Sydney's second airport is about to open, marking the first new international airport built in Australia in more than 50 years.
Western Sydney International Airport, officially named Nancy-Bird Walton Airport, will welcome its first passengers on 25 October.
Located at Luddenham near Badgerys Creek, about 45km from Sydney's CBD, the airport is expected to reshape travel across Greater Sydney, offering an alternative to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport and providing airlines access to a 24-hour aviation hub.
From flight routes and transport links to where it's located and how it differs from Sydney Airport, here's everything you need to know.
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Western Sydney International Airport will have one significant advantage over Sydney's existing airport: it can operate around the clock.
Unlike Kingsford Smith Airport, which is subject to an overnight curfew between 11pm and 6am, flights at the new airport can arrive and depart 24 hours a day.
That flexibility has helped attract domestic and international carriers, with seven airlines already committing to operate services from the airport.
Emirates has also been cleared to add seven weekly flights from the airport but is yet to announce a schedule.
Airport operators expect additional airlines and destinations to be announced as passenger numbers grow.
One of the biggest questions facing travellers is how they will reach Sydney's newest airport.
Unlike Kingsford Smith Airport, which is connected to Sydney's rail network, Western Sydney International Airport will initially rely on road connections and bus services while major transport infrastructure is completed.
A Sydney Metro line linking the airport with St Marys is under construction and expected to open next year.
Until then, passengers can connect to St Marys via a free airport shuttle bus, or travel by express coach, public bus, taxi, rideshare or private vehicle.
If you're driving, the airport is accessible via the new toll-free M12 Motorway and is about an hour from Sydney's CBD, depending on traffic conditions.
An express shuttle service will also connect the airport with Parramatta, Sydney CBD and Sydney Airport.
From St Marys, passengers can connect to Sydney's wider rail network, though journeys to some parts of Sydney may take considerably longer than travelling via Kingsford Smith Airport.
State-run bus services will also link the airport with centres including Penrith, Liverpool, Campbelltown, Mount Druitt and Leppington.
For those driving, the airport has about 6,000 parking spaces available on site.
Western Sydney International Airport is located at Luddenham, near Badgerys Creek, in Sydney's west.
The airport is approximately 45km from Sydney's CBD, 20km from Penrith and 15km from Liverpool.
It sits within the broader Western Sydney Aerotropolis precinct and will become Sydney's second major airport when passenger operations begin on Sunday.
Plans for a second major Sydney airport have been debated for decades as governments looked for ways to meet the city's growing aviation demand.
The airport is expected to become the centrepiece of the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, a major business and infrastructure precinct that planners hope will drive jobs, investment and development across the region.
When it opens, Western Sydney International Airport will be able to handle up to 10 million passengers a year.
That capacity is expected to expand significantly over coming decades, with airport operators forecasting it could eventually handle 82 million passengers annually.
While flight options will initially be limited, airport operators expect additional airlines and destinations to be added as the airport grows.
Aviation experts have previously told SBS News that the change will fundamentally alter the country's airfare market and could drive prices down for consumers by opening up air travel capacity.
However with rail links that may not be ready until 2028, getting to the airport could theoretically incur a cost that would be similar or more than the savings on a ticket.
