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Jetstar to carry first passengers out of new Western Sydney Airport
Jetstar has confirmed it will operate the first scheduled commercial flight from Western Sydney International when the airport opens in late 2026.
After three decades of debate and seven years of construction, Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport will open to commercial traffic in late 2026 — and a Jetstar service to the Gold Coast will be the first paying flight off the ground.
Jetstar Group chief executive Stephanie Tully announced the inaugural service at a media event in the new terminal on Tuesday, alongside Penrith Mayor Todd Carney and federal Western Sydney Minister Patrick Gorman.
"This airport changes the gravity of the region," Cr Carney said. "For 270,000 people in Penrith alone, this is the first time international and interstate travel does not begin with a 90-minute drive east."
Jetstar will base four A320 aircraft at the airport from launch, with services to Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Adelaide and Auckland confirmed in the first wave. Qantas mainline and a third low-cost competitor are expected to follow within six months.
Construction of the M12 Motorway and the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport line is racing to meet the same opening window, with the metro now expected to open mid-2027.
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