travel from united states to australia

[tsuris]

Several flights have changed on me now, bumping this thread and preparing for the big dip, from 9 months or so from first post, to less than 2 months to go now. Plans have been refined below, and again, anyone interested in saying hi when I get there, just let me know .
Red times are the (local) time where the plane will (should) be, the flight numbers are qf, the lower aa number are the non codeshare numbers for american airlines.Dates in US format


mm/dd/yy


[TABLE="class: grid, width: 577"]
[TR]
[TD]Depart/Arrive[/TD]
[TD]Wait/Travel[/TD]
[TD]IAH[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]SYD[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Seat[/TD]
[TD]Flight[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]HOU[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]4/30/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]7:40 PM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/01/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]10:40 AM[/TD]
[TD]9A[/TD]
[TD]4844[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]DFW[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1.14[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]4/30/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]8:54 PM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/01/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]11:54 AM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]aa5800[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]DFW[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1.46[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]4/30/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]10:40 PM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/01/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1:40 PM[/TD]
[TD]80A[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SYD[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]16.5[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/01/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]3:30 PM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/02/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]6:30 AM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SYD[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1.35[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/01/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5:05 PM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/02/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]8:05 AM[/TD]
[TD]19A[/TD]
[TD]508[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]BNE[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1.3[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/01/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]6:35 PM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/02/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]9:35 AM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]22.55[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]BNE[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/05/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]4:45 PM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/06/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]7:45 AM[/TD]
[TD]19C[/TD]
[TD]507[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SYD[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1.35[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/05/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]6:20 PM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/06/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]9:20 AM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SYD[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/07/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1:05 AM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/07/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]4:05 PM[/TD]
[TD]19D[/TD]
[TD]536[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]BNE[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1.3[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/07/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]2:35 AM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/07/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5:35 PM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]BNE[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/19/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]6:25 PM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/20/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]9:25 AM[/TD]
[TD]19A[/TD]
[TD]513[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SYD[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1.35[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/19/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]8:00 PM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/20/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]11:00 AM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SYD[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]2[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/19/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]10:00 PM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/20/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1:00 PM[/TD]
[TD]80A[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]DFW[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]15.35[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/20/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1:45 PM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/21/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]4:45 AM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]DFW[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]3.35[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/20/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5:10 PM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/21/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]8:10 AM[/TD]
[TD]17A[/TD]
[TD]3003[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]IAH[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1.18[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/20/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]6:28 PM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]5/21/15[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]9:28 AM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]aa2326[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]24.03[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


[TABLE="class: grid, width: 450"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Trip to Sydney 5/6-5/7[/TD]
[TD]cost by cab[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]9:20 AM[/TD]
[TD]arrive at airport[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]9:30 AM[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]18[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]39.58[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]10:00 AM[/TD]
[TD]Hotel Drop off bags[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]10:30 AM[/TD]
[TD]9min to ferry 20 min on ferry[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]12[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]11:00 AM[/TD]
[TD]Taronga Zoo[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]92[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]12:00 PM[/TD]
[TD]Free Bird Flight Show (15min)[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]2:00 PM[/TD]
[TD]giraffe encounter (1:45 - 2:15)[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]49.9[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]3:00 PM[/TD]
[TD]Leave[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]3:30 PM[/TD]
[TD]20min by ferry17by foot[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]12[/TD]
[TD]23from opera house[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]4:00 PM[/TD]
[TD]tower[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]4:30 PM[/TD]
[TD]20-25by foot[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]5:00 PM[/TD]
[TD]walk across bridge[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]5:10 is sundown[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]7:00 PM[/TD]
[TD]Blu Bar Drink[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]7:30 AM[/TD]
[TD]30Min by Foot[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]8:45 PM[/TD]
[TD]Riley Street Garage[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]5:45 AM[/TD]
[TD]WAKEUP!!![/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD](6:34 is sunup)[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]7:00 AM[/TD]
[TD]opera house guided 2 hour tour[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]9:00 AM[/TD]
[TD]Est Tour ends 15min walk[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]9:30 AM[/TD]
[TD]checkout of hotel[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]checkout hotel by 11[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]10:00 AM[/TD]
[TD]Art Museum[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Leave for airport NO LATER than 2!![/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]18mins by taxi to airport[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$39.00[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]4:00 PM[/TD]
[TD]plane leaves 4:05 PM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[kevrosmith]

Keep in mind Aussie date format is dd/mm/yyyy. At first I thought "5th of January, well that's a bit late". Will check out your location and dates later and may be able to help with lounge access around the place where possible.

 

[ShaneN]

I note you have some very tight connections between international and domestic flights in Sydney. On May 2 you have 1 hour 35 minutes to pass through immigration, collect your bags, pass through Customs, recheck your bags, catch a bus to the domestic terminal at the other side of the airport, and allow 20 minutes from boarding to departure. Are these flights on the same booking?

