BNE Intl Lounge Query

[WeeGraeme]

I gave a flight booked on QF51 in April. I'm just trying to decide whether to stay in a hotel my ear the airport the night before, as it's about an hour's drive from south of Brisbane.

How early can we check in (flying in J)? The flight is scheduled to depart at 10:30.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

You would probably be able to do OLCI and just have to show passport to validate BP.
It would be open from probably 6am, as there is the QFi BNE - AKL flight dep 9.05am, and BNE int has no curfews.
The cheapest hotel is the bad Ibis Budget Brisbane Airport, the Novotel needs the orange bus, the Ibis and Mercure Pullman also needs the orange bus, or the train to get to BNE int terminal.
You could stay in Fortitude Valley and get the $35 con-x-ion shuttle to the airport, avoids the bad Ibis Budget, and avoids pay the airport high hotel charges for the 3 hotels near the airport.
Rydges Fortitude Valley is good, a bit quiet if no EKKA or nothing happening at the sports field next to it.
Also not as noisy as the city hotels that have the hourly alarm gong clock noise from the King George Square clock tower, hate them.

 

[AIRwin]

I'd suggest driving early to avoid peak hour traffic if it's a weekday

 

[WeeGraeme]

Thanks.

You could stay in Fortitude Valley and get the $35 con-x-ion shuttle to the airport, avoids the bad Ibis Budget, and avoids pay the airport high hotel charges for the 3 hotels near the airport.

I'm in two minds, whether to leave early, or to stay near the airport the night before. Before the Gateway Motorway update was completed, I know there were a couple of crashes resulting in 3 hour tailbacks. If that happened on the Monday morning, it would be pretty catastrophic for my travels. But even staying in a hotel would make for a busy morning. I'd have to drive to the international terminal, and drop off luggage and my travelling companion, who's a bit infirm. Then off to the carpark and back on the bus.

I'd suggest driving early to avoid peak hour traffic if it's a weekday

Yeah, it's a Monday morning. My plan is to leave my car at the Airpark. I did that last time and it worked well. (Well once I remembered exactly where I'd parked!) The worst that happens on the return if you're delayed is that you have to pay an extra day's parking. That also happened this year as our QF2 flight was delayed. We were meant to arrive on QF52, but ended up being rerouted via Sydney after I balked at the idea of a 16 hour layover in Singapore.

I guess it's a first world problem. We'll either have to wait for the lounge to open, or just buy something for breakfast.

Thank you both for your answers.

 

[AIRwin]

We'll either have to wait for the lounge to open, or just buy something for breakfast.

QF lounge opens at 5:30 am:

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-experience/at-the-airport/airport-lounges/all-qantas-airport-lounges/airport-lounge-locations.html/bne/The%2520Qantas%2520Brisbane%2520International%2520Lounge.html?int_cam=au%3Aall-qantas-airport-lounges%3Aheading-and-links%3Aaustralia-international%3Aen%3Ann

 

[kangarooflyer88]

The worst that happens on the return if you're delayed is that you have to pay an extra day's parking. That also happened this year as our QF2 flight was delayed. We were meant to arrive on QF52, but ended up being rerouted via Sydney after I balked at the idea of a 16 hour layover in Singapore.

Provided it is an international flight you would keep a receipt of your parking and recover the additional day’s parking from the airline per Montreal Convention 1999

 

[JohnK]

Thanks.


I'm in two minds, whether to leave early, or to stay near the airport the night before. Before the Gateway Motorway update was completed, I know there were a couple of crashes resulting in 3 hour tailbacks. If that happened on the Monday morning, it would be pretty catastrophic for my travels. But even staying in a hotel would make for a busy morning. I'd have to drive to the international terminal, and drop off luggage and my travelling companion, who's a bit infirm. Then off to the carpark and back on the bus.

Or you can use Alpha/Andrews parking and they drop you off at any terminal and also pick you up to take you back to your car.

That's assuming your travelling companion can get on/off a minibus without much difficulty. There is no walking required as you drop your car off and they park the car for you.

