The cost of flying from Western Sydney International Airport

Western Sydney International Airport is set to open its doors to travellers on October 25, bringing with it a new era of air travel to the region. Located 45 kilometres from Sydney's CBD and 18 kilometres from Penrith's city centre, the Badgerys Creek aviation hub will operate around the clock.

Rico Merkert, chair in transport and supply chain management from the University of Sydney, said that when considering the cost of travel, it's essential to factor in the door-to-door journey.

"You have to account for two things, transit time and then also the cost to get to and from the airport as well," he said.

The airport will be serviced by several airlines, including Qatar Airways, Qantas, Jetstar, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, VietJet, and Fiji Airways. WSI has announced various routes from low-cost carriers, with some offering cheap flights to service Western Sydney's Vietnamese and Fijian communities.

There will be three main ways to get to WSI: by train, bus, or car. The Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport Line will be the fastest mode of public transport when it's completed in 2027, but until then, travellers can take a shuttle bus from St Marys station.

Transport for NSW said that when the line is operational, "passengers will be able to travel from the broader rail network via St Marys Station to Western Sydney International Airport in around 15 minutes".

Bus services will operate through Mount Druitt, Penrith, Liverpool, Campbelltown, and Leppington, with an adult fare starting from $5.77 during peak time. There will be no direct public transport route for people travelling from inner-Sydney.

The Super Shuttle WSI offers express bus services from Parramatta CBD and Sydney CBD, with a one-way ticket from Sydney CBD to WSI costing $55 and a return trip $80.

Travellers can also drive to the airport using the toll-free M12 motorway, with over 6,000 car spaces available. WSI has promised three hours free parking for visitors, $15 a day for long-stay, $29 a day for uncovered bays, and $49 a day for covered parking.

"Generally speaking, I do think that that there will be pressure on the airlines [to bring down prices] also, because the demand is currently quite soft," Mr Merkert said.

Professor Merkert added that naturally a second airport would bring down airfares through more competition, but there was no definitive answer to what sort of savings travellers could expect and when, as jet fuel prices continued to surge.

"Maybe the airlines will be unable to really offer super low airfares, until that conflict in the Middle East is resolved," he said.

"Airlines have a duty to their stakeholders and shareholders, they won't be able to operate those flights for very long if they if they don't make any profits on those routes, right?"

"If jet fuel prices sort of stay stable, or come down a bit, then it will also lower fares mainly through low-cost carriers."