The return journey on May 20 is not quite as bad, with a total of 2 hours, and you will be able to check bags from Brisbane through to DFW. However you will still need to catch the bus to the other side of the airport in Sydney and go through immigration outbound (required in Australia). Boarding on the A380 will commence about 45 minutes before departure.

I suggest changing the domestic flights to allow more time if possible.

 

[dajop]

I note you have some very tight connections between international and domestic flights in Sydney. On May 2 you have 1 hour hour 35 minutes to pass through immigration, collect your bags, pass through Customs, recheck your bags, catch a bus to the domestic terminal at the other side of the airport, and allow 20 minutes from boarding to departure. Are these flights on the same booking?

The return journey on May 20 is not quite as bad, with a total of 2 hours, and you will be able to check bags from Brisbane through to DFW. However you will still need to catch the bus to the other side of the airport in Sydney and go through immigration outbound (required in Australia). Boarding on the A380 will commence about 45 minutes before departure.

I suggest changing the domestic flights to allow more time if possible.

If it's all on the same ticket, I'd be ok with the 1:35 from international to domestic connection. If there are problems, QF will simply put you on the next flight to BNE.

On the return flight 2 hrs for a Dom to intl is pretty standard, although may not allow much time for exploring the airport. Whilst the DFW flight may well start boarding 45 mins before departure, it's when it finishes boarding that is the important consideration for connections. I'd assume that is more like 20 mins before departure. As I said 2 hrs is normal, other than for passengers who want to spend time in lounges!

 

[clazman]

No allowance for toilet break

 

[Limewood]

The OP is coming all this way yet not going to see The Great Barrier Reef, pity that.

 

[tsuris]

Keep in mind Aussie date format is dd/mm/yyyy. At first I thought "5th of January, well that's a bit late". Will check out your location and dates later and may be able to help with lounge access around the place where possible.

noted on that post

The OP is coming all this way yet not going to see The Great Barrier Reef, pity that.

agreed, but any way i try to slice it i don't have the money to pay the airfare, hotel and barrier reef expense, so that is one I'm going to have to accept.

I note you have some very tight connections between international and domestic flights in Sydney. On May 2 you have 1 hour 35 minutes to pass through immigration, collect your bags, pass through Customs, recheck your bags, catch a bus to the domestic terminal at the other side of the airport, and allow 20 minutes from boarding to departure. Are these flights on the same booking?

The return journey on May 20 is not quite as bad, with a total of 2 hours, and you will be able to check bags from Brisbane through to DFW. However you will still need to catch the bus to the other side of the airport in Sydney and go through immigration outbound (required in Australia). Boarding on the A380 will commence about 45 minutes before departure.

I suggest changing the domestic flights to allow more time if possible.

They actually only gave me 1 hour 10 mins to connect coming back (QF7) but changed my departure time 10 mins earlier, so I was able to convince them (without paying 300+ for a change) to give me an earlier BNE->SYD. Hopefully the time they gave me will be enough, or, that (being one ticket with that carrier) they will be able to swap me into another.

And a warning to all who buy such tickets, I didn't read carefully enough, the airport out (HOU) is 30-60 mins by car south of the airport I would normally use (if I had more than 2 flights to speak about), and I return to that one (IAH) I noticed this about 1 month after I paid for the ticket (too late to fix), thank goodness I don't have to get a taxi (parents are nice aren't they)?

 

[ShaneN]

As long as they are on the same ticket you will be fine. My concern was if they were different tickets.

 

[onlycopunk]

Your itinerary is exhausting!!!

It's suppose to be a holiday.

Why don't you just pick one activity for your first day in Sydney, and spend the next morning bumming around the Botanical Gardens and RELAX before your long flight home.. Then at lunch jump on the train at Circular Quay to the airport and be there in 15 minutes flat.

You don't need to do all these things. The Zoo is a zoo. You can get in and walk across the bridge if you like or do a Pylon tour or Bridge Climb for your activity, then have a great dinner and some drinks at the Shangri-La with it's great views. I can tell you now that getting yourself to and from the Zoo then walking back and fourth across the bridge (as you wont be able to get a taxi back as it's a highway) is really too much.

 

[tsuris]

The zoo is for the friend I am visiting, she wants to see that particular one, as for the rest when not at work I do a lot of sitting, perfect chance to be about waking, if I don't make all of that I won't be upset, but the other 14 (Ipswich/Brisbane/sunshine coast) days will be restful, the short time in Sydney will be spent fast paced, and the flight back from Sydney is only 1.5 hrs

Last thought , if I totally ruin this vacation at least I will know better next time , my first real vacation out, since my parents used to take us 10+ yrs ago

 

[dajop]

Don't worry about having a packed itinerary. That's the beauty - we're all different and have different ideas of what what we want to do on holidays.

