Minimum connection time Dom-Int in SYD, not single ticket

[drcam]

My big LSL trip starts on Wednesday September 11.

My main international flight (in business class) departs Sydney at 8.20pm, but I am still at work in Melbourne that morning.
What is the latest time I can realistically arrive at Sydney domestic airport earlier that evening, so that I don't miss my international connection?
Is there a premium line for security check at Sydney?

Thanks.

 

[Quickstatus]

Its a how long is a piece of string question.

Have you booked the first domestic sector yet?

What airlines are involved?

Re Express Path at SYD
It does not provide significant time saving so I would not rely on it to save time TBH. And they exist only for premium cabin class J and above only. Frequent flyer status irrelevant.

 

[drcam]

(1) no

(2) Sichuan Airlines to Chengdu, 3 day stopover then to Rome

 

[MEL_Traveller]

(1) no

(2) Sichuan Airlines to Chengdu, 3 day stopover then to Rome

Well… afternoons are notorious for delays and cancellations. Even weather issues in the morning can have knock-on effects at that time.

For 820pm departure I’d want to be on the ground, with bags claimed, no later than 5pm. So you should probably look for a flight around 3pm or 330pm scheduled to arrive 430/5. Collect bags and get to the international terminal will have you there at 5 to 530.

Allow for delays or cancellations and you’ll be pushing 6pm or later.

The time issue is not really security, but checkin. Assuming you’re in business class you’ll be fine. Security is always quick.

 

[Quickstatus]

For me minimum is 4hrs ground time between arrival and 2nd sector boarding time

The question you have to answer is: What happens if your inbound is delayed.....

 

[AIRwin]

Sichuan Airlines to Chengdu, 3 day stopover then to Rome

Next flight on Sichuan Airlines may be Friday the 13th of September

 

[drcam]

My following flight to Rome is on Sunday the 15th of September

September 11 is an unlucky day anyway, when it comes to aviation.

 

[Daver6]

I think it comes down to your own risk tolerance. What if your flight from MEL to SYD is significantly delayed on the day? It's a how long is a piece of string question really. Everyone will be comfortable with a difference answer. If you miss your flight out of Australia, is your travel insurance going to cover putting you on the flight the next day? That would be a major factor for me.

 

[AIRwin]

If you miss your flight out of Australia, is your travel insurance going to cover putting you on the flight the next day?

No flight on Sichuan Airlines the next day

 

[drcam]

"What if your flight from MEL to SYD is significantly delayed on the day?"

Well then things look bleak.
I'd have to stump up for an overnight to somewhere in China and then somehow to get Europe, all likely in whY. Ain't something I want to think about, but there is no chance I can get to Sydney the night before. :|

 

[Himeno]

The official min connect time at SYD is 1 hour for D-I. QF has set theirs at 90 minutes.
Remember that that involves getting off the arriving aircraft, going to the transfer bus, waiting for said bus and getting over to T1, then going through T1 security and immigration followed by the maze of duty free before getting to the gate.
A delay anywhere in that process can make that 90 mins disappear quickly.

If at all possible, I would try to have 3-4 hours to make a transfer between terminals at SYD.

 

[SeatBackForward]

The official min connect time at SYD is 1 hour for D-I. QF has set theirs at 90 minutes.

And that's under a single booking when they can track your inbound flight. In this case it's not a linked booking.

 

[drcam]

A question I would like to ask is, if your airfare is cancellable with a small fee, can you cancel your flight for a refund even at the last minute (before departure) but at a point where you already know you won't make your flight (eg 1.5 hours before departure)?

I think if the worst happens, I will just visit my family in Sydney for a few days instead of going to China, and then head to Rome on QR or EK.

 

[Gremlin]

For me, four hours is not enough in this situation (although others may be more risk tolerant than me).

This is an outbound flight. If you miss your connection, your whole ticket is forfeit, not just the first leg. On an unprotected connection, this is effectively a no show. I'm more accepting of missing my last connection than my first.

Post automatically merged: Aug 26, 2024

if your airfare is cancellable with a small fee, can you cancel your flight for a refund even at the last minute

What do the actual conditions of your fare class say? The range of correct answers to your question is 'yes', 'no' and 'maybe'.

 

[Quickstatus]

A question I would like to ask is, if your airfare is cancellable with a small fee

If you are referring to the Domestic sector - it depends on the fare.
All QF tickets are cancellable
A Red Edeal is cancellable for a Flight credit if cancelled outside of T-24hrs. But you lose the $$$ if cancelled less than T-24hrs
A Flex ticket is cancellable for a Flight credit or refunded less a $99 fee up to T-30minutes

But often 2 RedEdeals cost less than one Flex - lose one fare due to no show but keep the other one

You could book a FF seat and cancel outside of 24hrs for 6000 points fee.

Q: What is the earliest you can get to the airport?

 

[elanshin]

So if you can actually get to Sydney somewhat on time, that late in the evening everything is fairly quick.

The only issue as always is will your MEL - SYD get there in time. Most days it's fine, then either Melbourne or Sydney sneezes (like last night) and everyone is delayed 1-2 hours.

Latest to arrive and still be ok? Pulling up to the gate around 6:30. But that assumes everything is functioning normally and fine.

 

[AIRwin]

I think if the worst happens, I will just visit my family in Sydney for a few days instead of going to China, and then head to Rome on QR or EK.

Last minute fare on QR or EK?

 

[drcam]

Whatever fare is available. But I don't want to talk about worst case scenarios.

The earliest I can leave the Melbourne CBD realistically is about 1340 hours (where I am just outside the Skybus terminal). You do the math on when I should book flight to Sydney.

I've only ever been delayed once in my life more than 2 hours on the MEL-SYD sector (cancellation, Qantas).

 

[SeatBackForward]

Whatever fare is available. But I don't want to talk about worst case scenarios.

The earliest I can leave the Melbourne CBD realistically is about 1340 hours (where I am just outside the Skybus terminal). You do the math on when I should book flight to Sydney.

Then suggest you book the earliest flight to have you leave the officer at 13:40

I've only ever been delayed once in my life more than 2 hours on the MEL-SYD sector (cancellation, Qantas).

It's not getting to Sydney that's the issue. It's getting to SYD in time for you to check in to your International flight.

This is an outbound flight. If you miss your connection, your whole ticket is forfeit, not just the first leg. On an unprotected connection, this is effectively a no show. I'm more accepting of missing my last connection than my first.

THIS! you aren't just missing the flight to China, but every remaining leg on that ticket will be automatically cancelled as you're a no-show on the first. The reason that single tickets are more expensive is because Airlines factor in the risk of missed connections and having to accommodate you on alternative flights.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Minimum connection time Dom-Int in SYD, not single ticket​

My big LSL trip starts on Wednesday September 11.

My main international flight (in business class) departs Sydney at 8.20pm, but I am still at work in Melbourne that morning.
What is the latest time I can realistically arrive at Sydney domestic airport earlier that evening, so that I don't miss my international connection?
Is there a premium line for security check at Sydney?.

You do not have a "connection". Just a domestic flight that arrives at a terminal and you so happen to have an another international flight from another terminal some distance away at the same airport (=shopping centre ~ car park). International departure have security and emigration:- takes time and can be variable. And the shuffle between terminals. Checked bags? Say another 20-30 minutes over carry on
All the risk is with you.
Looked at a flight from MEL?