New £2.5bn airport in Australia aims for 80 million passengers

A new airport is being built in Western Sydney, Australia. The £2.59 billion project will help ease congestion at the existing Sydney Airport. It is expected to serve over 80 million passengers once it opens in late 2026. The Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) will operate 24 hours a day. Unlike Sydney Airport, it isn’t restricted by noise regulations for late-night flights. WSI’s CEO Simon Hickey believes it will become Sydney’s largest international airport, offering more capacity to meet growing travel needs. Construction on WSI began in 2018. The airport will occupy a large area, with a terminal covering 90,000 square meters. So far, 26 million cubic meters of soil have been moved to prepare the site. This is the first airport built on new land in Australia in over 50 years. To attract international airlines, the New South Wales Government has launched a £3.9 million Take-Off Fund. This fund will be matched by WSI, totaling £7.8 million. The government aims to increase visitor spending in the region to £44.5 billion by 2035. Hickey expressed excitement about the upcoming opening, noting that tickets for initial flights will be available later this year. He believes that the new airport will greatly benefit the local tourism economy and improve travel options for visitors from around the world.