The new $11 billion Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) has locked in a $16 million incentive, backed by the NSW Government, to lure international carriers to introduce new services to the facility when it opens at the end of next year.

The $8 million Western Sydney International Take-Off Fund launched by the NSW Government is being matched by $8 million from the WSI in a move to accelerate aviation capacity from day one and deliver more choice for travellers.

The airport has already locked in Qantas and Jetstar for domestic services and Singapore Airlines for international services, but the incentive is aimed at swaying other carriers to introduce international flights to the new facility which has its sights set on becoming a serious challenger to Sydney’s existing Kingsford Smith Airport.

The Western Sydney International Take-Off Fund has been announced at a critical stage for the state’s newest international gateway with airline tickets for WSI flights scheduled to go on sale from late 2025.

The NSW Government says the fund will incentivise more carriers to join Qantas, Jetstar and Singapore Airlines as the airport looks to take passenger numbers to 10 million a year. This compares with the 11 million passengers that passed through Sydney Airport in 2024.

The new Western Sydney International Take-Off Fund will be administered by Destination NSW, the state government’s agency for growing the tourism economy.

Allocation of funding provided to airlines will be agreed between WSI and Destination NSW on a case-by-case basis and will include incentives such as passenger subsidies and marketing support.

The funding provided to each airline is subject to the number of services and subsequent number of passengers they carry over the first three years of operation.

“You only get to open a new airport once, that’s why we’re backing Western Sydney airport to land new routes and ensure this once-in-a-generation opportunity is a runway success,” says John Graham, the NSW Minister for Jobs and Tourism.

“Western Sydney airport will be a massive growth engine for the NSW visitor economy. This fund will pour jet fuel into that engine.

“The more passengers we can bring in, the more spending across Western Sydney’s incredible food precincts, the sights of the Blue Mountains and the food and wine in the Central West.”

Graham says the NSW Government is “pulling every lever we can” to grow the NSW visitor economy to $91 billion by 2035.

“This is a crucial one and there’ll be more to come,” he says.

The new airport is seen as pivotal in achieving the NSW Government’s goal of $91 billion of visitor expenditure by 2035, with the total $16 million funding package forecast to deliver over 162,000 international visitors to NSW and generate an estimated $530 million of visitor expenditure.

“With tickets for our first flights set to go on sale later this year and our opening day rapidly approaching, this initial investment with the state government is very welcome news and another strong signal that Western Sydney International Airport is well and truly open for business,” says Western Sydney International Airport CEO Simon Hickey.

“This airport – Sydney’s only 24-hour international gateway – will deliver a major boost to the state’s visitor economy and provide further support for the vibrant and diverse tourism attractions that NSW has to offer for both domestic and global travellers alike.

“WSI is built for growth, with plans in place that will eventually see it become Sydney’s biggest international airport, handling more than 80 million annual passengers, which is akin to London’s Heathrow airport today.”

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