Sydney Airport was hit by high wind gusts, forcing dozens of cancellations and significant delays.
Flights to and from Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and Ballina Byron were among those cancelled.
Passengers have been advised to check with their airline regarding the status of their flight.
Frustrated and furious travellers shared their exasperation on social media.
Leader of the opposition Bill Shorten said the flight cancellations had made him miss the funeral of his colleague Johno Johnson.
Damaging winds averaging 60-70 km/h were recorded in south-east and central eastern parts of Sydney by the Bureau of Meteorology.
Emergency services rushed to the central business district of Wollongong after a roof blew off a building. They said around 80 people had been evacuated and no injuries were reported.
NSW State Emergency Service volunteers were also deployed to Occupation Road in Kyeemagh to help residents "possibly trapped" after significant roof damage to a residential property.
Fire and Rescue NSW and the local State Emergency Service said they were responding to multiple calls for assistance in the Illawarra area. Peak winds were noted at Nowra (106km/h), Albion Park (104km/h) and Kurnell (96km/h).
The region has seen high winds this week, with one dead after a wall collapsed at a building site in Sydney’s northwest on Wednesday.
NSW Police Force’s Marine Area Command advised people to consider staying out of the water and to avoid surf-exposed areas. They said coastal activities like rock-fishing, boating and swimming are particularly hazardous from Byron Coast up to the Eden Coast.
