I think this must be a very busy airport with some very high income clientele because they had a large selection of very expensive luxury brand stores and kiosk everywhere in the main hall. As for lounges, I'm a bit split. I will say that because of the way there terminals are laid out. I think I can appreciate how their lounges are at centralized. One side of the airport has one set of lounges and the other side has their own. Anyways, my issues with the lounges at least the Qantas business lounge and the Amex Centurion lounge was that both were lacking. Where I'm split is, is that really their fault or the fault with those who run the lounge. On that same note, the lounges are part of the airport so it has to be a part of the rating. This is something that I probably shouldn't take issue with but as someone fairly new to international travel I had been looking forward to for a long time. This was also at Auckland Airport in New Zealand by the way, they do smart passport border control whatever they call it these days. You scan your passport, get scanned by a camera and you move through the gate. Efficient? Very. Disappointing? Well for me yes because I had been looking forward to passport stamps. read more

I fly to SYD airport about once a year, and every year I go through SYD I noticed something change. Recently for passports that's valid for SmartGates, they made a formal line to line up to use the kiosks when you arrive at customs. I also noticed there's an entirely new x-ray machines at security out of the international terminal. Getting an Uber is fairly easy. From the international airport, just follow the signs out to the parking structure and it'll guide you to where to the Uber will pull up. There's a train that can take you to the city center in about 15 minutes. You just need to tap your physical credit card, or Apply Pay, or Android Pay to get through the turnstiles. No need for an Opal Card. From a foreigner prospective, if you are going from a international flight to Sydney to connect to a domestic Australian city, it is a hassle. You must collect you luggage when you land at the international terminal, go through customs, take a shuttle or train to the domestic terminal, and re-check your bag at the domestic terminal. If you can avoid any connections via SYD to another AU city, that would be best. Overall, it's an easy airport. read more

The airport is clean, But for an international destination, I am shocked at how little Priority Pass lounges. For example, international departures only two. Domestic, one crappy one. Also, they operate a bus shuttle to different terminals, but the signage can be greatly improved. For example, I walked an extra 30 minutes until I realized the signage for the shuttle was behind me. In other words, if you're walking along wrong direction, and you won't know until you look behind you. It's not feasible to walk between domestic and international terminal is the wrong location. Shuttles are two separate entities. There's hardly any signs for the airport. You just have to look outside the terminals for a purple sign for white buses. read more

Sydney Airport - Airport BUS shuttle! - Airports Near Me - Mascot, NSW

Landed in Sydney this morning and was surprised how easy it was to go through customs and grab my bag. The airport is kept really clean and bags were ready when I got to baggage claim. Some nice food options before security too read more

High tech airport. Super busy but very easy to maneuver! Lots of helpful staff around. Be prepared with the weight rules in Australia airports when traveling around in the country by plane. They add baggage checked AND baggage brought on board together. You are only allowed a certain amount and will pay for anything over the allotted amount!!!! Lots of good restaurants and fun souvenir shops!! read more

Easy to navigate airport. Lots of airport lounges, a huge duty free area and many shops.

As international airports go this is easy to navigate but a lot of walking. Long distances between aircraft and immigration and then baggage and connections. The staff were wonderful read more

Another large and entertaining airport with fun things to see and do. The lounge I squatted at here was nice. Always love a lounge with a shower for long haul flights. The most noteworthy thing besides the lounge was the customer service. The staff was extremely friendly and polite! I haven't had such great service in an airport in a while! Friendly Skys indeed! read more

Sydney airport is fairly easy to navigate. If someone is coming with you, they can reserve a parking spot in advance. If they are picking up you up, they can wait in designated areas for you to show up without paying for parking. If you need wheelchair help, someone will meet you with a chair and take you through all the processing. Depending on if you use a lounge or not, they will make sure you are at the right gate in plenty of time. As someone with a mobility disability, having this service makes a huge difference. The security people at Sydney airport are very respectful and polite. read more

Sydney Airport - Lounge - Airports Near Me - Mascot, NSW

Sydney Airport can seem complicated, but once you've been there a few times, you know it like the back of your hand and move around easily. My recent trip to Australia and New Zealand brought me to this airport 4x. Plus I had to file a claim about damaged luggage that brought me to an office of the bottom level of the airport. Truly though, paying attention to the well labeled signs will get anyone where they need to go. And there are a lot of check in counters but it's easy to find out which counter suits you. Security is thorough and efficient so usually before I know it, I'm at my gate with some snack I bought at one of the plentiful eateries or convenience stores along the way. Oh, plus there's a train conveniently attached to the airport. Good deal. read more

