Australia's most populous city, Sydney, opened its new airport to passengers on ​Sunday after more than a decade of planning, in what Prime ⁠Minister Anthony Albanese called ⁠a milestone for the city.

The new AU$5.6 billion ($3.94 billion) Western Sydney International ​Airport in Badgerys Creek, about ​60 kilometers (37.3 ⁠miles) west of central Sydney, will operate 24 hours a day, giving airlines access to a fast-growing and ethnically diverse population center.

The current airport, located closer to Sydney's central business district, can host takeoffs and landings only until 11 p.m. and after 6 a.m., limiting airline scheduling options relative to ⁠other ⁠major Australian cities like Melbourne.

"For the first time in more than 50 years, Australia is opening a major new airport. It’s a milestone that has been decades in the making," Albanese said in a statement.

"I’m very proud to officially open it," ⁠he said.

Qantas' budget arm Jetstar was due to operate the first outbound flight to the Gold Coast ​on Sunday, the airport said in a statement. The ​airport has capacity for more than 80 million passenger movements annually, it ⁠said.

The ‌start ‌of passenger services comes after ⁠cargo flights commenced at the ‌facility in July.

Located on a 1,780-hectare (4,398-acre) site purchased ​by the federal government ⁠in the 1980s, the airport ⁠was completed in July 2025 after a ⁠seven-year build and ​15 years of planning.