MEDIA RELEASE: ATIA WELCOMES WSI DOMESTIC SERVICES LAUNCH
Alpha Consult
The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) has welcomed today's announcement that Jetstar and Qantas tickets are now on sale for domestic services from Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI), describing the development as a significant and long-awaited step forward for Australian travellers.
The launch follows the confirmation of services linking WSI to Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, connecting some of Australia's most popular holiday destinations with a brand new 24-hour international airport. While the initial flight schedule is modest in size, ATIA says the significance of what WSI represents for the broader travel network is substantial.
From 25 October 2026, Jetstar will operate up to 14 flights a week between WSI and Melbourne, four weekly flights to the Gold Coast, and three weekly flights to Brisbane. From 28 March 2027, Qantas will add four weekly services to both Brisbane and Melbourne, operated by QantasLink Embraer E190 aircraft.
Singapore Airlines will launch daily non-stop flights between Singapore and WSI on 23 November 2026, subject to regulatory approvals. The inaugural flight, SQ201, is scheduled to depart Singapore on 23 November 2026 and arrive at WSI at 2220hrs (local time). The return flight, SQ202, is scheduled to depart Western Sydney International Airport on the same day at 2355hrs.
For travel agents and tour operators across the country, the arrival of a new gateway into Greater Sydney opens genuine new options for building domestic and international itineraries and packages, particularly for the fast-growing Western Sydney catchment area. More flights mean more options for travellers, and more opportunity for travel businesses to serve a broader range of customers.
WSI will also become a significant freight hub, with the airport's integrated 24-hour Cargo Precinct opening on 26 July 2026.
Quotes attributable to Dean Long, CEO, ATIA:
"This is exciting news for Australian travellers and for the travel industry. Yes, it is a small number of flights to start with, but they link to some genuine holiday hot spots and they mark the beginning of what WSI will grow into.
"More flights always means more options for travellers, and more options means more business for the travel agents and tour operators who are there to help Australians plan their trips.
"Western Sydney International is a transformative addition to Australia's travel landscape. It gives millions of people in western Sydney direct access to the network for the first time, and it gives the whole country a new gateway. We look forward to watching this airport grow and to the increased connectivity it will bring for Australian travellers."
About us:
ABOUT ATIA
The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) is the peak body representing Australia’s $70.6 billion travel industry. ATIA represents the majority of Australian travel agents, corporate agents, tour operators, wholesalers, and ITOs. In the 2025/2026 financial year, ATIA members transacted $26.9 billion in Total Transaction Value (TTV) of retail bookings, $6.5 billion of corporate bookings, and $7.5 billion of land operations.
Typically, the vast majority of all international air sales and over 90% of corporate sales in Australia are through our members, rather than directly through airlines. Furthermore, out of the 1.45 million Australians who took an ocean cruise this year, the significant majority used a travel advisor to book. An impressive 92% of ATIA members are small businesses, with women making up 72% of the sector's dynamic workforce.
ATIA administers the ATIA Accredited programme, which remains the largest and most representative accreditation scheme for travel businesses across Australia. Reflecting strict quality gates, 22% of businesses that submitted applications to become ATIA accredited were rejected as they did not meet the eligibility criteria.
ATIA proudly represents 19,167 agency employees and 13,799 land supply employees nationwide, directly supporting 21.96 million Australian travellers every single year. There are 1,100 ATIA-accredited members across 1,700 locations. To find or verify an ATIA accredited business, visit traveltick.com.au.
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