Construction work has officially begun on the new terminal for Western Sydney International Airport in Australia.
The terminal will be a destination in its own right, with specialty retail, restaurants and cafes as well as an outdoor plaza that can host events like local food festivals, markets and community celebrations.
Sustainability is a key consideration, with the terminal designed to bring in natural light and reduce carbon emissions. The terminal roof will generate solar electricity and harvest rainwater while sustainable and recycled materials will be used throughout the terminal, including the structure, finishes and furniture. The design also pays tribute to Western Sydney’s more than 60,000 years of Aboriginal culture.
The terminal plaza will have a station on the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport line and will be connected to Sydney’s motorway network via the new toll-free M12 motorway.
Western Sydney International is on track to open to international, domestic and air cargo services in late 2026.
Simon Hickey, CEO of Western Sydney Airport, said, “This will be Australia’s best airport terminal, with world-leading technology, innovative design and excellent customer service coming together to set a new benchmark for what Australians will expect when they fly. At Western Sydney International, we’ll get passengers on their way sooner, whether that’s getting to your meeting on time or arriving home to loved ones.”
Hickey said every element of the airport is being designed to deliver the most seamless and reliable experience possible for customers, from the design of the gates to the cutting-edge baggage handling system.
“We’re aiming to make the anxious wait around the baggage carousel a thing of the past,” he said. “Our baggage system will give passengers the option to track their bags via an app so they know exactly when they will arrive.
“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build an airport from the ground up with consideration not only for emerging technologies, such as air taxis, but also technology that has yet to be imagined.”
Hickey said construction of the terminal alone is expected to create more than 1,400 direct jobs and many more indirect jobs through flow-on benefits to suppliers and the local economy.
“This project will be a game-changer for Western Sydney locals who want to work closer to home and have more time to spend with their families, not just in the construction phase but for many decades to come,” he said.