magnitude

We're flying economy from LAX to SYD. Then catching another flight to PER that departs 2 hours and 15 minutes later. We're all US citizens. Is that enough time to clear customs, go the the domestic terminal and check bags in to Perth?

og

Is it all on 1 QF ticket? If YES then no worries - you'll certainly be put on a later flight to PER if you miss the connection. If NO then you should be OK but not guaranteed.

Which class are you flying LAX-SYD? If up front then you have a 15 min advantage over those down the very back. If up front you can get an Express Pass (fast track) for immigration and customs. If down the back, you will wait longer as the clock ticks ..

You will have to clear customs and recheck bags in SYD regardless. If on QF, you can get the free terminal transfer bus from T1 to T3. You will recheck bags before getting on the terminal transfer bus.

If on different tickets and different airlines, then I'd say the risk is very high that you won't have enough time if your inbound to SYD is late.

jridge

Just to add, assuming it is a QF-QF connection, there is (or at least was) a cutoff of 40 minutes for the transfer bag drop.

Note also that if you have the "E-passports", U.S. citizens can now use SmartGate, https://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-s...1smartgate.htm, which would mean that bag claim/customs is the most likely point of delay.

So in essence you've got 95 mins from the time the flight is scheduled to land until bags are dropped in T1. Conclusion from og is agreed - if it is QF-QF then don't worry; if to another carrier then you're fairly reliant on everything being on time.

AustralianPoochie

It also depends on what time your flight gets into SYDi.
Immigration can be very busy, but its good not that US passport holders can get to use Smartgate, there are many of those machines.
Quite easy to use, all the question I got was, on my return from AKL last Thu night, was "have you been to an area with Yellow Fever", press no, and thats it.
Getting first off the plane, might not mean you are first to the immi section.
Read up on Smart gate, ...
Push your passport, data selfie page hard into the reader, as far as it will go.
It will scan the photo on data page.
Ask the Q as I mentioned above. It might ask other questions, ...
Take passport out, take along the small hard paper receipt.
Go to auto gate, face front, enter hard paper ticket into reader, face forward photo taken, and then the receipt gets returned to you, you need it for one more step.
Collect bags.
At the last stage, you might or might not get chatted with, exit hall, if they say go a certain way, I won't mention the lane #, but if they take your receipt and the incoming pax card, go straight out.
Veer right, its a very long walk from the int terminal to the transfer bus, but no fuss.
Get your bags scanned by dom security at the int terminal to get to the bus waiting zone.
Bus is pretty smallish, can be chockers full.
Bus will take you to near gate 15/16 of the QF T2 dom terminal.
My AKL flight touched down at 5.30pm, I was across at the QFd terminal at 6.30pm, for my 8.10pm flight to ADL 17/07.
Had some time in the QP as well.
Try to have hand luggage only, if you can. Hard as it is/would be, depending on what sort of trip this one is.

AustralianPoochie

They are in Y, they said, so maybe do online check in, and try to get seats up ahead, if its a 380, hopefully, downstairs, and as I mentioned, pack less, pack light.
I like that one way plastic bag thing, you fold the bag and air gets expressed out one way valve...
Making the bag lighter.
Hopefully OP comes back with more info.

vbroucek

On one ticket, OK. On two tickets, I would never ever attempt to do it in SYD...

Agree, see above...

Hmmm. I wonder if you read the OP's post...

As I said, I would not attempt to do it on two tickets... Actually, I would not even attempt it if on one ticket and doing QF-VA connection...

og

Humble apologies for asking such a question.

In any case, my point being that if the OP is seated near the primary exit, then they have a significant time advantage over those who are seated at the most remote point.

BD1959

Hi magnitude,

Welcome to the QF Board.

As others have said, there's a fairly good chance that you may not make a 2:15 connection, especially if you're arriving on QF12 in the early morning peak.

If you do not have OW status, regardless of ability to use the smartgates, chances are you'll get snarled at the bag-drop. HOWEVER, the staff there are great and with considerable authority on re-booking onward flights - assuming the connection is covered on the one ticket; there are various opinions whether you'd be as protected on separated tickets; suggest good travel insurance in this instance.

There is no official priority boarding with the Bus Transfers - either with status or COS. Again, queues here can be quite long. Regardless, even if you miss the connecting flight due to the bus, the staff at the service desks in the Domestic Terminal (again, assuming no OW status to access Lounges) will be able to get you rebooked onto the next available - if you do have Lounge Access, the service desks at the Lounge Entrance will get you sorted; there'll be no wait-listing at the Gates as you find in the US.

Regards,

BD

magnitude

Sorry about the delayed response.

The flight is on one QF ticket. It's the QF108 arriving 7:55 am in Sydney, then the flight to Perth departs at 10:10 am (QF581).

I was recently able to upgrade one of the tickets to 1st class. So one of us will be in 1st class, the other two in economy. We're only checking in one bag.


Also, I don't have status with Qantas, but I am an Admiral Clubs member. Would that be beneficial at SYD airport?

BD1959

If you want to run the Side Door Roulette at Customs, don't pack any food, animal products, illegal substances, firearms and keep away from farms for 2 weeks prior to departure - then correctly declare such on your Immigration Form. If it's busy in the carousel area look for a roving Customs Officer and make a beeline for them. Chances are they *may* view your card, ask a couple of questions and guide you to a door which precludes you queuing for bag x-ray or examination.

According to the AA Website you will have access to the Qantas Club in Domestic. I don't believe you'll have priority Check-in in at the Transfer Desks - as you would with QC.

I'm not sure what your guesting rights are (for your 2 companions) but QF are fairly good at not counting children as guests.

Regards,

BD

AustralianPoochie

One if F, the rest in Y?
Oh, bugger, bugga!
This means that one will have to wait for the other 2.
I would have said, to keep 3 travelling together, so not a chance of one getting lost and having to wait, or missing the other.
7.55am is very busy, because the SQ and MH flights come in too, at that time.
Best of luck.
Try to use Smartgate, the non Aust queue will snake very very very long, at that time of the morning.

Kiwi Flyer

Smartgate is not available if one of the travellers is under 18.