More than half of Greater Sydney residents likely to use WSI but Mascot remains their preferred airport

With the opening of Western Sydney International (WSI) to passenger flights approaching, new YouGov research has found that more than half of Greater Sydney residents are likely to use the new airport, highlighting its potential to attract travellers.

The research found 36% of Australians say they are likely to use WSI, rising to 54% among Greater Sydney residents. Among Australians living outside Greater Sydney, 31% say they would be likely to use WSI for a future flight.

Despite this potential, Sydney Airport at Mascot remains the preferred airport among Greater Sydney residents. If fares and flight times were similar, 53% would prefer to fly from Mascot, compared with 29% who would prefer WSI.

Among Australians outside Sydney, however, 42% have no preference between the two airports, while 30% prefer Mascot and 14% prefer WSI.

Generational differences also emerge. Gen X and Boomers are more likely to prefer Sydney Airport at Mascot, while Gen Z and Millennials show a greater preference for WSI. Gen Z are also the most likely generation to have no preference between the two airports, at 40%.

The findings point to both an established preference for Sydney Airport at Mascot and an opportunity for WSI to build its customer base.

Convenience a key consideration

Travel time is the biggest consideration for Australians when choosing an airport, with 38% identifying it as one of their top factors. This is followed by travel cost (34%), airfares (33%) and public transport (31%).

The results highlight the importance of airport accessibility and the overall journey in shaping travellers’ decisions, alongside the flight itself.

There is also strong optimism about the broader impact WSI could have on Sydney’s aviation network.

Nationally, 65% of Australians believe WSI will reduce congestion at Mascot, rising to 79% among Greater Sydney residents.

Methodology

YouGov Surveys: Serviced provides quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. The findings are based on responses from 1043 Australian adults, collected between September 17 and 21, 2026.