 

[Scash]

We’re on the Sunshine Coast and generally stay at the Airport Ibis the night before any morning flights in case of accidents on the Bruce Highway. The airport car park is an easy walk from the ibis and you could drop your partner off first. You can also walk to the domestic terminal from the ibis but will need transport to the international. The Ibis has a shuttle but we normally get an Uber or taxi. Peace of mind is worth the cost of the hotel, plus in the scheme of things not a major cost In the overall cost of a trip.

 

[jase05]

Usually the Novotel for us as the DFO is right next door and we go for a bit of a wander if we have time to spare. Rooms are usually comparable in price to the Ibis and even cheaper with sales. Good shuttle service to the airport

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Using Con-x-ion, as a dummy test booking, I tried Adelaide Circuit, Beenleigh, to Int Terminal, for 2, its $90.
Not so bad for the distance, granted, not knowing how far an hour is from BNE, is Beenleigh more or less.
Consider Con-x-ion from home pick up, if you want to see how much it will cost.
They have a trailer on the back of the mini bus.
This also means both you and partner can be dropped off at Int Term, without having to worry about the car, ie, whether its safe in long term parking for the days you will be away.
Have used Con-x-ion before.

 

[WeeGraeme]

Or you can use Alpha/Andrews parking and they drop you off at any terminal and also pick you up to take you back to your car.

That's assuming your travelling companion can get on/off a minibus without much difficulty. There is no walking required as you drop your car off and they park the car for you.

Thanks. They're around the same price as Brisbane Airport Parking.

Post automatically merged: Nov 2, 2023

Usually the Novotel for us as the DFO is right next door and we go for a bit of a wander if we have time to spare. Rooms are usually comparable in price to the Ibis and even cheaper with sales. Good shuttle service to the airport

I'll watch for sales. It's a family member, so we'll need 2 rooms.

Post automatically merged: Nov 2, 2023

Using Con-x-ion, as a dummy test booking, I tried Adelaide Circuit, Beenleigh, to Int Terminal, for 2, its $90.
Not so bad for the distance, granted, not knowing how far an hour is from BNE, is Beenleigh more or less.
Consider Con-x-ion from home pick up, if you want to see how much it will cost.
They have a trailer on the back of the mini bus.
This also means both you and partner can be dropped off at Int Term, without having to worry about the car, ie, whether its safe in long term parking for the days you will be away.
Have used Con-x-ion before.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm more out towards Beaudesert. Their website said that I'm outside of their zone.

 

[sf25c]

If the gateway is blocked could continue onto clem7 then tunnels all the way to the airport, bit more on tolls but it's pretty quick. I've done that before to avoid the gateway & it's been ok.

 

[Scash]

Usually the Novotel for us as the DFO is right next door and we go for a bit of a wander if we have time to spare. Rooms are usually comparable in price to the Ibis and even cheaper with sales. Good shuttle service to the airport

We swap between the two depending on who has the better deal. We stayed at the Novotel before we left on our current trip and will stay there on the return (we don’t get in until around 11:00pm) as as we had Qantas vouchers. Proximity to DFO also gives more food options.

 

[JohnK]

Thanks. They're around the same price as Brisbane Airport Parking.

Everything I've tried I cannot get BNE airport parking remotely close. Our next trip is 23 Dec 2023 returning 20 Jan 2024 so 29 days.

Airpark 2 domestic is the only one offered @ $309 open air parking.

Alpha parking open air is $213 and undercover parking (inside warehouse) is $265. Note with both of these I get a returning customer discount of 8-10% so I will more than likely pay ~$240 for undercover.

 

[BNEFlyer]

Thanks. They're around the same price as Brisbane Airport Parking.

Post automatically merged: Nov 2, 2023

I'll watch for sales. It's a family member, so we'll need 2 rooms.

Post automatically merged: Nov 2, 2023

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm more out towards Beaudesert. Their website said that I'm outside of their zone.

Something I've done before is just check Google maps on the day I'd be travelling, so if you're flying on a Wednesday check what the traffic is like at 6am then maybe give yourself a few minutes leeway.

From Beaudesert you're better off just driving and parking.

 

[WeeGraeme]

I've decided to stay closer to the airport. I decided that for the money involved it wasn't worth the hassle. $270 for a 2 bedroom apartment, and then I discovered that I had a $50 voucher.

Thank you all for your suggestions