Intl to Dom Transit - SYD vs BNE

A

ajstewart79

Junior Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2022
Posts
15
Which is a better transfer experience?

I have done SYD before and hate it, but I have an option via BNE too. I'd be flying to MEL.
 
Brisbane is also a completely different building? So transfer bus or catch the train I assume?
 
If you have a checked bag then SYD may be better as the landside domestic bag transfer check in at BNE international isn't always open. If HLO then I'd say BNE is better.
 
They are both bad. Assuming priced the same, pick the one with the better domestic onward flight options / international departure/arrival times etc.

If those two are identical, going with the more “familiiar” can be easier when dealing with jet lag/time zone shifts etc.

If that’s the same, toss a coin!
 
I agree with @docjames - neither transfer is really good. And BNE does not have an F lounge, if that plays into your decision at all.
 
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The overall arrival experience would be BNE. Easier & faster immigration, baggage collection, less crowded. Free buses every 10 mins or so. Only downside is trains only run every 30 mins
 
I'd have to say I live in SYD and really struggle to understand the bad reviews. I've done both international to domestic and domestic to international and it's an easy transfer.

Not happy with airside transfer? Use T-Bus. Or use train. Or use taxi. Or walk.

My wife whose English is not great has not once complained about SYD transfer either way.

Just make sure you allow enough time.

Daver6 said:
I can't think of anywhere in the world that would be a worse experience than SYD!
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Try MNL.

Or even BKK to DMK.

KUL to KLIA2.

SIN T1/T2/T3 to T4.

If you don't have a problem in any of those places then SYD is not a problem either.
 
JohnK said:
I'd have to say I live in SYD and really struggle to understand the bad reviews. I've done both international to domestic and domestic to international and it's an easy transfer.

Not happy with airside transfer? Use T-Bus. Or use train. Or use taxi. Or walk.

My wife whose English is not great has not once complained about SYD transfer either way.

Just make sure you allow enough time.
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Everyone has different views. That's ok. For me, having to waste time with a bus or anything to move terminals is a negative. SYD has no priority liens for status pax on departure. On arrival there is no priority customers queue (status/class of travel APEC card holders). So if I arrive into SYD international and need to catch a domestic flight I need to allocate much more time between flights than say MEL.

I mean even PER T1 has a line for APEC card holders at customers! So in my mind, SYD is well behind any other Australian airport for transfers.
JohnK said:
Try MNL.
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Not transferred terminals, but arriving there I was off the plane and in a taxi in less than 20 minutes using the APEC line
JohnK said:
Or even BKK to DMK.
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BKK same deal as MNL

JohnK said:
KUL to KLIA2.

SIN T1/T2/T3 to T4.
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How can you even compare SYD to SIN for terminal transfer? It's chalk and cheese.

JohnK said:
If you don't have a problem in any of those places then SYD is not a problem either.
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Everyone has different views. That's ok. For me, having to waste time with a bus or anything to move terminals is a negative. SYD has no priority liens for status pax on departure. On arrival there is no priority customers queue (status/class of travel APEC card holders). So if I arrive into SYD international and need to catch a domestic flight I need to allocate much more time between flights than say MEL.

I mean even PER T1 has a line for APEC card holders at customers! So in my mind, SYD is well behind any other Australian airport for transfers.
 
If you're not flying QF at SYD you're on your own. All the announcements & signage appear to be targeted to QF. Having to schlepp your bags onto the t-bus and fighting the ignoramuses at the other end who won't allow you to get off before they barge on is completely unacceptable. This was after being told our bags would be transferred, then after lugging them all the way to the VA transfer desk only to find it was closed, and then having to go all the way to the other end to the bus stop - all without any signage or announcements.

If I NEVER transit through SYD again, it will be too soon.
 
Don't know about the announcements, but pretty sure QF for the signage for their facilities, which shouldn't be that way but it seems it is.

Inbound is generally the pretty relation for airline & transfer information - 'you off the plane our job is finished' type of thing. Plenty of signage pointing you to all the airlines lounges in departures though.

If everything works as planned I reckon SYD/BNE are pretty equal,not great but not terrible. Although the VA transfer bus running landside at SYD, wasn't fun.
 
I would have to agree with the others above, we did both SYD and BNE last year. SYD was worse with all the construction and out of date signs. Also last time in SYD the road was flooded, so the bus wasn't running, our transfer was tight, so AUD$27 in a taxi was the only solution. BNE still not great, overall it makes me very happy with the MEL terminal integration.
 

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