Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD)

Sydney (Mascot), AU 🇦🇺 Large International Airport Scheduled Service

ICAO

YSSY

IATA

SYD

Elevation

21 ft

Region

AU-NSW

Local Time

Airport Information

GPS Code: YSSY

Local Code: Not available

Location: -33.946098° N, 151.177002° E

Continent: OC

Type: Large International Airport

Keywords: Kingsford Smith Mascot RAAF Station Mascot

Arrivals

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Departures

View outgoing flights

External Links

Official Website Wikipedia Live Flights

Nearby Points of Interest

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What Travelers Say

AI-Generated Summary Based on web research

Recent traveler experiences at Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) show a mixed but generally improving sentiment, with ongoing upgrades positively impacting some areas while persistent complaints remain in others. Many appreciate recent efficiencies in processing, though some fundamental issues like transportation costs continue to frustrate passengers.

What Travelers Love

Efficient Security: Recent reports from Q1 and Q2 2025 indicate that a high percentage of passengers (over 99% for both international and domestic) clear security in under 10 minutes, reflecting strong operational performance.
Ongoing Upgrades: Significant investments in T1 International security (new CT scanners), T2 Domestic transformation ($200 million redevelopment), and a refresh of T3 Domestic food and beverage offerings are underway, promising tangible improvements to the passenger experience.
Convenient Train Connection to CBD: The Airport Link offers a fast and direct connection to Sydney's city center, often under 25 minutes, making transfers quick and easy.
Clear Wayfinding & Amenities: Terminals are generally described as modern, clean, and well-signed, with a good range of shops, duty-free, dining options, lounges, charging points, and free Wi-Fi available (though connectivity can be spotty).
Improved Immigration: In Q2 2025, 90% of inbound international passengers cleared immigration within 34 minutes, a 15% improvement compared to the previous year.

Common Complaints

Excessively Priced Train Fares: The Airport Link train is frequently criticized for its "exorbitant" surcharge, making it one of the most expensive airport train trips globally. This can be compounded by overcrowding and lack of dedicated luggage space on standard suburban double-decker trains.
Inconsistent Cleanliness: While some areas are clean, many travelers report issues with the cleanliness of restrooms and food courts, describing them as "filthy" or "disgusting."
Rude Staff: Some reviews highlight instances of rude or unhelpful security and airport staff, which detracts from the overall experience.
Congestion and Confusing Layout (International): Despite its 4-star rating, the T1 International terminal can experience congestion around check-in and security areas, and some find the layout, particularly the extensive duty-free maze, confusing.
Immigration Delays and E-gate Issues: Despite official improvements, some travelers in more recent casual reviews still report long queues for e-gates, frequent errors, and a lack of clear guidance, leading to frustration upon arrival.
High Parking Costs: On-site airport parking is widely considered "incredibly expensive."

Overall, Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport is actively working to enhance its passenger experience through significant infrastructure upgrades and improved operational performance, particularly in security and immigration. However, the high cost of airport transportation and occasional cleanliness issues remain recurring points of dissatisfaction for many travelers.

Generated False weeks ago

This summary is automatically generated by AI based on web research of traveler reviews and experiences. AI-generated content may not always be 100% accurate.

Current Weather Conditions

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Airport Routes

Top Routes (by observations)

Newly Discovered

Popular Flight Routes

Building Route Index: We are building our route index for commercial airports. Currently 164 routes are indexed for Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport. For real-time updates, admin access is required.

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Top Airlines

Operating at Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport

Airlines by Flight Activity

Based on observed flight operations and route network

Airline	Routes	Flights	Destinations	Last Activity
Qantas `QFA` / `QF`	37	610	37	Dec 11, 2025
Jetstar `JST` / `JQ`	26	466	26	Dec 11, 2025
Virgin Australia `VOZ` / `VA`	13	278	13	Dec 11, 2025
QantasLink `QLK`	15	92	15	Dec 11, 2025
Regional Express Airlines `RXA` / `ZL`	11	86	11	Dec 11, 2025
QantasLink `QLK` / `QF`	1	59	1	Dec 11, 2025
Emirates `UAE` / `EK`	4	57	4	Dec 9, 2025
Fiji Airways `FJI` / `FJ`	1	39	1	Dec 7, 2025
Skytrans `SKP` / `QN`	1	29	1	Dec 11, 2025
Cathay Pacific `CPA` / `CX`	2	23	2	Dec 10, 2025

Showing top 10 airlines by flight activity. Data includes observed departures and route networks from this airport.

For Pilots

Designation	Length	Width	Surface	Status
`07/25`	8300 ft	148 ft	ASP	Active Lighted
`16L/34R`	7999 ft	148 ft	ASP	Active Lighted
`16R/34L`	12999 ft	148 ft	ASP	Active Lighted

Type	Description	Frequency
APP	APP	`135.1 MHz`
ATIS	ATIS	`115.55 MHz`
CLD	CLNC DEL	`133.8 MHz`
DEP	DEP	`123.0 MHz`
GND	GND	`121.7 MHz`
OPS	RAAF AIR OPS	`1123.5 MHz`
TWR	TWR	`120.5 MHz`

Ident	Name	Type	Frequency
`GLF`	Glenfield	NDB	`428 kHz`
`SY`	Sydney	DME	`112100 kHz`

Ground Transportation

Last updated: Nov 21, 2025

Taxis

Taxis are readily available from supervised ranks outside each terminal (T1, T2, and T3). Ride-sharing services like Uber, Didi, and Ola also operate from dedicated pickup areas. An airport access fee is included in the final fare for all trips leaving the airport.

Rental Cars

Major car rental companies including Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Budget, Thrifty, and Enterprise have service desks located in the arrivals hall of the International (T1) and Domestic (T2/T3) terminals. Vehicles are collected from dedicated parking bays located near the terminals.

Public Transportation

The Airport Link train provides the fastest and most direct connection to the city centre. Stations are located directly at the International (T1) and Domestic (T2/T3) terminals, with services running every 10 minutes during peak times. The trip to Central Station takes approximately 13 minutes. Public buses, such as routes 400 and 420, also service the airport, connecting to surrounding suburbs like Bondi Junction and Burwood.

Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.