Domestic to International transfer Sydney Airport November

[Jean Claude]

Hi Everyone,
In November this year I am having my first Qantas A380 First Class experience with a rewards booking. When I initially booked there was about a 3 hour layover, now Qantas have moved the Singapore flight earlier, and the layover is now 1 hr 55 minutes.

Obviously this means less time in the first lounge, but wanted to know if anyone thought this was too tight from my domestic flight to get through everything?

Unfortunately as I am coming from Launceston I have the earliest direct Qantas flight to Sydney, so to get in any earlier would need to go launceston - melbourne - sydney. Also I assume that I would need to ring the Qantas call centre to change the booking.........

Not sure if it matters but I am Qantas Gold. I am really looking forwards to the trip, but don't want a bad experience!
Thanks for any insights

 

[Pom-DownUnder]

Will be fine, bagged checked all the way through and the transfer in SYD isnt that bad, if any delays to mess up your timings just make sure to alert people so you can try and get through security faster, but should be bags of time.

 

[Jean Claude]

Will be fine, bagged checked all the way through and the transfer in SYD isnt that bad, if any delays to mess up your timings just make sure to alert people so you can try and get through security faster, but should be bags of time.

Thanks very much

 

[kangarooflyer88]

It should be relatively straight-forward, as others have mentioned your bag will be checked through. When you land at Sydney domestic, there is a bus gate air-side that you can take that will transfer you from domestic to international terminal (should take about 10 minutes last time I took it). You'll need to clear emmigration and security (remember Australia uses a different security standard at airports than the rest of the world). It shouldn't be too tight but as you noted, not as much time to enjoy the Flounge. Speaking of - what is the ideal amount of time to spend at the Flounge?

 

[Pom-DownUnder]

It should be relatively straight-forward, as others have mentioned your bag will be checked through. When you land at Sydney domestic, there is a bus gate air-side that you can take that will transfer you from domestic to international terminal (should take about 10 minutes last time I took it). You'll need to clear emmigration and security (remember Australia uses a different security standard at airports than the rest of the world). It shouldn't be too tight but as you noted, not as much time to enjoy the Flounge. Speaking of - what is the ideal amount of time to spend at the Flounge?

with others? 2 hours
Solo? 45 -60 mins

 

[SYD]

with others? 2 hours
Solo? 45 -60 mins

But I can think of worse places a Solo traveller can spend a long layover or when they experience a quicker than expected checkin process!

Also, allow extra time for boarding - usually starts 30 to 45 mins before departure.

 

[Pom-DownUnder]

But I can think of worse places a Solo traveller can spend a long layover or when they experience a quicker than expected checkin process!

Also, allow extra time for boarding - usually starts 30 to 45 mins before departure.

indeed my answers were based on 'in lounge time' and not withstanding layover timeframes

 

[dajop]

Also, allow extra time for boarding - usually starts 30 to 45 mins before departure.

The key variable in the context of those with tight connections and/or those who want to maximise lounge time is when boarding closes. (Not when it starts). Which is most likely 10-15mins after it starts for A380.

 

[SYD]

The key variable in the context of those with tight connections and/or those who want to maximise lounge time is when boarding closes. (Not when it starts). Which is most likely 10-15mins after it starts for A380.

True and obviously better if up front (like the OP). Not ideal if doing the cheapy F lounge visit before JQ whY .

TBH, even upfront I head down when they hall the flight. I don’t want to be *that person* who’s late to board.

Also, don’t necessarily be tempted to head down to the gate too early. That’s really going to eat into lounge time (again, unless of course you’re on JQ….).

