Cheap Flights to Australia

Australia is a huge country, so the first thing to do after you’ve decided to visit is choose the airport you’ll fly into. Most travelers end up in either Melbourne or Sydney, but your choices don’t end there.

Airports in Australia

The biggest airport in Australia is Sydney (Kingsford Smith) International Airport.

The second-largest airport in Australia is Melbourne Airport.

Brisbane Airport is in a suburb of the Queensland capital, and a handy stop-over point between Sydney and Byron Bay in the South and Cairns in the North.

The Perth Airport is the main airport serving the large state of Western Australia.

Adelaide International Airport (airport code ADL) sits about eight km from the city center of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. It’s only a short hop to fly to Melbourne, so Adelaide could be a good choice for an entry point if you find a great deal on airfare. The airlines serving Adelaide are listed here, and flight information can be found here. Your shopping and dining choices are here. If you need to store your luggage, there are lockers available in three different sizes. Free wireless access is available throughout the terminal. You can plan your ground transportation here (car rental is available at the airport, but the rental companies aren’t listed on the airport’s website). Want to see the planes coming and going? That’s no problem with Adelaide’s webcam. Be sure to see what airfare deals are available to Adelaide, and where to stay and what to do once you get there.

Alice Springs Airport (airport code ASP) is smack dab in the middle of the country, 14 km from the city of Alice Springs. It’s a small regional airport serving primarily domestic trips, but it’s the closest one to Uluru (AKA Ayers Rock), so is popular with visitors. If you’re landing in Alice Springs, you’ll be on one of these carriers. There are Internet access machines in the terminal near the restaurant entrance, and there’s a fee for their use. Need a little freshening up after your long flight? There are showers available in the airport. A complete list of airport facilities, including dining and shopping options, is here and a terminal map is here. Your car rental options are here, shuttle bus information here and the taxi service phone number is here. You’ll find airfare deals to Alice Springs here and information on what to do and where to stay here.

Cairns International Airport (airport code CNS) is located in northern Queensland, seven kilometers from the Cairns city center. It’s a major port for Qantas. Cairns’ biggest draw is probably its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef and the nearby tropical rainforests. A list of airlines serving Cairns is here, and flight information is here. A list of services available in the international terminal is here, including baggage storage and currency exchange. Domestic terminal information is here and maps of both terminals are here. You’ll find shopping and dining options for the international terminal, and shopping and dining in the domestic terminal. Ground transportation options are listed here. You can search for deals on airfare to Cairns here, and read up on what to do and where to stay here.

Darwin International Airport (airport code DRW) serves the city of Darwin, the capital of Northern Territory, and sits 13 km from the city center. Darwin might be a small town, but its airport is a major jumping-off point for SE Asian destinations like Singapore and Bali. Domestic airlines serving Darwin are here and International airlines here. You can find flight information for arrivals here and departures here. A complete list of airport facilities, including wireless access, dining and shopping options, showers, a public viewing deck and something called “amusement machines,” is here. For ground transportation, Darwin offers these car rental choices, taxis and one shuttle bus. See the terminal map for locations. Airfare deals to Darwin can be found here, and sightseeing and accommodations options here.

Hobart International Airport (airport code HBA) is the main airport for Tasmania. Because of its rural setting, the airport isn’t required to have a curfew and can operate 24 hours a day. Visitors to Tasmania usually come for the outdoor and nature activities, although Hobart is a bustling little capital city. The airport hasn’t had international service for some time, so you’ll be getting to Hobart via a mainland Australian airport first. The airlines serving Hobart are listed here and you can access flight information at those carriers’ websites. There is wireless access throughout the terminal, and all the facilities are listed here. Starting in 2008, you’ll be able to spend more of your hard-earned money at a Direct Factory Outlets mall at the airport - the plan is that it will be the largest of its kind anywhere in Australia. There’s an overview of the airport area here, including a terminal map. The car rental companies offering service from Hobart are listed here, and your other ground transportation options are here. You’ll find airfare deals to Hobart here, and you can research the things to see and places to stay here.

More Information on Australia

Australia has nearly the same land mass as the 48 contiguous United States, but with far fewer people - and it’s the only country in the world to occupy an entire continent. With so much land, there’s bound to be something for everyone who visits Australia, whether it’s highly urban settings like Melbourne and Sydney, the desert outback which covers much of the interior of the country, or the killer beaches and surfing opportunities that ring basically the entire continent. The Great Barrier Reef is off Australia’s northeast coast, and the nature-lover’s island of Tasmania lies off the southeast tip of the country. For more information about visiting Australia, please see our Australia Travel Logue.