Singapore Airlines has increased its direct services to Adelaide to 12 flights a week, adding 1,328 seats. The expanded schedule began on 25 October, making the airline the international carrier with the most weekly year-round flights to Adelaide, according to the South Australian Government. The extra flights will also expand air freight capacity for exporters shipping seafood, meat and other premium produce. Minister for Tourism Chris Picton said the service would give visitors more seats and local businesses greater freight capacity. The actual benefits will depend on demand and how the added capacity is used.
Plans for a $3 billion upgrade to Perth Airport have been revealed, including a new Airport Central terminal, a parallel runway, two multistorey carparks and an airport hotel. Premier Roger Cook said the development, due to open in 2031, will add 4.4 million seats to and from Perth each year. Qantas and Jetstar will move to the new precinct. Airport chief executive Jason Waters said biometric technology will help passengers move through the airport more quickly. Several new routes have already started, including extra flights to Tokyo and a new service to Christchurch, New Zealand.
A holidaymaker who flew into Western Sydney Airport from Auckland said he thought he had travelled to Western Australia. The airport opened on Sunday, and its first commercial flight landed that day. He told a TV interview he realised on the flight that he was not heading to Perth, but said it was not the worst thing while on holiday. Another passenger, Julie Lundmark, said she looked out of the window after landing on a Jetstar flight and had no idea where she was. There are no direct flights between Perth and the new airport.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
Air New Zealand has returned to Hobart for the 2026-27 season with an expanded direct Auckland route. The seasonal service is expected to run up to 170 flights and offer more than 33,000 seats. That is 36 more flights and 7,268 more seats than last season. The Tasmanian Government welcomed the service, saying it supports tourism, business and travel between Tasmania and New Zealand. Transport Minister Kerry Vincent said direct international access is critical to growing the economy and supporting jobs.
Travellers have been confused by Sydney's new Western Sydney International Airport (WSI), with some passengers landing at the wrong airport. Julie Lundmark from Sweden was surprised to discover her return flight from Melbourne landed at WSI instead of Sydney Airport. She and her friend had to find ways to get back to Sydney Airport, where their car was parked. Another passenger thought he was travelling to Perth in Western Australia but landed at WSI instead.
The first passenger flight took off from Western Sydney International Airport this morning, about 20 minutes behind schedule. Jetstar flight JQ362 headed for the Gold Coast. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese officially opened the airport, which was first chosen for Sydney's second airport at Badgerys Creek 40 years ago. Politicians from all sides attended the opening. Airlines including Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways will operate from the airport, and the first international flight to New Zealand is due tomorrow.
Western Sydney International Airport has taken its first commercial flight, a Jetstar service to the Gold Coast that departed just before noon on Sunday. The airport, officially named Nancy-Bird Walton Airport, is located at Luddenham near Badgerys Creek. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Angus Taylor attended the opening ceremony. The airport can handle up to 10 million passengers a year and will initially rely on road and bus links until the Sydney Metro line to St Marys opens next year. Seven airlines have committed to flying from the site.
Western Sydney Airport opens to passengers on Sunday, becoming the first new international airport in five decades. The first commercial flight, Jetstar JQ362 to the Gold Coast, is due to take off at 11am. The airport will be officially opened by politicians and officials from 10am. Unlike Kingsford Smith, it will operate around the clock, without the 11pm to 6am restrictions. An aviation expert says it will face challenges in building routes and passenger demand, with fewer airlines and destinations at first.
The first passenger flight took off from Western Sydney International Airport this morning, about 20 minutes behind schedule. Jetstar flight JQ362 headed for the Gold Coast. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese officially opened the airport, which was first chosen for Sydney's second airport at Badgerys Creek 40 years ago. Politicians from all sides attended the opening. Airlines including Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways will operate from the airport, and the first international flight to New Zealand is due tomorrow.
Western Sydney International airport is set to open, taking pressure off Kingsford Smith airport at Mascot, which has strict flight limits and a night curfew. The commonwealth government says it spent $5.3bn on the airport, while a metro rail link is estimated at about $11bn. Airlines including Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, VietJet and Qatar Airways will service the airport from late 2026 to late 2027, with some receiving support from a $16m state fund.
