Air travel to Australia

Air travel to Australia (Downunder)

How to get Downunder

A number of major airlines make getting to Australia easy. With plenty of flights stopping over in Singapore or other parts of Asia, it is a good opportunity to visit that part of the world on the way to the ‘land downunder’. Sydney is the most popular arrival point in Australia, but international flights are also made to Brisbane, Perth, Darwin, Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart and several regional airports to major tourist destinations like Cairns in far north Queensland.  The reputable Australian Qantas airline as well as Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Emirates, Cathay Pacific and many more major airlines service Australia and there are some direct flights available from cities like London in the UK or Frankfurt, Germany.


Once you Touch Down

Australia has a very diverse and delicate eco-system with many species of animal and plant found nowhere else on earth. To protect this precious biodiversity, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry enforces very strict quarantine requirements with many animal and plant products banned when entering the country.  


Declare EVERYTHING

You will need to complete a Declaration form when you travel to Australia. These are available in-flight on the way there, but are also available in the Customs areas airports before you reach check points. Australia was one of the first of 130 countries that now adhere to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Be sure to declare any goods of animal or plant origin. If you are unsure about any items, you should declare them. Also remove any dirt and debris from camping equipment, shoes or other belongings. Even accidentally bringing an orange into the country in your carry-on luggage could result in a hefty fine, so take care!


Pick-up and Domestic transfers

Students are usually collected by mini-bus at the airport and taken to their university or college accommodation. If your institution does not offer this service, public transport is clearly sign-posted in most major Australian airport terminals. Well marked Tourism Information outlets are also available at all domestic airports in Australia to provide maps and local information.  

It can take several hours to be processed by customs when you arrive at an International terminal in Australia so keep this in mind if booking connecting flights elsewhere domestically. You will need to check in one hour before for any domestic flight as a minimum. Also bear in mind the size of the country when traveling internally. For example, a flight from Sydney to Darwin in the Northern Territory will take approximately five hours. (To drive the same trip takes approximately five days!)


Going back home?

The Internet is the best way to purchase air tickets for a return trip home or to visit elsewhere overseas, but book well in advance and be mindful of increased pricing during peak holiday and school holiday periods. Prices for some flights also tend to increase if booked at short notice.


Currency

You cannot bring more than AU$10,000 or the equivalent amount of foreign currency into Australia without declaring it on a Cross-Border Movement – Physical Currency (CBM-PC) form and providing it to a Australian customs officer. If you do bring in more than AU$10,000 and do not declare it, you will be fined.

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