On Friday 24 July, Orbit World Travel, together with Singapore Airlines and Western Sydney International Airport, invited a group of clients behind the scenes at Australia’s newest international gateway.
Before the airport welcomes its first passengers on 25 October 2026, our guests received an exclusive first look inside the terminal and discovered how WSI has been designed differently from the ground up.
From an airport built around its baggage system to flexible international and domestic zones, accessible facilities and locally inspired design, here are some of the most interesting things we discovered on the tour.
One of the most surprising facts from the tour was that the baggage handling system was installed before much of the terminal was constructed. In effect, the airport was built around it.
The high-tech system includes approximately five kilometres of conveyor belts and has been designed to process thousands of bags each hour.
Its early bag storage technology can hold luggage for up to 24 hours before departure. Bags can be organised according to their destination and weight, allowing heavier suitcases to be loaded first and lighter bags placed on top.
For travellers, this technology is intended to deliver faster, more reliable baggage handling and provide greater visibility over where each bag is throughout its journey.
Unlike airports where domestic and international terminals are separated, WSI will bring both together within one terminal.
The long, linear design allows more aircraft to park directly at gates and has also been designed to adapt throughout the day. Moveable glass barriers can change sections of the terminal between domestic and international use, depending on the mix of arriving and departing aircraft.
This gives the airport greater flexibility to respond to demand without leaving gates sitting unused. It should also make connections between domestic and international flights simpler for passengers.
Accessibility is built into the passenger journey rather than confined to one part of the airport.
Facilities for travellers who require additional assistance are repeated at regular points throughout the terminal. This includes accessible bathrooms and dedicated relief areas for assistance animals, helping passengers travel more comfortably and independently.
These thoughtful details may not be the first things most travellers notice, but they can make an enormous difference to the people who need them.
The terminal’s design draws heavily on the landscape and character of Western Sydney.
More than 3,500 square metres of Gosford-quarried sandstone has been used throughout the terminal, while pebbles from the Nepean River have been incorporated into the terrazzo flooring.
Above, the undulating ceiling references the Blue Mountains. Timber-look battens and tapered columns evoke the trunks and canopy of native trees, while the sweeping entrance roof was designed to feel like a great Australian verandah.
The result is a terminal that feels distinctly connected to its location rather than like an airport that could be anywhere in the world.
The eight concrete columns supporting the terminal’s entrance canopy are more than architectural features.
Each stands approximately 15 metres high and contains a hollow steel core concealing part of the airport’s rainwater collection system. Rain falling across almost two hectares of terminal roof is captured and directed to a 700,000-litre underground storage tank.
The water is then treated and reused across the airport for bathroom amenities, landscape irrigation and cooling systems.
More than 6,000 solar panels will also provide renewable electricity across the airport.
The scale of WSI is difficult to appreciate until you see it in person.
The airport site has a perimeter of approximately 42 kilometres, while its 3.7-kilometre runway can accommodate every type of commercial aircraft currently operating, including the Airbus A380.
WSI will initially have capacity for up to 10 million passengers a year, with the site designed to expand significantly as Western Sydney and demand for air travel continue to grow.
Most importantly, it will operate 24 hours a day without a curfew. For business travellers, this could mean more departure times, greater flexibility and improved connections through international hubs.
The new toll-free M12 Motorway provides direct road access to the airport, while new and expanded bus services will connect WSI with surrounding areas.
The Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport line is expected to open from 2027, although an exact commencement date has not yet been confirmed. Until then, free buses are planned to operate between St Marys Station and the airport.
There is no airport hotel confirmed at this stage, with WSI continuing to explore partnerships with hotels throughout Western Sydney.
Singapore Airlines will begin daily non-stop services between WSI and Singapore on 23 November 2026, using an Airbus A350-900 with Business Class and Economy Class cabins.
Together with its existing services from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, this will give travellers five Singapore Airlines flights from Sydney each day.
The late-night WSI departure is designed to connect with Singapore Airlines’ extensive network through Changi Airport, giving travellers access to more than 130 destinations worldwide.
WSI represents far more than an additional airport. It will introduce new airline capacity, greater choice and more flexibility for travellers, while supporting the continued growth of Western Sydney.
For our clients, the tour was a rare opportunity to walk through the terminal before its first passenger flights and experience the technology, design and scale of the airport firsthand.
Thank you to Singapore Airlines and Western Sydney International Airport for giving Orbit World Travel and our clients an unforgettable first look at Australia’s newest gateway to the world.