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

SYD dom - int, is a rush.
Hope you make it.
LST - SYD is a 737, so would be maybe gate 1 - 10, you go to gate 15 to get the bus across, your bags would have been tagged and dropped in LST, so you don't have to pick them up at T3, you get the bus across with everyone else.
You should get a BP for the whole way in LST, you will need the BP for SYD - SIN, so keep that handy.
You go from the secure zone at T3 SYD, via an internal road, to T1, and then go up a very long set of escalators, or stairs, to outgoing int security screening, and then outgoing immi.
Use Express Path.
It might take half an hour, to 45min by that bus, but its fastest for QF pax.
Maybe half an hour in the lounge.
For the transfer from T3 to T1, to get through to duty free, I would give it maybe an hour.
Its "bad".. so to speak, of a routing if you really want to feel the SYD QF F lounge.
Ideally, if the QF F experience was what is really desired, and F lounge, I would overnight in SYD, but thats me.
===
Because you have shown your passport for swiping in/at LST, you don't have to approach the staff with QF in SYD T1, just go through Smartgate, that is a fast process for outgoing, coming back is more troublesome, as you have to do several steps, but ask us when you come back anyway.
At gate 15, have your BP to SIN ready for scanning, you will need that to access the "gate" and then put it securely away, with your passport.
At T1, run up the stairs, go through Express Path, put everything into HLO, take off belt, put onto tray, go and stand hands akimbo at the xray, they might bomb test you, they might put your HLO into the more to look at area, this can take 10/15mins, and then its Smartgate, place passport facedown onto reader, put feet on pad with shoe mark, take off glasses, look at bright light, the gate should then open, you are then through, ...
To Nirvana.
QF J and QF F lounge is upstairs, around gate 1 to gate 10 at SYD, near Heinemanns.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Main thing to consider:
Sorry for new reply MODS, let me go just once.
(If QF1562: tight, very tight).
(If JQ, pain in the proserior)!
Are you flying JQ from LST - SYD, QF5746, arr SYD T(2) at 9.45am?
If its the one, then its more a huge pain in the bum.
Confirm if you can.
===
Looks like its the 2nd cousin, ie, JQ.
They can be bad, so to speak, about putting through bags, and passport swipping.
Wish you had consulted us here before booking.
JQ has a very bad rap, so to speak.
===
If you could do it again, I would have, if I were you, flown across on QFlink that night before, and stayed at the Rydges.
Pity.
But its done now.
If JQ at LST won't help with bags, and passport swiping, then you will have to do it in SYD, which will eat up a lot of time.
Others on here tire of my waffly, which is true.

 

[SYD]

Main thing to consider:
Sorry for new reply MODS, let me go just once.
Are you flying JQ from LST - SYD, QF5746, arr SYD T(2) at 9.45am?
If its the one, then its more a huge pain in the bum.
Confirm if you can.

OP mentions that they’re on the “earliest QANTAS flight”.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

The 2nd cousin on some days does carry the QF #.
Looks like if he/she (gender neutral) is flying QF1562.
LST - SYD flights with QF are very limited, first its JQ, then its the QF1562 on the 717 on behalf of QF by QFlink.

 

[eminere]

 

[Artnits23]

What is the average time to connect from a domestic to int connection with QF on the bus and thru international border control/security vs taking the train between terminals if you have a tight connection? Recall the MCT in syd used to be 60 minutes.

 

[whughes3]

My "personal best" for D->I at SYD recently (using QF bus) is about 35 mins, around 1030am midweek and using the J/F security queue at international. It can be appreciably longer depending on how busy things are. I am doing this again tomorrow and will report on my experience...

 

[whughes3]

My "personal best" for D->I at SYD recently (using QF bus) is about 35 mins, around 1030am midweek and using the J/F security queue at international. It can be appreciably longer depending on how busy things are. I am doing this again tomorrow and will report on my experience...

Well, this morning I stepped off QF422 at 1000 and got airside at T1 at 1035; security at T1 was near-empty and took only a few mins, but I also just missed the 1000 bus from T3 and had to wait 15 mins for the next one.

 

[SYD]

Well, this morning I stepped off QF422 at 1000 and got airside at T1 at 1035; security at T1 was near-empty and took only a few mins, but I also just missed the 1000 bus from T3 and had to wait 15 mins for the next one.

Nice. So ~20mins from bus departing T3 to T1 airside?

 

[Artnits23]

Well, this morning I stepped off QF422 at 1000 and got airside at T1 at 1035; security at T1 was near-empty and took only a few mins, but I also just missed the 1000 bus from T3 and had to wait 15 mins for the next one.

Are the buses back on 15min intervals D to I and vice versa?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Unless arr into SYD T2 by flying, do not get the train.
QF bus goes via the internal road, by you having your QFi BP scanned at T3 gate 15, QF knows where you are.