services.

And yes—it will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, unlocking red-eye and late-night departures currently impossible at Mascot due to curfews.

Insider Intel

• Keep an eye out for ticket sales announcements soon—airlines are expected to go live in the near future as schedules are finalised.

How Will It Change Travel For Sydneysiders?

Beyond the runway, some of the biggest innovations are happening behind the scenes.

The terminal features shared self-service kiosks and bag drops usable by all airlines—an efficiency move that reduces congestion and frees up space.

It’s also trialling an Australian-first, robot-powered baggage handling system developed by Vanderlande (owned by Toyota). The automated system collects luggage, sorts it and delivers it to aircraft containers—currently being stress-tested with thousands of bags of every shape and size to ensure smooth operations from day one.

Final works underway include airport lighting, a dedicated fire station, and the fit-out of retail and food and beverage outlets.

For Western Sydney locals, the biggest shift is proximity.

Instead of trekking across the city to Mascot, travellers from Penrith, Liverpool, Campbelltown and Mount Druitt will have an international airport much closer to home.

Road Access:

• The new M12 Motorway—due to open in 2026—will provide a direct, toll-free link from the M7 to the airport.

Approximate drive times:

• Penrith: 25 minutes
• Parramatta: 35 minutes
• Bankstown: 40 minutes

Public Transport:

The $12 billion Sydney Metro–Western Sydney Airport line is under construction and will connect the airport to St Marys via Orchard Hills, Luddenham and Bradfield.

The Metro is now expected to open in 2027. Until then, free interim bus services will connect the airport to Penrith, Oran Park, Campbelltown, Liverpool, Mount Druitt and Leppington. Several of these upgraded bus routes will remain permanently.

Once operational, the Metro is set to become the transport spine for Greater Western Sydney—linking communities directly to the airport and emerging Aerotropolis precinct.

Beyond travel convenience, WSI represents a generational economic shift.

What It Means For Western Sydney

Western Sydney’s population is forecast to hit three million by the 2030s. The airport—and the industries clustering around it—are expected to create tens of thousands of jobs across aviation, logistics, retail, tourism and education.

It’s also a boost for regional tourism. The Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and Southern Highlands will suddenly become far more accessible for international visitors landing directly in the west.

Meanwhile, nearby Bankstown is undergoing its own transformation via the Bankstown Airport Collaboration Area—a partnership between the NSW Government and local council. Anchored by a $1.3 billion hospital redevelopment, a Western Sydney University campus and the Sydney Metro City & Southwest line, the precinct is projected to deliver 25,000 jobs and attract 25,000 students by 2036.

Insider Intel

• Expect shorter check-in times, less congestion than Mascot, expanded red-eye options, and increased fare competition as airlines battle it out across two Sydney airports.

Image credit: Western Sydney Airport | Instagram