The Sydney Airport is decent, with a ton of shopping and eating options, and plenty of parking and public transportation. However, what makes me knock the rating down is the absolutely terrible treatment of families and the demand for anyone traveling with children to be sequestered to a worse area of the airport, security lines and waiting. I refused to follow the ridiculously long lines of screaming babies and prams, as my 8-year-old has been to many countries and airports and travels just fine. It's insulting. I didn't see anyone demanding old or fat people go to frustratingly slow and long lines. They're slower than kids. We refused and went to general security. Then the passport scanner went down, and they tried to have us go to the end of the line after waiting. No. Fix your family policies and I'll feel better about this airport. read more

Lelanded! I was pretty excited to see what Australia had to offer. AMBIANCE: Welcome to Down Under! It was a nice welcoming. I remember seeing many stores from food, souvenirs, technology, and cosmetics. It was relatively clean and had a good flow. PARKING: Structured parking. It felt pretty accessible as once I got picked up, we walked to the parking structure. CUSTOMER SERVICE: Great! Helpful people. I was looking for places such as the exit and such and they responded with a positive attitude. TL;DR OVERALL: 4 Stars. Great! Airports are all about first impressions and this left a great one! I have a lot of admiration for this country and look forward to visiting soon. Tips: * They don't mark your passport with an Australia stamp (sadness) read more

Sydney Airport - Hellooooo Australia! - Airports Near Me - Mascot, NSW

A decent 3.5 stars. As far as international airports, Sydney's airport is on the small side, lacks many of the amenities you may expect, and while properly labeled, things may be oddly located (like having to go out of the airport with all your luggage and walk over, cross streets, etc. to get to the taxi and Uber pickup locations. The ambience and decor of the airport is... ok. If this is your entry point to the country, you won't come out overly impressed. It's not bad and the place is mostly clean and everything. It's just relatively small as far as international airports go and there isn't much that sets it apart. The staff is thankfully very kind and helpful. Though you'll notice most places are closed outside of the narrow business hours which again, very odd for an international airport. Lastly, having to exit the airport and walk over a not insignificant distance just to get to the designated taxi, Uber, and general pickup locations is terrible planning. read more

Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) is a reliable and efficient gateway to Australia. Easy enough to get in and out of. The Uber line is kind of confusing because you have to give a code. It's not just like ordering an Uber and getting in the car. It's easily accessible by train or taxi. There are plenty of dining and shopping options. While the airport isn't the most modern or spacious, it handles the essentials well. Yes, it has free Wi-Fi to keep you connected. read more

Overall I like the Sydney International Airport. The traffic coming and going is horrible so watch out! You'll want that extra time when you're on your way in. Also of note, the security does not care about your status as a world traveler, they'll treat you like a drunken incoherent pirate, just like all the other Aussies. read more

We left Miami on 11/15 & arrived in Sydney on 11/17. Long,crowded, noisy flight business class would be $20,000 RT from lax. The airport was clean, felt new, I'd bring refurbished & everything was well marked. We followed the lines from the plane, through a huge duty free shop, to scan our passport, get out luggage & get in a taxi. There were no waits, it was easy. read more

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Smooth and painless so no complaints about the experience at this airport. Will be back here to fly out in a couple days. Hoping for the same experience! read more

This is the most organized airport I have ever been traveled through. Customs: if your nationality qualifies for passport scan, then scan your passport, get a ticket, go through a picture taking machine that speaks your native language, walk to an officer to whom you give your arrival card +ticket, and the whole process was done in 10 mins. Instruction signs are along the way and are super easy to follow. Currency exchange: not needed, as almost all places accept cards, if you don't mind about 1-2% surcharges. Departure: there is a e-board where you can check where your check-in (ticketing) kiosk is, based on your flight number. Super helpful. Subway+ buses: just use your credit card to tap on and off. Super easy. Public transportation goes everywhere. read more

The standard of cafes and the food they offer is insulting to the travelling public. It is impossible to get good quality cooked food, the cues are too long and it's even hard to find a coffee that isn't in a take away cup. The Melbourne domestic terminal has excellent food and even the virgin terminal in Sydney is better quality. The owners of this terminal really need to pick up your game. It isn't that hard to produce a food Kelvin read more

I connected once through this airport. My main recollection was it was a clean and airy airport and it's positioned with an awesome and handsome view of downtown Sydney. As you might expect, Qantas rules big time here. I watched long haul carriers land incessantly in front of a skyline view on a sunny day and it quickly passed the time away. My time here was relatively short but quite memorable. read more

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This airport is very tourist friendly. Follow the signs and you will be on your way. Staff is delightful and are all willing to help you if you get confused on where to go, especially if you have a connecting flight. Lots of shops and places to grab some grub. You can also get to the trains directly from the airport which is very convenient. I suggest taking a train to your closest destination as it will be a lot cheaper than an Uber! read more

My experience is only for the international terminal. There are plenty of signage to get you where you need to go. There were plenty of food options before and after going through security screening. The duty-free shops were well organized and the selection was good. Getting through passport check with the Australian Border Force was pretty easy especially if you have an ePassport where you can use one of the SmartGates. It was super easy to take the train into the Central Business District area via the T8 train line as there's a train station connected to the terminal. read more

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They make it as painless as humanly possible to get through on the domestic side. Their workers are friendly and professional. They put the customers at ease. Very helpful and efficient. read more

Sydney Airport - Airports Near Me - Mascot, NSW

Ridiculous transfer system from domestic to international terminal. I will avoid it like the plague from now.