The first flight out of the new Western Sydney International airport is set to take off this Sunday. The airport, about 44 kilometres west of the Sydney CBD, will run 24 hours a day, unlike Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, which has night curfews. Jetstar will operate the opening flight, and several international and domestic airlines will follow. Aviation expert Salim Hijazeen expects fewer routes at first, with services growing as demand builds. Travel expert Harry Deacon warned that travel costs to the airport could be high for inner-city residents, as there is no rail link yet.
Aviation enthusiast John Darcy will be on the first international flight to leave Western Sydney International Airport, a flight to Auckland on Air New Zealand. Darcy, who first flew at 40, has taken 179 flights and logs each one in a spreadsheet. He plans to fly to Singapore on Singapore Airlines' inaugural service four weeks later. Melbourne plane spotter Alastair, 19, is travelling to Sydney to photograph the airport's first departures. The airport will become Australia's first newly built international airport in more than 50 years.
Qatar Airways will begin flights from Western Sydney International Airport to Doha in December 2027. The route will give travellers access to Doha and connections across the airline's global network. The airport said the airline, alongside its existing partners, would give passengers access to more than 250 destinations within its first 14 months of passenger services. The announcement comes days before the airport is due to welcome its first passengers. The actual routes available will depend on airline schedules and onward services.
Western Sydney International Airport, officially named Nancy-Bird Walton Airport, will welcome its first passengers on 25 October. It is located at Luddenham near Badgerys Creek, about 45 kilometres from Sydney's CBD. Unlike Kingsford Smith Airport, it can operate around the clock. Seven airlines have committed to flights from the airport, including Qantas, Jetstar and Singapore Airlines. Until a rail link opens, travellers will rely on road and bus connections, including a shuttle to St Marys.
Western Sydney International Airport will have its first commercial flight this Sunday, 25 October. The airport, in Luddenham, has four terminals and two runways and plans to handle 10 million passengers a year. Travellers can reach it by train to St Marys followed by a free shuttle bus, which takes about 20 minutes, or by a faster Super Shuttle service at a higher fare. Jetstar will be the first airline to fly from the airport, with flights to Brisbane, Melbourne and the Gold Coast. Several other airlines will follow in coming months and years.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
Western Sydney International Airport will begin commercial flights on October 25, running around the clock. Airlines including Qatar Airways, Qantas and Singapore Airlines have announced routes there. Travellers face varied costs: shuttle buses from St Marys station, express buses from Sydney and Parramatta CBDs, and car parking rates. Transport expert Rico Merkert says airfare savings may depend on jet fuel prices, which have risen during the Middle East conflict.
Rex Airlines will indefinitely suspend its Sydney to Port Macquarie air service from 25 October, citing high aviation fuel costs and falling demand for seats. Camden Haven Chamber of Commerce president Luke Hadfield says the decision will affect businesses across the wider region, including tourism and investment. Federal Member for Lyne Alison Penfold expressed deep disappointment and warned that passengers may face fewer choices and higher airfares. Rex has described the suspension as temporary but has not said when services might resume. QantasLink will effectively hold a monopoly on scheduled passenger flights from Port Macquarie.
Downer Group has been appointed to deliver upgrades to Albany Airport in Western Australia, with construction expected to begin in late 2026. The works include strengthening and resurfacing the main runway, improving taxiways, aprons and airfield lighting, and drainage. The upgrades will allow the airport to handle larger aircraft with up to 100 seats. The project is funded through federal, state and City of Albany contributions totalling about $44 million. Officials say the airport will support passenger services, FIFO charter flights, Royal Flying Doctor Service operations and firefighting aircraft.
Regional Express (Rex) will indefinitely halt flights between Sydney and Port Macquarie, and Sydney and Orange, from October 25. The airline blames high fuel prices, linked to the Middle East conflict, and weak demand. Customers will be offered refunds or re-bookings. Independent MP Andrew Gee called the decision a real shock. Port Macquarie's mayor warned of a significant flow-on effect for the region's visitor economy, and Orange's mayor said his council will seek a meeting with other airlines serving the city.
