Can you actually save money flying from Sydney’s new airport?

Sydney’s newest airport is gearing up to welcome its first passengers on Sunday promising more travel choice for Aussies, including affordability.

But with only a few flights on the schedule to kick things off, and missing public transport links still 12 or so months away, the question has been raised whether you can actually save money flying to or from Western Sydney International Airport.

Travel eSIM company Holafly has crunched the numbers and compared the cheapest one-way fares from both airports on WSI’s three domestic launch routes.

The team then added the cost of getting to each airport from the CBD and from Parramatta.

“The cheapest flight isn’t always the cheapest trip,” Harry Deacon, travel expert at Holafly, said.

Qantas and Jetstar have signed on as the first domestic carriers to take off from WSI, with Jetstar operating the much-anticipated first flight on Sunday taking off at 11am for the Gold Coast. Qantas flights won’t launch until March 2027.

Read more

Everything you need to know about Australia’s new airport

Will flights actually be cheaper?

“A second airport means more choice and more competition, which is good for travellers and good for pricing over time, but it’s too early to call if and when air ticket prices will become more affordable than those out of Sydney Airport,” Tore Bruce, General Manager of Corporate Traveller NSW/ACT, told nine.com.au.

“That will be for the airlines to determine, and it will come down to supply and demand at the end of the day.”

Holafly compared the cheapest flights to Brisbane from Sydney on Tuesday, November 3.

On the day the direct flight runs the cost from WSI was $116, compared with $138 from Sydney Airport.

However, WSI’s launch schedule is thin.

So for example on the Monday (November 2) there’s no direct WSI flight to Brisbane at all, as Jetstar flies the route only three times a week.

WSI was also more expensive to the Gold Coast (+35 per cent) and Melbourne (+14 per cent), with one or two flights a day against dozens from SYD.

Aviation data company Cirium expects half a dozen or fewer scheduled flights a day there over the next 12 months

“Two airports competing should be good news for Sydney fares in the long run,” Harry said.

“But for now, WSI only has a handful of flights, so whether it’s cheaper really comes down to the day you travel.”

If travellers are looking to fly out of Sydney, experts suggest checking both airports, including a few dates either side to find the best offer before booking.

The hidden cost of new airport

For now, the biggest thing to take into consideration when deciding whether WSI or SYD will be your best option is where you live.

The Sydney Metro extension to the airport has been delayed until the end of next year, as a result, public transport from the CBD takes about 1 hour 40 minutes.

There are rail and bus options to get there. As well as driving, taxi and Uber. Those costs will quickly add up, though.

From the CBD, the express shuttle to WSI costs $55 one way, compared to $22.94 for the train to Sydney Airport (including the $18.61 station access fee).

So a CBD traveller flying to Brisbane on that same November 3 flight is actually paying $171 in total via WSI, against $160.94 via SYD, per Holafly.

The $22 fare saving disappears the moment you pay $55 for the shuttle, and you’ll spend longer on the road too.

A taxi from the airport to the CBD is capped at a fixed $60. There is no fixed taxi fare from WSI.

Of course, if you live out west the sums flip.

From Parramatta, for example the $25 shuttle plus the $116 fare comes to $141.

“For families in Parramatta, Penrith or Liverpool, the new airport is on their doorstep, the M12 is toll-free and parking starts at $15 a day. That’s where WSI really comes into its own,” Harry said.

Tore agreed the biggest benefits would be felt by those living further from the current Sydney Airport.

“For travellers in Western Sydney, the new airport could turn a 1.5 to 2-hour cross-city trip into about 30 minutes,” he told nine.com.au.

It’s built where people live and work, and the new airport says more than 65 per cent of Sydney suburbs are within a 45-minute drive. 

The biggest pro and con

Parking is the clearest winner at the new airport with 6000 spots on offer from long-stay parking to drop off and pick up zones.

Launch rates at WSI start from $15 a day for long-stay, $29 for saver and $49 for premium covered spaces, valid until the end of April 2027.

The biggest catch, however, is the fact the airport will be operating 24 hours a day, with some flights already scheduled to arrive or depart around midnight.

Experts warn however that a curfew-free airport is only as useful as the transport that serves it, and late at night the only way out is by car, taxi or rideshare.

“A 24-hour airport is great for late-night flights, but plan your arrival as carefully as your departure,” Harry said.

“Once the buses stop, the only way out is a taxi or rideshare, and there’s no fixed fare from WSI. Make sure your phone is connected the moment you land, so you can compare rideshare prices and find your way.”

How to save money

To help travellers save what money they can, Holafly experts shared a few more pieces of advice:

• Check what your trip needs from 2027. Qantas, Fiji Airways and Vietjet start later. If your route isn't there yet, Kingsford Smith is still your airport.
• Check both airports, and the days either side. With one or two flights a day on most WSI routes, moving your trip by a day can change the price a lot.
• Add up the door-to-door cost. Include the shuttle, train access fee, parking or rideshare, as well as the fare.
• Book parking early. WSI's launch rates are introductory and run until the end of April 2027.
• Plan your late-night arrival. If you land after the buses stop, budget for a taxi or rideshare, which have no fixed fare from WSI.
• Allow extra time from the east. Until the metro opens, public transport from the CBD takes about 1 hour 40 minutes.