Some prefer physically relaxing breaks others don't mind having a frantic /physically exhausting as long as it's still mentally relaxing. There's a reason some people do incredibly long physically taxing hikes on their holidays and others will sit at a beach resort and hardly do anything for a week.

 

[tsuris]

RELAX before your long flight home.. Then at lunch jump on the train at Circular Quay to the airport and be there in 15 minutes flat.

Just noticed something, the train can get me into the city faster than the cab (not at the hotel but maybe close) probably cheaper as well?. I don't have the option of train here, too far out of the city and they use buses, thank you for that information.
edit
cheaper but 18 mins by taxi (ish...+ traffic i know it will be busy) and estimated 27 min by tram/walking.
also, dont have to make it all the way across the bridge, midway around sunset would be PERFECT

 

[onlycopunk]

If I were you I'd rely on the train. Circular Quay station is real close to the shangrila. Traffic in Sydney is a whole other animal you don't want to be on the wrong side of. Also a taxi from the airport to the city won't be cheap. Not less than $30.

 

[tsuris]

If I were you I'd rely on the train. Circular Quay station is real close to the shangrila. Traffic in Sydney is a whole other animal you don't want to be on the wrong side of. Also a taxi from the airport to the city won't be cheap. Not less than $30.

Estimated at 30-40, won't train be roughly 15 per person (2 of us), and if I read right, trains every 9 mins, this I will have to consider if traffic is that bad

 

[dajop]

Estimated at 30-40,

As a minimum, Sydney taxi drivers will find a way to charge you double that .

I joke, and I don't want to scare you off, but in all seriousness I'd say you're taxi estimates are under-estimates, as you may not have the knowledge to convincingly manage/argue with the taxi driver about appropriate routes and appropriate surcharges If you allow $45-60 from the airport and maybe $40-50 to the airport that should have you covered both for the real fare, plus creative routes and artificial surcharges. If you get an honest taxi driver, then that's a bonus and you will pay less.

 

[kevrosmith]

I'd definitely do train.... Depending on time of day, trains can be either 3, 6 or 9 minutes apart.... You never wait long during the day. Train from downtown to where I'm at in Mascot (near the airport) was $31 at night time without any traffic. The times work colleagues have suggested getting a cab, I've always regretted it as we sit in traffic, knowing the train would've been guaranteed set time and price.

 

[tsuris]

With further options @9:44, 9:50, and 9:59 (9 min 6 min 9 min)
question, is that $15.36, plus the $13 access fee, or just $15.36?
edit, no opal card, shows fare as 17, again, with or without the "access" fee?
edit2, pic not expandable, replaced

 

[kevrosmith]

With further options @9:44, 9:50, and 9:59 (9 min 6 min 9 min)
question, is that $15.36, plus the $13 access fee, or just $15.36?
edit, no opal card, shows fare as 17, again, with or without the "access" fee?
edit2, pic not expandable, replaced

It will be $17 total, which is made up of $4 adult single MyTrain ticket, and $13 Gate Pass fee.
Train - tickets | transportnsw.info

You may want to consider getting the train to Wynyard Station and walking from there. Much more direct and no hills to climb. This is how I get to the Heritage Hotel (further along coughberland St) and it's much easier than from Circular Quay. (It's quite a steep climb from Circular Quay to coughberland St level).

https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/...555dd6214a224801!2m2!1d151.206457!2d-33.86141

 

[kevrosmith]

With further options @9:44, 9:50, and 9:59 (9 min 6 min 9 min)
question, is that $15.36, plus the $13 access fee, or just $15.36?
edit, no opal card, shows fare as 17, again, with or without the "access" fee?
edit2, pic not expandable, replaced

Additionally, if you do want to save a few dollars, and get the Opal rate of $15.36 (which is off-peak adult single $2.36 + gate access pass of $13), then you can pick up an Opal card when you land into SYD, or order it online and they will post it out to you (apparently, even to a USA address).

https://www.opal.com.au/en/about-opal/how-do-i-get-an-opal-card/

You can find places to pick up an Opal here: Opal card Retailers Locator | NSW Government | Opal

Put it post code 2020 for the Airport, and it will give you the details for the WH Smith stores in the Qantas arrivals areas that you can get a card from.

 

[tsuris]

You may want to consider getting the train to Wynyard Station and walking from there. Much more direct and no hills to climb. This is how I get to the Heritage Hotel (further along coughberland St) and it's much easier than from Circular Quay. (It's quite a steep climb from Circular Quay to coughberland St level).

shows +2 minutes to the station, but -1 for the walk (how SHORT a time do they STOP). Either wouldn't bother me and thank you for the advice, this may be the better option, lots of reviews are against the CLIMB up to shangri-la. Just to verify, Wynyard is the next stop after Circular Quay Right?