Sydney Airport secures approval for 20-year expansion plan

The Australian government has approved the Sydney Airport Master Plan 2045, a 20-year expansion project designed to increase the facility's annual capacity to over 72.6 million passengers. The redevelopment aims to strengthen global connectivity and drive economic growth in New South Wales, with an expected annual economic contribution of approximately $70 billion AUD and the support of over 105,000 new jobs.

A central component of the plan involves merging the existing T2 and T3 domestic terminals into a single integrated precinct. This transformation will allow for selected international flights—likely focusing on shorter routes to destinations such as New Zealand, Bali, and the Pacific Islands—to operate from the domestic terminals. This integration is intended to reduce connection times for passengers traveling between domestic and international services.

The project will feature up to 12 new ‘swing gates’ capable of switching between domestic and international operations, as well as a northern extension to Terminal 1. Work is expected to begin in stages from 2028, with the first combined domestic and international gates targeted for the early 2030s. Existing flight curfews and noise-sharing arrangements are expected to remain in place.