Flying from LAX to Sydney was a little more complicated than Gayle and I expected. We first landed…read moreat the International Terminal, then we had to retrieve our luggage, take a bus over to the Domestic Terminal, and then recheck in at Jet Star for our onward flight to Hobart. As we were on a single ticket, we were hoping that our bags would be checked all the way through, as our tags indicated. On top of that, there was a huge line for screen-based check in and drop off at Jet Star, exacerbated by construction at the Arrivals Hall. Maybe we should have booked Quantas leaving out of Domestic Terminal 3? After all that, Security was a breeze and the air side was quite nice. As far as I could tell, JetStar boarding was all Group 1 as we and fellow passengers jostled for position. But it all went relatively quickly and soon we were on our way to Hobart.

Wow this is far from the other terminal! They have a shuttle bus that takes international…read morepassengers to the front door step of this terminal. All the staff seem pretty kind. Mixed reviews for tourists/travelers not everyone is nice on that front. Overall clean and tsa made sense that it flowed decently well for a holiday season!

Gayle and I flew home from the Sydney International Terminal on United to LAX. This International…read moreAirport has the things you expect: multiple check-in-halls, security and immigration lines, duty free, lots of other shops, and the excitement of foreign travel. Yet, the old girl feels a little tired and certainly doesn't have the oomph that Gayle and I have experienced with Istanbul or Singapore. If and when we come back to Australia, it won't be through this airport. Why? The new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) is currently in its final testing and operational readiness phase, with passenger services scheduled to begin in October 2026.

Before traveling to Australia as foreign visitors with eligible passports, we applied for an…read moreelectronic tourist visa through the Australian Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) about 4 months before we departed from Honolulu. We were granted an electronic visa for tourism within 72 hours of our application and excitedly awaited our upcoming travel this March. We were a bit apprehensive about finding our way through Sydney's International Terminal, but were quickly relieved by clear directional signs and quick, easy electronic passport screening. We were impressed with the modern, sleek yet friendly-looking facility, the multiple new electronic security kiosks designed to handle the large number of incoming visitors and returning residents, and the local artwork displays. I must say it took us around 15 minutes from the arrival gate to baggage claim, then to check in and pass through immigration, as we didn't have anything to declare. Once we exited immigration, we met with our driver, who was proudly showing a company placard with our names boldly printed. This was by far the best and most efficient arrival procedures and processing into a foreign country that we have ever encountered. We'd happily return.

I think this must be a very busy airport with some very high income clientele because they had a…read morelarge 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.

I fly to SYD airport about once a year, and every year I go through SYD I noticed something change…read more 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.

Having flown over 2 million miles and been to over 200 airports. Rating the terminal and not the…read moreairline. - Parking is a bit of a walk and expensive. Traffic has improved but can be gridlock at times. - its odd when you enter the terminal from parking you enter at baggage claim and the need to to walk to the end of the terminal and all the way back to enter through security. - The only terminal I've entered and they weighed my carryon before security - security was quick, no need to remove anything from my bag! - A range of shops in the terminal offering a great selection of items. - Qantas has 3 lounges, I've used the Qantas Club and Business Lounge. Both offer decent food options and room - Uber pickup is very convenient directly outside baggage claim. - Bathrooms are decent, clean and modern. Compared to other airports, Can I give it 3.5? I'll round up to 4 as a few areas have improved recently.

Quanta's service counter was super helpful after an eventful morning that left me having to…read morereschedule my flight. The gate attendants were less so... overall a Very average experience, I had expected somewhat better for this airline. I find the boarding process very strange with group 4 and 5 boarding before group 3. I do however like the offerings of the terminal (food/shopping) and the bathrooms were clean.

Not the worst budget terminal I've been to. There's adequate seating and space…read more Gates 52 to 59 currently service Tiger Air (as at Feb '17). Gates 56-59 are at the end of the last travelator and is a dead end. Give yourself a good 15 minutes at regular walking pace from the xraying section to reach here. Facilities at this very end include a screen at each gate showing the next flight out, toilets, Veloce coffee outlet (minor offerings), TV (only ads and info), Jetstar service desk, arrival/departure boards, soft drink machine. Newsagent, internet booths and full service cafe is at the beginning of the terminal, near gate 53.

Airport Link is the Sydney Trains line that connects arriving passengers at Sydney Airport to the…read moreSydney CBD and to the southwest suburbs of Sydney. This airport line is known as T2. It is a convenient way to get to Central Station, in which you can connect to other Sydney Trains lines as well as inter-city train and bus services. This airport line has a stop at the Domestic and International terminals of Sydney Airport. While a couple airlines like 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 taking Airport Link would be one option to use if you need to make an airport terminal transfer. The trip takes 2 minutes and there is frequent train service on this line. The airport trains are interesting as they are triple decker. The entrance is located on the second level which has limited seating. This level consists of seating for seniors and disabled passengers. Lower and upper levels is where the general seating is located and with varying numbers of seats. Some rows are three seaters. While these trains are clean, they aren't the most passenger friendly for airport travelers. The general seating areas don't have much space between them. So if you have large pieces of luggage, they may not fit. In that case, you might be better off standing on the second level. I wouldn't recommend taking this service if you have multiple pieces of luggage and would suggest an airport shuttle or taxi instead. I took this line several times to and from Sydney Airport and like the convenience and frequency of services. The train ride doesn't take very long to reach Sydney CBD as it is only about 15 minutes long perhaps. Though the reason for the three stars is for the pricing. Like the airports in Chicago and Vancouver, Sydney charges a station access fee (aka surcharge) on top of the standard fare. But unlike in those cities in which you can buy day passes to avoid the charge, it isn't possible in Sydney. And the surcharge is quite high as it tacks on an additional $13.40 on each fare. This access fee is limited to traveling from and arriving at the Domestic and International Airport stations. So you wouldn't be subject to the charge if you decide to take the train from the next station, Mascot Station to Sydney CBD and vice versa. If you are traveling light and don't mind paying the station access fee, taking Airport Link to the airport is a quick and easy way to get there. However the pricing for an airport shuttle is pretty comparable to taking Airport Link, so that would be a better choice for someone with a lot of luggage or if you are not located close to one of the stations on this line.

This train station was great! Accessing the trains are easy, as you don't need to get a train card…read moreand add money to it. Just tap a card or a phone payment app to get in and out of the train platform areas. Then it was super easy to figure out what platform would lead you to your train. Trains came reliably on time and I was able to get around to the rest of Sydney with no problem. Highly recommend.

It's a faster method of getting from domestic to the international terminal. You have to touch a…read morephysical pass or your credit card to access the train station once you enter the area from the domestic terminal. The waiting area has a screen, informing when the next trains are scheduled to arrive. The track area is even well maintained and looks pristine. It's 7 AUD to take this vs. the free shuttle bus that is crowded and the wait can be longer.

Over the years I have reviewed this airport and all the same issues still exist…read more Charging stations.... Where are they near the gates The PA system is so muffled that you have to strain to hear it I appreciate the airports proximity to the city and how easy it is to reach city centre

Far more organized than some of the other airports I've been to. The lines move quickly and there…read moreare plenty of shops for souvinirs and snacking.