Overview
- The airport, which had its opening date confirmed on Tuesday, will accept passengers from 25 October 2026 with Jetstar operating the inaugural A320 service to the Gold Coast at 11am.
- Freight operations will begin before passenger services with cargo aircraft due to start on 26 July 2026 and Qantas Freight launching regular freighters from 27 July.
- Jetstar has advertised an initial domestic schedule of up to 14 weekly flights to Melbourne, four to the Gold Coast and three to Brisbane while Qantas plans passenger services from 28 March 2027.
- WSI will operate without a curfew and is expected to handle about 10 million passengers a year at opening, a feature that may reshape airline schedules and competition for late‑night international services.
- The airport opens with road access, shuttle buses and large parking capacity but the planned metro rail link may not be ready until 2028, creating short‑term reliance on cars and buses and potential pressure on local roads.