Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - After landing in Australia - stay one night in Sydney or go on to Brisbane?

We will be arriving from Canada in Sydney on Air Canada in the morning (soon after 8 AM). We will later in our 2.5 week trip be staying in Sydney for 1 week.

During the first week, we will be staying 3 nights at the Gold Coast and then 3 nights at Cairns/Port Douglas.

Just before flying to Queensland from Sydney for those 6 nights, we have the option of staying in Sydney for 1 night, or going to Brisbane the same day we arrive in Australia, and staying there for 1 night. The next 3 nights we would stay at the Surfer's Paraidse Resort located on the Gold Coast.

The advantage I see in staying in Sydney is that we do not have to wait at the airport and fly anymore - having flown (on 3 previous flights - 2 wholly within Canada) for about 24 hours (including connection times). On a previous thread, I was told that there are no showers at the Sydney airport (we would prefer to shower, soon after arriving in Sydney) - if we were able to check into a hotel room without waiting - that issue would be dealt with (see below). I am a Priority Club (Lounge) member - but there are 3 of us in our party (myself, my wife, our 13 yr old daughter) - the Priority club booklet says that only 2 people can go to that lounge (I have no status with any OW airlines - but I am flying QF within Australia - on a combined AC/QF ticket).

The disadvantage in staying in Sydney is that I am sure that no hotel will check us in that early in the morning? (are there any good airport hotels - which have shuttle service to the airport).

Maybe I missed the obvious, but why not just go straight to the Gold Coast?

IMHO, you'll arrive in Sydney, will be jet lagged, will spend time going into Sydney, have to consider what hotel you could stay at and when they'll let you check-in, you'll walk around Sydney jet lagged, go to sleep, and then have to haul yourself back out to the airport the next day.

If you weren't going to be seeing Sydney for a week then we could debate the merits of going to the city for just one day. BNE/OOL is a short flight from SYD. I would reckon that by the time you could check into a Sydney hotel, you could very well be at reception of the hotel in OOL--and the next day you won't have to schlep out to the airport.

This seems like a no-brainer to me. There is very little to be gained by staying in Sydney for one night and the hassles (not being able to check into your hotel in the morning + major jet lag) do not outweigh any benefits you might realize. My recommendation would be to keep going and perhaps grab a little more sleep on the next flight.

we were able to check into both The 4 Points and Hyatt at 8am on our recent trip

We did have top status with both and there were plenty of others doing the same, w/o stauts too.(different lines)

I believe the Hotels are fully aware that the flights from NA arrive 6am and as long as they werent full the night before have no problems letting you into the room early

That said I also would say fly thru to your 1st destination especially since you will be staying in SYD later on in your trip. By the time you get to BNE all youd want to do is shower and sleep and probably get very little done in the way of checking out the town

I am therefore thinking of going on to Brisbane, checking in a hotel there, napping for a couple of hours, and then seeing whatever we can of the city.
We would go to the Gold Coast, well-rested, the next day (I do not plan to do any driving for 1hr+?), in my jet-lagged state, from Brisbane to the Gold Coast.

We would go to the Gold Coast, well-rested, the next day (I do not plan to do any driving for 1hr+?), in my jet-lagged state, from Brisbane to the Gold Coast.

Why not just, as another poster suggested, fly directly to the Gold Coast?

Why not just, as another poster suggested, fly directly to the Gold Coast?

I am on a combined Air Canada/Qantas ticket. This ticket charges me (for certain flights within Australia) maybe US$200 (including taxes and fees) extra for flights between Sydney, Brisbane, and Cairns (on top of the basic fare between Canada and Sydney). This combined ticket does not allow to go to any other Australian airports, including the Gold Coast airport. If I went to the Gold Coast, I would need a separate ticket - (by the way, AC/QF do have a combined ticket to the Gold Coast airport, but the only other allowable stop is Sydney - and not Cairns).

I am on a combined Air Canada/Qantas ticket. This ticket charges me (for certain flights within Australia) maybe US$200 (including taxes and fees) extra for flights between Sydney, Brisbane, and Cairns (on top of the basic fare between Canada and Sydney). This combined ticket does not allow to go to any other Australian airports, including the Gold Coast airport. If I went to the Gold Coast, I would need a separate ticket - (by the way, AC/QF do have a combined ticket to the Gold Coast airport, but the only other allowable stop is Sydney - and not Cairns).

A ticket to the GC from Sydney would be well under US$200.

A ticket to the GC from Sydney would be well under US$200.

Very much so. I agree with the others that have posted - with jetstar/virgin blue you can get to the gold coast directly for about $75 AUD (roughly $60USD)

Very much so. I agree with the others that have posted - with jetstar/virgin blue you can get to the gold coast directly for about $75 AUD (roughly $60USD)

The rate of US$200 covers our flights from Sydney to Brisbane, Brisbane to Cairns, and Cairns back to Sydney.

I also want a glimpse of Brisbane - even though most on this forum do not think there is much to see in that city?

PS-What are the driving distances and driving times between the Brisbane airport and Brisbane City Centre, Brisbane City Centre and the centre of the Gold Coast, and the centre of the Gold Coast and back to the Brisbane airport?

The rate of US$200 covers our flights from Sydney to Brisbane, Brisbane to Cairns, and Cairns back to Sydney.

I also want a glimpse of Brisbane - even though most on this forum do not think there is much to see in that city?

PS-What are the driving distances and driving times between the Brisbane airport and Brisbane City Centre, Brisbane City Centre and the centre of the Gold Coast, and the centre of the Gold Coast and back to the Brisbane airport?

Unless your really intent on seeing Brisbane then I would just get to your hotel on the GC. It's about 1:15 from the airport to the Gold Coast and about 35 mins to Brisbane. It just seems a bit of a waste after travelling 24 hours to stop 40 minutes from your destination.

Very much so. I agree with the others that have posted - with jetstar/virgin blue you can get to the gold coast directly for about $75 AUD (roughly $60USD)

But the OP wont have the protection of a single ticket in the event of an unexpected delay.

If he can get a single ticket to BNE, I would do as he said he would like to do in post #5.


Evan :->

Can I offer a rather drastic suggestion to stay in Sydney for a few nights instead of going to the Gold Coast, skip Gold Coast and Brisbane altogether and go up to Cairns/Port Douglas straight after Sydney?

Very much so. I agree with the others that have posted - with jetstar/virgin blue you can get to the gold coast directly for about $75 AUD (roughly $60USD)

yup... check the happy hour fares on Virgin Blue

I'm going to Gold Coast next week for AU $100 round trip. (no luggage)