Travel & Holidays How long to allow for transfer Sydney international to domestic?

We are booking flights for an upcoming trip and will be landing at Sydney international airport at 5.15am on a week day and need to get ourselves through customs, into a shuttle to get to the domestic terminal in time to check in for a Sydney to Brisbane flight.

We can grab a 7.30am, 8am or 8.30am flight to Brisbane.

I see the shuttle takes about ten minutes and runs regularly, so if I allow 30 minutes footpath to footpath (int'l to domestic) that means we have 1.5 hours to get through customs on arrival, and get checked in at domestic terminal.

Is 7.30am flight to Brisbane cutting it too fine? We are going to be really tired, so I'm trying to avoid too much waiting time.

I was told two hours should be enough. But I wonder if it is?

I've googled, but security has changed and the answers I found are older. Things are tighter and take longer.

 

Same airline ?

ta
rolf

 

Different airlines. And not a "through booking". We will have to collect our bags from carousel, go through customs, get on the shuttle and then check in at the domestic.

Qatar and then Qantas.

I'm thinking 7.30am flight is cutting it too fine?

 

In my head (assuming flight is on time) -

5.15 land international
5.30 get off plane
5.45 collect luggage
Allow 45 minutes to get through customs?
(Could we simply be waived through, or how long does this take?)
6.30 get to footpath and find shuttle
7.00 get to domestic terminal (assume we wait 15 mins for next shuttle) and start check in.
If we have to line up that could take until 7.30?

I'm thinking we should just book the 8.30am flight and not worry about time pressure.

What do you think?

 

I always try to give myself as much time as possible - even if it means sitting down with coffee at the other end and staring into space for a while.

The Y-man

 

Thanks @The Y-man and @Marg4000

We had to get ourselves to Sydney. We were not offered a through ticket.

I can book a flexible fare but it is four times the price so I figure if we miss the flight home, we are better off to just book another flight. Of course, last minute it could be expensive, so perhaps I'll book the 8.30am flight and then I won't stress if we are delayed.

And we can get a coffee. I just recall last flight that I was so desperately tired I just wanted to lie down somewhere. I'm trying to avoid that Zombie feeling.

 

Your essential guide

Sydney Airport Guide & Reviews

The Y-man

 

Because we are not on a through ticket, I'm unsure how long we will take to go through customs with our bags and then go through security at the domestic terminal. I'm thinking more and more we go for the 8.30am flight. That is just over three hours. I was told to allow for two hours, but that is too short I think and probably didn't allow for the transfer between terminals, customs, check in etc.

 

Thanks @hammer and @Beano. I'm not sure if I have access but I'll find out.

And I think I'm going to stick to 8.30am because I'm a bit of a worrier.

 

Thanks Marg. I'm thinking also we need more than two hours.

Because we didn't get a through ticket, I need to ensure the weight for the domestic flight doesn't create an issue.

We have 30kg international but 23kg domestic Qantas. I also wanted to use some points I have with Qantas. I think I can use them for Jetstar. I've just called Flight Centre and he says Jetstar is the main airline to give us extra baggage for a reasonable cost.

 

Thanks everyone. It has been very helpful. I'm a really terrible yo-yo "change my mind" type of person until I lock something in.