Connection Advice: US - BNE/MEL/SYD - Hamilton Island
Aug 21, 2017, 9:29 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: Delta SkyMiles Silver Medallion
Posts: 38
Connection Advice: US - BNE/MEL/SYD - Hamilton Island
Hi all, I was hoping to get some advice on choosing a routing for a trip I am looking to book.
I'll be flying LAX to Hamilton Island via Brisbane, Melbourne, or Sydney. At BNE and MEL, the connection is 1h50m. At SYD, the connection is 3.5 hours.
While I'm confident 3.5h at SYD would be sufficient, that option is more expensive. Is 1h50m sufficient to collect checked bags, re-check them, and make my onward flight at either BNE or MEL?
It looks like from BNE there is at least one other flight to Hamilton Island, leaving later in the morning. At either SYD or MEL, it looks like I would be stuck for 24 hours upon missing a connection.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
I'll be flying LAX to Hamilton Island via Brisbane, Melbourne, or Sydney. At BNE and MEL, the connection is 1h50m. At SYD, the connection is 3.5 hours.
While I'm confident 3.5h at SYD would be sufficient, that option is more expensive. Is 1h50m sufficient to collect checked bags, re-check them, and make my onward flight at either BNE or MEL?
It looks like from BNE there is at least one other flight to Hamilton Island, leaving later in the morning. At either SYD or MEL, it looks like I would be stuck for 24 hours upon missing a connection.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Aug 21, 2017, 9:58 pm
#2
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Portland OR Double Emerald (QF and AA), DL PM/MM, Starwood Plat
Posts: 19,589
If on time then all 3 work fine as single-ticket connections. Your risk is primarily flight delays due to medical emergencies and such, which seem to happen surprisingly often this year (maybe due to type of pax flying). BNE would seem the safest choice, and the bus transfer between terminals is usually fast (10 min). MEL has the advantage of being walk from international to domestic. I'd assess 10% risk of missed connection but your guess is as good as mine.
Aug 21, 2017, 11:41 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 6,338
MEL is all one terminal effectively so that is probably no problem. SYD transfers from INt-Dom are a PITA anyway... and if more expensive to boot I know what Id do!
EDIT: being unfamiliar with BNE I'd take number_6's advice actually...
EDIT: being unfamiliar with BNE I'd take number_6's advice actually...
Aug 22, 2017, 12:06 am
#4
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Sydney
Programs: QF Platinum
Posts: 835
If it is on the one ticket then I'd do Brisbane because you have the later flight as backup. Number 6 is right - Brisbane International-Domestic is easy enough. It's not as easy as Melbourne but is much easier than Sydney.
Perhaps others can answer this - if there is a misconnect and the only other flight that day is JQ metal - will QF generally put you on it? If the answer to that is no then you might want to check to see if the later BNE-HTI flight is JQ or QF metal and if it is JQ metal ... then I'd probably go for the SYD option (assuming the price gap isn't huge).
Perhaps others can answer this - if there is a misconnect and the only other flight that day is JQ metal - will QF generally put you on it? If the answer to that is no then you might want to check to see if the later BNE-HTI flight is JQ or QF metal and if it is JQ metal ... then I'd probably go for the SYD option (assuming the price gap isn't huge).
Aug 22, 2017, 7:13 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: Delta SkyMiles Silver Medallion
Posts: 38
Thanks for all the insight! All of the connects are on Qantas or QantasLink, so I think there should be no trouble (assuming availability) with being booked on the next available.
It looks like QF16 (LAX-BNE) rarely, if ever, arrives on time. But with the second connection out there, hopefully the risk would still be minimal.
It looks like QF16 (LAX-BNE) rarely, if ever, arrives on time. But with the second connection out there, hopefully the risk would still be minimal.
Aug 24, 2017, 5:05 am
#7
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: USA
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 525
Also factor in the total flying time for Brisbane is shorter. Melbourne is quite the detour.
The Brisbane plane is usually the inbound from JFK so you can track that flight to see if you are expecting delays that day. If aircraft matter 747 vs A380 that may matter but the seats are the same (and not as nice as the A330s).
The Brisbane plane is usually the inbound from JFK so you can track that flight to see if you are expecting delays that day. If aircraft matter 747 vs A380 that may matter but the seats are the same (and not as nice as the A330s).