Early Design, Construction Delivered on Western Sydney International Airport

Bechtel recently delivered the design and construction of the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport on behalf of the Australian Government. This key milestone positions WSI to commence passenger and cargo flights in late 2026, welcoming up to 10 million passengers per year in its initial phase.

The project is Australia’s first international, greenfield airport in over 50 years and has been a catalyst for economic development. The entire WSI project has created 11,650 annual full-time equivalent jobs, with over half coming from the local area. The hub will drive growth in Western Sydney’s visitor economy and is projected to increase Australia’s GDP by AU$23.9 billion by 2060.

Since 2018, Bechtel has been working on the WSI project with the responsibility to support the procurement and management of top-tier contractors delivering construction packages, including earthworks, terminal, runway, landside and technology, totaling AU$5.3 billion (US$3.5 billion). The company managed the budget and contracts, and strategically sequenced work to improve the schedule and maximize value.

Designed for long-term growth, WSI is expected to become Australia’s largest international gateway by 2063. With future expansion and the addition of a second runway and eventual fourth terminal, the airport could handle over 80 million passengers annually, on par with global hubs like Hong Kong International and London Heathrow airports. Triggered by the airport development, the New South Wales state government is building new infrastructure, including a dedicated airport metro line to enable improved transport infrastructure for the surrounding communities.

Bechtel continues to support WSI with ongoing work required to prepare the airport for opening, ahead of the operational readiness and airport transfer program beginning later this year. This includes the build-out of retail spaces and extensive testing of facilities to ensure a smooth, efficient and enjoyable passenger experience at Australia’s newest and most advanced gateway.

Key construction highlights included:

• More than 5.5 million tons of sandstone from Sydney tunneling projects was diverted from landfill to be used as a sub-improvement layer for the runway, taxiways and internal roads.
• The Terminal, built by Multiplex, reflects the region’s natural beauty and rich heritage. With concept design by Zaha Hadid Architects and COX Architecture and as-built design by Woods Bagot, it prioritizes energy efficiency and emission reduction with natural light and airflow considerations, shading, high-performance glass and a roof that generates electricity and harvests rainwater. Passengers will benefit from the next-generation baggage handling system that will send luggage to aircraft faster and more reliably.
• CBP Contractors and Acciona joint venture completed the earthworks and airside packages that included constructing the 3.7-kilometer runway. Prior to that, this team undertook Australia’s largest earthworks project outside the mining sector, with over 26 million cubic meters of soil redistributed. 98% of the water captured onsite was reused for construction, irrigation and dust suppression. The team installed 90 kilometers of power and fiber optic cable, over 3,000 aviation lights and perimeter fencing and energized the entire site.
• A joint venture of BMD Constructions and Seymour Whyte delivered the landside package that included internal roads, bridges, car parks, utilities, connections to the Sydney Metro and the M12 motorway and airport operations facilities buildings.
• DXC Technology delivered the enterprise technology component of the project that included accommodating and integrating over 60 software platforms that will operate the airport, from self-check-in kiosks to security, retail and office systems.