Flying into Sydney one day with a morning flight the next day

Hi all,

Just trying to figure out what would make the most sense. We are tentatlvely booked on a flight (Vancouver to Sydney) but our final destination is Auckland. We are looking to stay the night in Sydney and then fly out the next day. Would you recommend booking a hotel near the airport in this case or is it better to book one downtown? I don't have a good sense of distance but I'm thinking that we will be quite tired when we get in and am not sure how much we'll feel like sightseeing though we would have half day free to do so?

Of course we wanted to fly to Auckland direct but unfortunately couldn't get the seats using our frequent flyer points so this was a compromise. It feels like a waste staying near the airport when we could be using our precious time in the city...thoughts and suggestions are very welcome!

With thanks...

What time is your flight to Auckland?

Airport to downtown is about 25 minutes, via car, less via subway. So depending on how early your flight is to Auckland, you could easily stay downtown. Plus, most flights from North America arrive before 8am, so you really have a full day.

If this were me I would treat this from a hotel check in time point of view.

Assuming an early / mid morning arrival ???; if I could find an airport hotel where I could confirm / buy an early check in I would take it.

Airport hotels are often set up to provide this service.

If you're at airport it's easy.

Check in, freshen up, go into town without luggage.

If in town an early check in is more luck of the draw.

If you miss out, at least you can drop your bags and wander the rocks area.

thank you both! That's very helpful. Our flight is at 9:45 the next morning. I like the idea of staying near the airport and then going into town once we've checked in! It seems like having the best of both worlds - I just hope that I won't want to take a nap as soon as I see a comfy bed - I've heard from others who have done the trip how exhausting it is!!

When we were flying to South America last year we stayed at the Rydges Hotel right at the International terminal. We found the hotel was really nice and it was great to be able to walk out of the hotel and straight into the terminal.

I'm not sure about the early check in facilities but it's certainly worth considering this hotel as it would save time and stress in making sure you arrive at the terminal next morning. If you stay in the city you would be travelling to the airport at peak hours. As someone who used to live in Sydney and travel to the domestic airport frequently, the traffic can be a nightmare.

If you stay at the airport hotel it's not far to travel to the city (about 8kms), so you can enjoy some time around the harbour.

Airport for me.

Even if you can't check in early at the airport hotel, it will probably be possible to leave your luggage there, go into town and look round, then come back to the hotel much later in the day, to check in.

For convenience the following morning, it would be easier to stay overnight at a hotel near the airport.

When we were flying to South America last year we stayed at the Rydges Hotel right at the International terminal. We found the hotel was really nice and it was great to be able to walk out of the hotel and straight into the terminal.

One question would probably illustrate this if you pick some other "airport" hotel: once you've transferred there and checked-in, how are you going to get into town and how long would it take you?

thank you both! That's very helpful. Our flight is at 9:45 the next morning. I like the idea of staying near the airport and then going into town once we've checked in! It seems like having the best of both worlds - I just hope that I won't want to take a nap as soon as I see a comfy bed - I've heard from others who have done the trip how exhausting it is!!

I would recommend an airport hotel, with free shuttle, as check in for an international flight will be 7.45 am. You may find you just want to sleep after the long flight, but you still have the choice to go in to the city from the airport hotel, if you wish.

You actually don't need an airport shuttle if you stay at the hotel mentioned in my post above as it is right at the International terminal. All you need to do is walk out of the hotel and then walk about 50 metres and you are in the terminal. There's no hassles getting there for an early check in.

You would only need a shuttle if you stayed at one of the hotels closer to the domestic terminal but I assume the OP is arriving at the international terminal so there wouldn't be much point in then going over to the hotels closer to the domestic terminal.

We loved the convenience of staying right at the terminal and wouldn't hesitate to do it again even if our flight wasn't early in the morning.

You actually don't need an airport shuttle if you stay at the hotel mentioned in my post above as it is right at the International terminal. All you need to do is walk out of the hotel and then walk about 50 metres and you are in the terminal.

A problem doing this is that you essentially waste the whole day on the flight. Unless you get a super early flight out of SYD you will be arriving into AKL at the end of the day. The flight time plus the time zone change kills the day.

A problem doing this is that you essentially waste the whole day on the flight. Unless you get a super early flight out of SYD you will be arriving into AKL at the end of the day. The flight time plus the time zone change kills the day.

If they arrive in Sydney mid-morning and then take a 9.45 am flight to Auckland the next day, they'll get to Auckland at about 3 pm after having had almost 24 hours in Sydney.

So the difference really is between having those 24 hours in Sydney as a break, or in Auckland after doing all of the travel in one hit.

This is the only "airport" hotel that I think would make sense for the OP's plan. The difference between transferring to/from any other "airport" hotel and transferring to/from a hotel in central Sydney is relatively small, and IMHO more than made up for by the convenience of a hotel location in town.

 

One question would probably illustrate this if you pick some other "airport" hotel: once you've transferred there and checked-in, how are you going to get into town and how long would it take you?

Leave your luggage at Rydges at the International Airport (check in on your return) and then take the train into the city. Train takes about 15 minutes only and they are frequent. Price is about $14 one way, but only because of the train station fee (it's privately owned by the airport operator). A taxi to Cicular Quay is around $40. As you have to check onto the international flight in the morning at least two hours before departure, it's easier to walk across the road than battle traffic from the city (plus you don't have to get up as early). We always overnight at Rydges.

P.S. QANTAS isn’t a word, it's an acronym. Queensland IS spelled with a "u".

P.S. QANTAS isn’t a word, it's an acronym. Queensland IS spelled with a "u".

At any rate, I think everyone can agree that neither "QANTAS" nor "Qantas" are spelt with a "u".

Leave your luggage at Rydges at the International Airport (check in on your return) and then take the train into the city. Train takes about 15 minutes only and they are frequent. Price is about $14 one way, but only because of the train station fee (it's privately owned by the airport operator). A taxi to Cicular Quay is around $40. As you have to check onto the international flight in the morning at least two hours before departure, it's easier to walk across the road than battle traffic from the city (plus you don't have to get up as early). We always overnight at Rydges.

 

P.S. QANTAS isn’t a word, it's an acronym. Queensland IS spelled with a "u".

I agree with this plan. I have stayed at the Rydges at the International Airport. It's a piece of cake to get to, pretty nice, and super convenient for early morning flights. The food was pretty good there, too. I would check-in at the Rydges hotel at the International airport upon arrival, or at least, drop off all my bags there, and then take the train to Circular Quay, and enjoy the half day in the Rocks neighborhood or around the harbor.