Western Sydney Airport

[jamesdeluxe]

Something for @Sbooker to chew on, Western Sydney Airport (WSI):

The $14 Billion Airport Being Built In The Middle Of Nowhere & Why Every Major Airline Wants In

Australia’s new $14 billion Western Sydney Airport is transforming global airline strategy with 24/7 operations and massive long-term expansion plans.

simpleflying.com

It's mentioned in the same breath as Montreal-Mirabel airport, which sounded OK on paper but ended up as a notorious failure. Interesting about the 24-hour operations that aren't possible at SYD.

 

[Tony Crocker]

SYD is one of my least favored airports for transfers. They make you reclaim baggage and schelp it from the international to the domestic terminal. We have done this twice, in 2019 and 2023. My guess is that this problem will be corrected at WSI.

Montreal Mirabel airport was opened during the same timeframe that Quebec was shooting itself in the foot and driving international business to Toronto. By contrast I presume travel both to and from Australia is on a steady uptrend. And Sydney isn't Montreal; it's the clear cut NYC of Australia. The curfew issue sounds persuasive too. Burbank airport, 10 minutes from my house, has a 10PM-7AM curfew. I don't know whether that contributes to my using it so infrequently. But flights anywhere except along the West Coast are consistently more expensive from BUR than from LAX.

 

[ChrisC]

It's mentioned in the same breath as Montreal-Mirabel airport, which sounded OK on paper but ended up as a notorious failure.

Washington Dulles Airport helped Northern Virginia evolve into the successful economic (semi-tech) sprawl that it's become. I doubt I would have gone to many tech meetings in Herndon, VA, or Vienna/Tysons Corner, VA, unless it was for Dulles. Assume Sydney will see the same development.

However, Dulles took 60 years to be served by public transportation. Like the link that was never built for Montreal?
Yes, the Washington Metro connects directly to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) via the Silver Line. The extension opened on November 15, 2022, providing a direct rail link between the airport and downtown Washington, D.C.

Alternatively, National is perhaps the best-integrated major US airport into a transportation network.

The new Sydney airport is opening its metro line with the airport! Bravo!


Istanbul, Turkey's new airport (2019) was built in the boondocks NW of the city. In 2024, the new Metro Line opened, and I used public transportation to get to downtown Istanbul (old city). I left ski stuff at the airport (luggage storage at the entrance to the airport/metro station). The train link is a breeze; it took me 30-45 min in rush hour (vs 1-2 hours in traffic in Uber/Taxi), and it cost me a little more than $1 USD. My airport round-trip to a free 2-night hotel was $4.

Again, another plug for Turkish Airways (free hotel (1-2 nights) for intercontinental travelers, it's NOT the UAE/Qatar (no war or bombs), Istanbul is easily one of Europe's or Asia's Top 10 cities (Dubai is a shopping mall like Vegas), 2 FREE checked bags including skis, and big seats/pitch) If James were traveling Turkish Airways, he could have skis-boots as one bag, and then another checked bag, so 3 checked items - plus carry-on.

 

[Sbooker]

Something for @Sbooker to chew on, Western Sydney Airport (WSI):

The $14 Billion Airport Being Built In The Middle Of Nowhere & Why Every Major Airline Wants In

Australia’s new $14 billion Western Sydney Airport is transforming global airline strategy with 24/7 operations and massive long-term expansion plans.

simpleflying.com

It's mentioned in the same breath as Montreal-Mirabel airport, which sounded OK on paper but ended up as a notorious failure. Interesting about the 24-hour operations that aren't possible at SYD.

Thanks. I was aware of the project but didn’t know any details. I doubt it will have any direct bearing on my travel plans or everyday life.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

If James were traveling Turkish Airways, he could have skis-boots as one bag, and then another checked bag, so 3 checked items - plus carry-on.

Hah, we're still gnawing on the bones of my checked-in boot bag.

I doubt it will have any direct bearing on my travel plans

Never been to Australia/Sydney. Can you explain ^^ that?

 

[Sbooker]

Hah, we're still gnawing on the bones of my checked-in boot bag.


Never been to Australia/Sydney. Can you explain ^^ that?

I’m from Brisbane. We never fly out of or through Sydney.

 

[Tony Crocker]

I’m from Brisbane. We never fly out of or through Sydney.

We had to go through Sydney to get to Broome in 2023. I would guess that fewer international destinations have direct flights to Brisbane vs. Sydney but probably the connections in the foreign countries make more sense than backtracking to Sydney. It's sort of like how our Alps trips are never nonstops.