How to get to Australia: airports, flights and border crossings

Use this as a starting point, then check current fares and visa rules for your passport before booking.

Pick your gateway first, because domestic flights inside Australia are a big part of the cost. Sydney suits a first east-coast trip: harbour, beaches and the Blue Mountains within two hours. Melbourne suits Victoria and the Great Ocean Road. Cairns is the reef and Daintree. Perth is the west, and it is a long way from everything else — do not add it to a two-week east-coast trip.

Book international flights 2–4 months ahead for the best fares, and earlier for December–January. Compare one-stop routes through Singapore, Dubai, Doha, Auckland or Los Angeles; they often cost less than nonstop and add 3–8 hours. Check whether your ticket includes a checked bag, since some low-cost legs charge separately.

Sort your visa before you book. Most visitors use an ETA or eVisitor, applied online, but eligibility depends on nationality and some passports need a full visa. Apply at least a few days ahead; approval is usually quick but not instant.

On arrival you clear immigration, collect bags and pass biosecurity. Australia is strict about food, plants, wood, soil and some medicines. Declare anything you are unsure about on the incoming passenger card — undeclared items carry fines. Domestic connections after an international arrival need a separate terminal transfer at Sydney and Melbourne, so leave 3 hours or more.

There are no land borders. The only ways in are by air or by sea, on a cruise ship or private yacht. Cruise arrivals use the same visa and biosecurity rules, and some smaller ports have limited facilities.

Flight times are long from Europe and North America, so plan the first day as a rest day. Jet lag from the US west coast is mild; from the UK and Europe it runs the other way and takes 2–3 days to settle.

Baggage rules differ between international and domestic legs, and low-cost domestic carriers charge for checked bags. If you are connecting on separate tickets, a delay on the first flight is your problem, not the airline's — build in a buffer or book one ticket.

Cruise and yacht arrivals must clear customs and biosecurity at a port of entry; not every small harbour handles international arrivals. Check with the operator before booking.