Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport opens to passenger flights on 25 October 2026. It runs 24 hours a day with no curfew, so homes under the new flight paths will hear aircraft day and night. To help the homes most affected, the Australian Government is running the WSI Noise Insulation Program, which provides noise treatment at no cost to eligible landowners.
This guide explains who is eligible for the Western Sydney Airport noise insulation program, what it covers, how to apply, and what you can do to reduce aircraft noise if your home falls outside the eligibility area.
What is the WSI Noise Insulation Program?
The program is an Australian Government initiative, delivered by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts. It funds noise treatment works on existing homes and other noise-sensitive buildings, such as schools, childcare centres, health facilities and places of worship, that are expected to be most affected by aircraft noise from the new airport.
Applications opened in April 2026 and stay open for two years, until April 2028. The program runs for three years in total. Taking part is voluntary at every stage.
Who is eligible for noise insulation?
Eligibility depends on where the property is, the type of building, and who is applying.
- Location: the eligibility area is based mainly on the Australian Noise Exposure Concept (ANEC) 20 composite contour for 2040. This is the government’s forecast of the largest aircraft noise footprint once the airport is handling around 15 million passengers a year, including night operations.
- Boundary adjustments: the area has been adjusted to include whole property lots where the contour crosses part of a lot, some nearby properties where roads, waterways or terrain make a logical boundary, and local adjustments along streets.
- Who applies: landowners apply. Tenants can’t apply directly, but may benefit if the owner applies.
- Not automatic: being inside the eligibility area does not guarantee noise treatment. Every application is assessed against the Program Guidelines, including planning, building approval and occupancy requirements.
To check your property, use the government’s Check eligibility tool or the detailed eligibility maps on the program website. Owners of properties outside the eligibility area can’t apply.
What noise treatments does the program offer?
Acoustic and building specialists assess each approved property and develop a tailored Noise Treatment Plan. Depending on the building, works may include:
- sealing gaps around doors and windows
- upgrading windows or external doors
- installing acoustic insulation in ceilings or roof spaces
- improving poorly performing skylights
- enclosing open eaves
- installing or upgrading ventilation or air conditioning so windows can stay closed
The government covers the cost of agreed works. Landowners don’t receive money directly and don’t arrange their own quotes or contractors. The appointed managing contractor, Master Building Solutions, delivers the works.
How to apply
- Check eligibility using the online tool or the eligibility maps.
- Apply online, or request a paper form. You can also ask for a meeting at your property before deciding.
- Provide details: the managing contractor will contact you to confirm ownership, collect supporting documents and verify your identity.
- Assessment: the department assesses your application and lets you know the outcome in writing.
- Noise Treatment Plan: if approved, specialists inspect your home and prepare a plan. Nothing goes ahead without your agreement.
- Works: approved works are scheduled with you, then inspected once complete.
Because the program covers a large area, there may be a wait between approval and your property assessment. If you think you may be eligible, it makes sense to apply early rather than close to the April 2028 deadline.
Key dates
- April 2026: noise insulation program opened for applications
- 9 July 2026: new airspace and flight paths in use
- July 2026: freight flights began
- 25 October 2026: first passenger flights
- April 2028: applications close
To see the flight paths and expected aircraft noise at your address, use the government’s WSI flight paths website and its Aircraft Overflight Noise Tool.
Western Sydney International flight paths and the suburbs most affected
The airspace and flight path design went through an environmental impact statement (EIS). The draft EIS was released for community feedback in 2023, the final EIS was published in November 2024, and the Minister for Infrastructure authorised the flight paths in June 2025. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority approved the airspace change in November 2025, and Airservices Australia, which manages air traffic, put the new flight paths into use on 9 July 2026.
The airport operates a single runway. To reduce noise for residents, the government has committed to prioritising operations where aircraft take off to, and arrive from, the south west, including a noise abatement procedure at night when it’s safe to do so. A community engagement forum will monitor aircraft noise and flight path issues in the early years, and the airport operator, WSA Co, runs an environmental monitoring program.
When the preliminary flight paths were released, government modelling and council responses named areas including Greendale, Luddenham, Badgerys Creek, Erskine Park, Penrith and Mount Druitt among the most affected, with some flight paths also passing over the lower Blue Mountains. Noise at any one home depends on the runway mode in use, aircraft type, time of day and weather, so check your own address in the noise tool rather than relying on suburb names. You can follow updates through Engage Airservices.
What if your home is outside the eligibility area?
The eligibility area covers the homes forecast to be most affected. Many more homes across Western and South West Sydney will still hear aircraft, particularly at night, without qualifying for free treatment. If that’s you, the same principles the program uses still apply: find where noise gets in and deal with the weakest points first.
For most homes, the weakest points for noise are the windows and doors. Glass is much thinner than a wall, and gaps around older frames let sound straight through. That’s why upgraded windows and doors and sealed gaps are part of the government’s own treatment list.
Where aircraft noise gets into a house
- Windows: single glazed windows, especially older aluminium frames, let in the most noise.
- Doors: sliding doors and hollow doors often leak sound around the edges.
- Gaps and vents: any gap that lets air in also lets sound in.
- Roof and ceiling: for low overflights, sound also comes through the roof, which ceiling insulation can help with.
Forever Green Windows makes and installs uPVC double glazed windows and doors. We don’t insulate roofs or walls, so if your ceiling is the main problem, you’ll want an insulation specialist as well.
How much difference do windows make?
Sound insulation is measured as Rw, in decibels. The higher the number, the less noise gets through, and an extra 10 dB sounds roughly half as loud. As a typical industry guide, double glazed casement, awning and tilt and turn windows with compression seals sit around Rw 39 to 45 dB depending on glass thickness. Sliding windows with brush seals sit lower, around Rw 35 to 38 dB. These are industry guide figures, not test results for our units, and actual results depend on glass, window size and installation.
Our noise reduction windows and doors page explains which styles work best for aircraft noise, and our article on whether double glazing reduces noise from outside covers how it works.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Western Sydney Airport noise insulation program free?
Yes. The Australian Government covers the cost of agreed noise treatment works for eligible properties.
Can I choose my own builder or window company under the program?
No. Works are delivered through the program’s managing contractor, and landowners don’t arrange their own quotes or contractors. If you’re eligible, go through the program.
Can renters apply?
Tenants can’t apply directly. The property owner needs to apply, though tenants may benefit from the works.
My home isn’t in the eligibility area. What can I do?
Start with the windows and doors in your bedrooms and the rooms facing the flight path. Sealed, double glazed windows and doors usually make the biggest single difference. We can measure up and give you a free estimate.
Talk to us about a quieter home
If your home is outside the program area and aircraft noise is a problem, Forever Green Windows can help. We make every window and door to order in our Gregory Hills factory and fit them with our own installation team. Get a free estimate or call 0486 030 150.
Program details are from the WSI Noise Insulation Program and WSI flight paths websites as at October 2026. Check the official sites for the latest information.