The New South Wales (NSW) government in Australia has announced the Western Sydney International Take-Off Fund, a new initiative intended to ensure a better start for the Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) ahead of its grand opening in late 2026.
The A$8m ($5.03m) fund, matched by WSI for a total of A$16m ($10.7m), aims to attract international airlines to establish new routes, adding to the early commitments from Qantas, Jetstar, and Singapore Airlines.
It is expected to be a significant contributor to the NSW Government’s target of achieving A$91bn ($57.2bn) in visitor expenditure by 2035.
The fund is forecast to bring more than 162,000 international visitors to NSW, potentially generating an estimated A$530m ($333.6m) in visitor expenditure. The goal is to boost passenger numbers to ten million per year.
WSI CEO Simon Hickey said: “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 WSI is well and truly open for business.”
Destination NSW, the government’s lead agency for the visitor economy, will administer the Western Sydney International Take-Off Fund.
Airlines will be granted funding on a case-by-case basis, which may include passenger subsidies and marketing support, contingent on the number of services and passengers they bring in the first three years of operation.
This financial incentive is part of a broader $10bn ($6.29bn) investment by the NSW and Federal governments in roads and transport infrastructure, aiming to seamlessly integrate WSI into Sydney’s transport network.
NSW Jobs and Tourism Minister John Graham said: “You only get to open a new airport once, that’s why we’re backing WSI to land new routes and ensure this once in a generation opportunity is a runway success.
“WSI will be a massive growth engine for the NSW visitor economy. This fund will pour jet fuel into that engine.”
In October 2024, Menzies Aviation announced that it would operate a 22,500m² cargo facility at WSI upon its 2026 opening, featuring a 12,500m² warehouse for pharmaceuticals, e-commerce, and heavy cargo.
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