"Too many chefs in the kitchen" mentality. The bathrooms could be cleaner. The staff doesn't listen. So my situation was repeated to 6 different appointed airport crew/TSA/guards who were going back and forth about what's going on and what to do next. read more

This is a huge and modern airport. I felt like I was in a high end shopping mall when I was there. It gave me a very similar feeling of the airport in Paris. The only thing I did not like about it was that I had to go through security for transit once I got off an international fight. I had 6 hours of layover, and I had enough time to go through security as well as walking around all the shops. When I get to the gate, the staff is friendly, and able to print out a new boarding pass for me. I enjoyed my time here. read more

I LOVE that the train takes you to and from the airport. The train is also super easy to use and is very quick! My experience at this airport wasn't bad. From landed to departing, I was surprised how quickly everything went. I found the security process to be quite easy compared to what I am used back in the U.S. (mainland airports are the worst). Like most international airports, there's free wifi and plenty of shops to look around if you are killing time before your flight. They have duty free, retail and of course food! Since we were flying a budget airline (JetStar) we knew we had to pick up something to eat for our long flight. They had plenty of options from sit down restaurants to quick bites like McDonalds. read more

Sydney Airport - Airports Near Me - Mascot, NSW

What a mess! If you're on an international flight in 2022 transferring to a domestic flight, good luck if you have less than 3 hours! In less three hours, you'll be running crazy and fretting all the way! And probably sweating too as you walk miles to go through customs, transfer bag, security line , hope on a bus and a potential another walk to gate! read more

Sydney Airport - Line to get into security line - Airports Near Me - Mascot, NSW

Clean and easy to move around. Folks were really friendly. Boarding seemed to be pretty streamlined. Customs like most places was kind of a shit show, but when is it not? If your American visiting with a blue passport don't try and go through the self scan... It won't work.. But no one tells you that until after you have waited in line. read more

Large, modern and well maintained, the Sydney airport offers first tier, designer shopping and modern amenities.

Compared to other major airports in Australia, Sydney Airport is more disappointing with appearance and staff compared to their counterparts. I have always had issues with luggage arrivals, the check-in process, and transferring from one terminal to another. The stores within the terminals, along with available eateries, are not convenient for the average traveler. I hope new changes are in the works to correct these deficiencies in the nesr future. read more

Sydney Airport has a dual personality. I flied in from Melbourne to the Domestic Terminal and found the vibe laid back and quiet. I flied out to Vancouver from the International Terminal and it was a complete chaos. People everywhere, lines everywhere and I was stressed! The best thing about SYD is the ease of travelling to and from CBD. There is this Airport Link that can get you anywhere in Sydney. I was staying near the Central Station so it was 15-20 minute train ride. Just make sure to give yourself plenty of time when departing for your International Flights. There is this huge area of Duty Free shopping so you might have time to browse or just taste some of the liquors available. read more

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Cool airport. Remodeled and trendy. Lots of eats and shopping. Taxiing to the gate was quick. Lots of public transportation. I'm a fan. read more

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It's an airport! Let's be honest who really likes to hang out and chill in an airport anyway lol! It was nice, customs was a pain because the lines were way toooo long. Once we passed customs we couldn't find our stuff at baggage claim, luckily a kind staff member showed us to our luggages which was set aside due to that LONG customs line. Omg Australians are so nice! read more

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Flying into Sydney was smooth, the Airport wasn't as big as I thought it would be. They are doing construction in some areas of the Airport. It was not as busy as the Airports in the US, baggage claim was almost empty and going through Customs was a breeze, no lines. Friendly and helpful concierge. Hopefully it's like this when we leave. read more

