Qantas lands first freighter at Western Sydney International

A Qantas Airbus A321 has become the first freighter to land at Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI). The aircraft touched down as part of a readiness flight, ahead of the launch of regular freight operations at the site.

Flight QF7301 successfully landed at WSI, giving teams the chance to validate essential processes across the airport's new Cargo Precinct. These included aircraft handling, ground operations, systems, airside coordination, and cargo transfer procedures.

Regular domestic freighter operations at Western Sydney International commence on 27 July 2026, with the new terminal expected to handle more than 850 tonnes of freight each week.

The new 24,000 square-metre freight terminal gives Qantas, Australia's leading air freight carrier, the capacity to move a diverse range of goods and streamline cargo handling at Sydney's new airport.

The freight milestone follows confirmation of the airport's passenger timeline. Jetstar operates the first commercial passenger service from Western Sydney International on 25 October 2026, the airport's opening day, with Qantas following on 28 March 2027, under an agreement between the Qantas Group and WSI spanning both passenger and freight services.