Sydney residents could be flying in and out of a major airport in western Sydney within a decade after Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said construction would start on an airport within three years if Labor was re-elected.

The long-running saga of Sydney's second airport was pitched into the federal election campaign when Mr Albanese, also the Transport Minister, said he was ''absolutely determined'' to begin construction of an airport in the next term of government.

The commitment sparked a debate about a site for the airport, but Mr Albanese again declined to nominate where it should be.

''A second airport for Sydney, [I'm] absolutely determined construction will begin in the next term if I'm re-elected,'' he said on Thursday.