Sydney Airport has the slowest complimentary WiFi service of any major Australian airport, according to research published this week by Ookla: the company behind the popular Speedtest website and app.
Using data taken from 5,492 individual speed tests performed across airports in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and the Gold Coast, Sydney’s connection performed the worst, with average download speeds of 3.18Mbps and uploads clocking in at 3.31Mbps.
Adelaide Airport’s free WiFi service wasn’t much better, with average downloads of 4.87Mbps and uploads of 4.86Mbps, while Gold Coast Airport took top honours in Australia thanks to downloads averaging a much beefier 80.73Mbps and uploads 70.37Mbps.
Not only are Gold Coast Airport’s average downloads speeds the best of any major Australian airport – and over 25 times faster than those of Sydney Airport – they’re the fastest measured of any major airport in the world, according to Ookla.
Speeds at Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth airports proved acceptable, with downloads averaging 21.22-61.67Mbps and uploads 33.3-60.08Mbps across each airport’s public connection, although in most cases, travellers could find even faster speeds by using their own mobile service.
At Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide airports, average download speeds enjoyed by mobile users trumped the typical WiFi speeds of each airport, with WiFi only faster than cellular data at Perth Airport and Gold Coast Airport:
Typical Internet access speeds in airline lounges weren’t provided by Ookla or incorporated into the figures above: only speeds measured via the main complimentary WiFi service at each airport.
Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
30 May 2011
Total posts 37
good to know someone has data on this! Some gratitude for slow wifi is needed. I was on dialup until 2007.
Singapore Airlines - The PPS Club
11 Jul 2014
Total posts 51
I believe the Singapore Airline lounge in Sydney is even slower than the terminal wifi! I just use my phone these days and create a personal hotspot for my laptop and tablet
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 Jun 2014
Total posts 37
That'd be right. I live in Sydney and visit Adelaide monthly. Caught at both ends, Makes Qantas Club WiFi seem acceptable.
25 Feb 2013
Total posts 61
The complimentary SYD wifi isn't even the slowest wifi at SYD airport, that honour belongs to the Virgin lounge wifi
06 Jul 2017
Total posts 18
Chris, you should try the wifi at Virgin Lounge. I swear you need a sage like patience and will-power not to smash your own phone/ipad.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum
07 Feb 2013
Total posts 548
+1 I have given up even trying any more
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Feb 2015
Total posts 388
I have to say BNE international WiFi seems to work great whenever I have used it. I think they have a commercial agreement with Optus whcih is advertised on the dispaly screens throughout the terminal.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
19 Feb 2014
Total posts 439
I've always found that the Perth Airport free wifi is fantastic, although the lounges wifi's are generally dreadful.
24 Apr 2017
Total posts 80
Doesn't surprise me in the least. Its run by Optus isn't it?
10 Jul 2017
Total posts 2
Typical Sydney Airport Corporation behaviour. They stopped caring about the passengers that allow them to exist a long time ago. The whole operation is designed to gouge us at every step of the way. Pathetic!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Jul 2016
Total posts 3
Singapore Airlines Lounge wifi is a joke, Qantas Lounge is not too bad but I feel sorry for Overseas visitors in Sydney Airport they must think they are in a third world country
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1029
At least it works?
The wifi at the BNE international QF lounge refused to connect to the internet when I was there about 5 weeks ago.
VA
17 Apr 2014
Total posts 10
I gave up on "free" wifi. There is always a cost involved, be it slow speeds, ad injection, surveillance or a mix of the 3. It is almost impossible to identify a hostile access point until it is too late. I tether my phone. The speed is usually better than the free wifi. When overseas I use a VPN to appear as though I'm in Australia and avoid any local restrictions on internet use.
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