Brisbane Flights

Airports don’t excite most people, only the destinations to which they lead. Some are better than others though. Some are subject to curfews and so on.

Brisbane is fortunate to have the newest airport of all major Australian cities: it opened as recently as 1988 and replaced the (adjacent) Eagle Farm airport. There is scope to extend both its runways and terminals, to avoid future congestion – quite important, in view of the large traffic increases. The International Terminal is currently being expanded (see photo).

For travellers, a key consideration at Brisbane is that it is not subject to curfews, as is Sydney – this can be an important issue for international flight schedules. Domestically it also is the base for VirginBlue Airline and is well served by both Jetstar, Qantas and regional airlines, and has large modern terminals, so you can travel onwards from here to most Australian destinations with little difficulty. The airport is adjacent to the Gateway Motorway and a rail link provides a connection between terminals (see next tip) and from the airport to the City and to the Gold Coast.

Airport to Brisbane:
If you are driving into Brisbane from South or North - you don't need to go back into Brisbane City as the Motorway from the north and south coast gives you the option of going direct to the airport.
Or, there is a mono-rail which connects the airport to the city centre which leaves every couple of minutes. V. cool.

1 more image

Brisbane Airport, have you wondered how far it is from Brisbane? Yes?
Answer ...15kms [20mins] or from the Gold Coast, about 85kms or 45mins,

Sunshine coast is about 1hour, depending from where you are coming from. If from Noosa, allow approx 2hours.

Want to use the Internet whilst waiting,
No problem,Internet Kiosks are located on levels 2 and 3 of the International Terminal.

Baggage a problem?
There are now lockers available in all sizes at the International Terminal (ground floor at the entrance to the public carpark), a much needed addition.....
Here are the prices for 4hours.... Initial Fee Second Hire Period (4 hours) Additonal Fee Third Hire Period (16 hours) Total (24 hour period)

Small
$AUD 4.00 $AUD 2.00 $AUD 2.00 $AUD 8.00

Medium
$AUD 6.00 $AUD 2.00 $AUD 2.00 $AUD 10.00

Large
$AUD 8.00 $AUD 2.00 $AUD 2.00 $AUD 12.00

From oversea's and can't find you way around?
No need to worry, here we have Volunteer's who just love helping visitor's to Brisbane. Don't be afraid to go and ask for help!

In Transit?
I can vouch for the lovely, comfortable departures lounge, I just sink into them and relax, I am sure you will too! Don't feel like a sleep, well, the local television is on and there are desks for writing up your diary!

If you are here for a longer time, then there is a
FREE A NO 1 COURTESY BUS to the DFO SHOPPING CENTRE
which is a Direct Factory Outlet with a wide range of retail stores and eateries. It departs regularly from the International Terminal on Level 4 and the Airport Village bus stop, just a short 10min drive.

Hungry?
Plenty of options for food, most of them are on Level's 3&4, but one on Level 2.

Shopping
A good choice of duty free shopping

Money Exchange
Travelex for all types of money exchange, and they also have an ATM located on each level for Australian and foreign cash withdrawals.

Need a Car?
Hire car companies are located on Level 2.

If somebody is coming to pick you up, then tell them to come later than your arrival time, as the Airport car parking is very expensive.
I find it better for me to wait an extra 10mins outside at the pick-up and drop-off area, rather than them arriving early and paying a large fee.
Remember, Attendants will ask your friend or who ever is picking you up to move on if you are not there. It is just that, pick up....drop off!

I would seriously advise against the bus unless you plan on getting off along the way, and if that's the case there are several companies that do hop on/ hop off deals that any decent baclpackers can help you with. If you in Bris then the place to start would be YHA headquarters which is about 5 min walk from CBD near the Roma street train station (well it was when I was there last) and as already mentioned with the airfare wars in OZ at the moment you can catch a flight on one of the cheaper airlines for as much if not less then the cost of either the bus or the train and if travelling direct with no plans to see any of the amazing things between the two cities FLY, FLY FLY :)

Brisbane domestic airport toilets are dirty, wet and stinky. If you are travelling to or through the airport avoid having carry-on luggage you have to leave on the ground-unless it has wheels/is waterproof. Also make sure you take tissues, they don't replace the toilet paper very promptly or clean the seats. For a capital city in a first world country and the entrance to the sunshine state I believe the toilet facilities are not up to scratch. I would rather pay a restroom attendant.

2 more images

FROM SINGAPORE
3 airlines connect the 3rd largest city in Australia to Singapore directly:
Singapore Airlines, Qantas Airways and Emirates.

Budget airlines-wise, Tiger Airways and Jetstar connect you to Brisbane from Singapore via hops in Perth and Darwin respectively. However, the time of arrival in Perth and Darwin usually means a stopover (not a transit) of a few hours before you may board your connecting flight to Brisbane.

INTERNALLY WITHIN AUSTRALIA
You have a choice of 3 main airlines:
Qantas Airways (Full service airline)
Virgin Blue (Budget airline)
Jetstar (Budget airline)

Saw this little green fellow at the airport recently - a collection box asking for any spare cash for frog research. Made me think about the similar receptacles in airports in Asia - asking for money for the needy PEOPLE causes. He is rather cute though!

Brisbane airport 's domestic terminal is a relatively small one - but is also fairly modern and has shopping and a range of restaurants and coffee stops. Check in is now made much more efficent by getting your own boarding passes from a range of standing computer terminals in the area before the counters. Simply put in your personal and/or flight details, and out comes a boarding pass.

Needless to say, one of the major carriers is Qantas - our famour flying kangaroo.

However, there are budget airlines aplenty available from Brisbane - Virgin and Jetstar.