Western Sydney International Airport’s runway and key airside infrastructure are now complete.
Proponents have marked a major milestone in the delivery of Sydney’s second airport ahead of its 2026 opening.
The Airside Civil and Pavement Works (ACP) package included construction of the 3.7km runway, taxiways, airside roads, drainage, fencing, and installation of around 3,000 aeronautical ground lights and 348 high-intensity approach lights.
To date, the program has involved over six years of site transformation, starting with bulk earthworks in 2019.
Millions of tonnes of select quarry material were sourced and placed to strict aviation standards, forming the foundation of a high-strength airfield pavement system.
One of the technical highlights was the development of a bespoke “true-slip forming” method for concrete aircraft pavement. Touted as an Australian first, the approach aimed to boost productivity and safety by allowing continuous, precision paving without the need for extensive formwork.
Rapid-exit taxiways, designed to reduce runway occupancy time, have been integrated to improve aircraft turnaround.
Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) is targeting an average taxi time of five minutes – significantly below global benchmarks.
To validate lighting and systems, a Piper PA-30 Comanche performed multiple take-offs and landings in October 2024. This flight testing formed part of the airport’s runway certification process, confirming operability of navigational aids and lighting infrastructure under real conditions.
While this marks the completion of a core airside element, broader commissioning and integrated testing will continue throughout 2025.
WSI remains on track to open for passenger and freight services in late 2026, with an initial capacity of 10 million passengers annually and infrastructure designed for long-term scaling to over 80 million.