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I'm not particularly happy after this airport presided over my most recent travel nightmare, but more generally it has some issues. The upside is that the trains to the city are here and are very efficient. Unlike many cities, you can get on a train to the airport and get right to the main attraction pretty quickly; it's something like half an hour to get to the Sydney Opera House. The train does have a huge extra airport fare, which you can try to work around, but that defeats the convenience. The airport also offers great views landing over Botany Bay. The problems I've encountered are that the international terminal was completely impractical; you had to arrive, get a ticket and present your passport, then get your luggage, then go through customs, and then if you had a domestic connection, walk somewhere else, check your luggage in again, go through security again, take a needlessly slow bus to another terminal, and then wait. Leaving anything less than two hours for such a connection is optimistic, but I there certainly were tons of people trying just that the last time I was there. Another problem with the Sydney airport is that it's vulnerable to weather, and I've seen them close due to high winds, which seems ludicrous to me. Generally, domestic flights, which I've done a few of, go much better than international ones. read more

'Ello chaps! Sydney's Kingsford Smith International Airport is Sydney's only major airport, primarily serviced by Virgin Australia and Qantas, as well as many international airlines. It's well located, just a short drive or train ride from downtown Sydney and the marquee attractions. For tourists, it's best to get an Opal card which is good for all modes of public transportation including trade, buses, etc. KNOW AHEAD OF TIME - There is a $19 airport usage fee on top of the fare, so it's best to get an Opal Card with $35-$50 to start, depending on how long you're staying in the city and how often you're using the public transportation. The ambiance of the airport is quite inviting and volunteers located throughout are very helpful. There are large windows to see airport activity and planes and there is a large amount of retail stores, food choices, and seating. Overall Sydney Airport gets 4 out of 5 stars. It's fairly top notch. read more

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This airport is crazy huge. Make sure you know if you're flying from the domestic or int'l departures terminal. They are far far apart from one another. One requires photo ID as part of the check in security process, the other does not - this was super weird to experience as an American where photo IDs are carefully scrutinized everywhere you go. They do have a large number of retail duty free shops in the int'l terminal so if you need souvenirs there is no shortage of them here. The downside is that you have to walk through the large duty-free area to get to the gate area. This is pretty typical at most airports servicing int'l flights but I find it highly irritating. This airport has vendors throughout all the way to the gates so you will not be left wanting at any time whilst here. You can bring your water onboard here - what a relief to my usually overwatered stomach that usually has to endure me drinking all remaining water before going through security. read more

This is basically a combined version of my previous reviews of the Domestic Airport Terminal 2 and International Terminal at Sydney Airport. Traveled to Australia a couple months ago for the first time. I flew into Sydney and also took a side trip to Hobart so I traveled through the International Terminal and both domestic terminals as I took flights on Qantas and Virgin Australia. Australia is a country that requires a visa to enter if you are an US citizen. Though the process to get one is easy by getting a ETA which can be done online. Upon arriving into Sydney at the International Terminal, go to a ePassport Self Service kiosk. Try to go to the first ones you see, rather than going to ones further down the arrivals hall. This saved me a lot of time. I found the customs process to be the most intuitive that I have come across and one of the quickest as I think it was only about a half hour to go through everything including collecting my luggage. I do like how close the airport is to Sydney CBD which is about a 15 minute ride into the city via Airport Link. Being so close means it isn't as costly to take a taxi here if you need one. Taking Airport Link to and from the airport is a bit expensive for such a short ride though as there is a $13.40 station access fee added on to the base fare for taking a train to and from the International Airport Station. Given the fee, it may make more sense to arrange for an airport shuttle which cost about the same as a train ride. Making a connection between the two domestic terminals and International Terminal can be a bit of a burden. While Qantas and Virgin Australia offer their passengers a shuttle service to connect between the Domestic and International terminals, this isn't offered to all passengers. Hence you need to pay to take the Airport Link, a T-Bus or a taxi to the other terminal. As for comparing the International Terminal with the domestic terminals, I have to say the domestic terminals are better. They have a more laid back feel like you are travelling through a smaller airport, while the International Terminal is your typical big city airport. I found the check-in process to be quite easy compared to what I am used into in the US. the security screening process is efficient and moves quickly. It is basically the same process as in the US, except you don't need to take off your shoes. Interestingly, my passport and ticket wasn't reviewed at security. Though when I got to the flight gate for my flight to LAX, it was checked before I could enter the departure area. Finally, there is the food. The airport food prices at Sydney Airport are inflated as you would expect. Though it is the location of the food options that is the biggest issue here. In Terminal 2, there is a large food court post-security. But in the International Terminal, the food court is located before security with limited options after customs. Most of the retail in this terminal after customs is set aside for duty-free shops. As a whole, I like Sydney Airport though I prefer the domestic terminals to the International Terminal. What makes the airport great is the location close to Sydney CBD as well as how efficient the airport runs. read more

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Stepping off my plane all bleary eyed... good signage and easy customs routine (well at least for me). Returning a week later, good open spaces, again good signage and a wide selection of shopping, food and beverage choices both before and after customs/security. Folks were very helpful and the airport was really clean. Loved the ease of traveling to & from the airport by the city trains. read more