Using Adelaide as an International transit point

10 replies

aniljak

Member since 15 Sep 2012

Total posts 99

How easy is it to transfer from domestic flight to International flight in Adelaide and vice versa?
Was wondering if people have been using Adelaide as an International transit point rather than Sydney or Melbourne to avoid the delays at Immigration and Customs. Now that more airlines are using the more popular A350 to Adelaide, are people from places like Canberra and Hobart chosing Adelaide as international gateway instead of 777s or A380s from Sydney or Melbourne?

airADL

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 25 Mar 2014

Total posts 214

Transfer wise it is all the same terminal so very easy and small there is no line ups to go through customs. Automated gates at customs. Secondary screening as per normal due to the transit bit ver relaxing compared to the bigger hubs.


drsimon50

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 10 Oct 2013

Total posts 81

what an interesting question - and to be honest hilarious if you are from adelaide - as it has to be the easiest transfer i could think of. i have never done an international transfer in adelaide but international is part of the domestic terminal and therefore easy to go between the 2 (arrivals is downstairs so up an escalator and you are at checkin for the next flight)

Theresnormissin

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 14 Oct 2016

Total posts 159

It is very easy to transfer from Domestic to international. Especially if you are traveling on one ticket and do not need to transfer your bags by yourself. The international departures are from Gates 16 - 20 within the domestic terminal. These gates are closed off and opened throughout the day to make a mini-international departure area as needed. The passport control and security screen are from a single point at the entry to the temporary departure lounge (Similar to what you find at singapore airport prior to entering the departure area for a flight) I'd say absolute max. time from existing a plane at farthest gates to the security point would be 10 minutes unless you have mobility issues. The lines are generally not too bad as it is only a couple of flights departing at any one time. My checked luggage often beats me to the carousel on qantas (I can't speak to virgin but it has slightly longer to travel) from the baggage claim it is 5 minutes to navigate from the arrival area to the check in area so it is all rather painless.


Doing the reverse is also relatively painless, beyond having to deal with the general hassle of inbound customs, though a friend who travels hand luggage only is routinely in to terminal in about 5-10 minutes from stepping off the plane.

I've not flown Singapore Ex. Adelaide so I cannot speak to the quality of their small Silver-Kris Flyer lounge. The Qantas and Virgin lounges are okay but as they are domestic grade they are not at the level you'd expect from a proper international business lounge and they lag far behind the first lounges you get in Melbourne and Sydney (which is something I value as part of my flying experience, though not if there is a large saving to be had flying via my hometown)

Last editedby Theresnormissin at Mar 19, 2019, 04:43 PM.

Chris C.

Member since 24 Apr 2012

Total posts 1,116

The transit experience is easy as you don't even need to complete a full security check again. Yes, there's an international checkpoint inside the secure domestic departures area, but the X-ray is just looking for prohibited liquids, with passengers selected for a body scan at random and as available (much the same as at any other Australian international airport, just that you've already gone through a metal detector) - same as at the Gold Coast.

Only downside is the lack of international lounges, with only Singapore Airlines having one (and it's nothing swanky). There's a slight advantage for Chairman's Lounge members in that it provides an otherwise-rare chance to use a Chairman's Lounge directly before an international flight (as opposed to a Qantas First Lounge or other lounge in an international terminal), but that's about it.

Brassy

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

Member since 15 Apr 2016

Total posts 36

It could not be easier. Lounge access airside of international is probably the only downside, as Chris indicated. That being said, you could very easily clear international during boarding call without a problem. The international terminal at ADL is created by manouvering a couple of glass sliding doors and brushing some koalas out of the road (damned things are everywhere here). You could walk the length of adl terminal in 10 minutes.

Coopers bar is always good if you don’t have lounge access and there’s a cracking kid’s playground in domestic if you (or the young ‘uns) need to kill some time. They has a good slide.
Oh and there’s still no beer on tap in the VA lounge.

Last editedby Chris C. at Mar 21, 2019, 10:26 AM.

Red Cee

Member since 15 Feb 2018

Total posts 151

Would be nice if Qantas used ADL to SIN and AKL.

plad

Singapore Airlines - The PPS Club

Member since 16 Jun 2017

Total posts 59

Why would any one want to transit here, especially coming into ADL internationally. There is only one baggage carousel so if SQ or MH or any of the others that fly here are late or early its chaos. Even flying out, why would you have an extra flight when MEL and SYD have so many more options

plad

Singapore Airlines - The PPS Club

Member since 16 Jun 2017

Total posts 59

Oh, and that VA lounge has more the feel or a truckies cafeteria than a lounge

airADL

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 25 Mar 2014

Total posts 214

It may have one carousel but it beats customs in MEL and SYD by a million miles.

God it is embarrassing flying into those hubs.

Once the terminal expansion is done I am sure there will be more carosuels, more shopping, a new VA lounge may even have Tap beer for you.

Last editedby airADL at Mar 20, 2019, 05:04 PM.

SimonFrost

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 10 Jul 2013

Total posts 70

Would be nice if Qantas used ADL to SIN and AKL.

Indeed! So disappointing when QF pulled out of flying internationally out of ADL. I wrote to Alan Joyce (and actually got a response) about it! It was when QF started it’s EK alliance. As an Adelaide resident and a QF fanboy it is a pain to have to tack on a flight to the east coast every time we want to go somewhere.... bring back at least an A330 to SIN or HKG (and AKL)!

Last editedby Chris C. at Mar 21, 2019, 10:26 AM.

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