However, while 54 per cent of Sydneysiders said they will probably travel via Western Sydney International, 53 per cent also said they preferred Sydney’s established international gateway, Sydney Airport at Mascot.
Amongst all Australians, 36 per cent of those surveyed said they were likely to use the new airport, while 31 per cent said they were unlikely to use it. Thirty-seven per cent said they had no preference between Sydney’s two airports, while amongst those not from Sydney, 42 per cent said they did not have a Sydney airport preference.
The survey also looked at the factors influencing airport choice, with travel time identified as the most common decision factor, followed by travel cost, airfares and public transport.
“The findings show potential for WSI, particularly among people living in Greater Sydney, with convenience emerging as a critical factor in whether that interest translates into regular use,” said YouGov Australia’s research director, Fumin Rianto.
“Travellers are looking closely at how long it takes to get to the airport, the cost of getting there and public transport connections.
“At the same time, a majority of Australians expect WSI to help reduce congestion at Mascot.
“The opportunity now is to turn this interest into a convenient and competitive experience for travellers across Sydney and Australia.”
New motorway access has opened around WSI ahead of its first flights, although the driverless Metro train that will service the airport and connect it into Sydney’s existing rail network will not be operational from WSI’s opening, with the Metro expected to be running in late 2027.
WSI will run shuttle buses direct to Parramatta, the Sydney CBD and Sydney Airport from the first passenger flights to combat the lack of Metro services.
The first takeoff from WSI is set to be a Jetstar service to the Gold Coast on Sunday October 25, followed by a first international service to Auckland on Air New Zealand on Monday October 26.
The new airport has secured domestic services via Jetstar and Qantas – with the latter starting in early 2027 – and international services on Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, Fiji Airways and Vietjet Air.
The research from market research company YouGov is based on a survey of 1,043 Australians, conducted in September.
