The Three Sydney Airport Terminals
Sydney International Airport has three terminal buildings. Terminal 1 (T1) is the building dedicated to international flights, whereas the other two terminals (T2 and T3) handle flights from and to domestic and regional destinations. While the two domestic terminals are to be found close to each other, linked via a passageway, a runway separates the domestic terminals from T1. Thus, passengers can’t walk their way from the international to the domestic terminals and vice versa.
Sydney Airport Terminal 1
Sydney Kingsford Smith airport terminal 1 (T1) is the one handling international flights. It was built in 1970. However, it underwent numerous expansions and renovations from its construction. It lies on the northwest side of SYD Airport and is the biggest terminal of the complex. It features 25 gates, 200 check-in counters, and eight lounges. T1 is spread over three levels. The Ground level houses the Arrivals, the First Floor hosts the Departures, and the Third level is where offices are to be found. Moreover, it has two piers. Pier B serves Qantas, Oneworld airlines, and the air carriers that are members of the Skyteam (apart from Delta Air Lines). On the other hand, Virgin Australia and its partners (Delta Air Lines as well), along with Star Alliance members, arrive and depart from Pier C.
Explicitly, the following amenities are available to passengers traveling from and to Sydney airport terminal 1:
- Retail stores
- Drinking and dining facilities
- Duty-free areas
- Pet relief areas
- Luggage storage (Level 1)
- Sydney airport hotel (Aerotel) – Arrivals hall
- Lounges
- Medical Center (Level 3)
- Meeting rooms
- Prayer room (Level 3)
- Free Wifi
- Information desks (Levels 1 and 2)
- Lost & Found
- Meeting points (Arrivals level)
- Showers (Level 2)
- VIP rooms
- Family services – Play areas (Gates 10, 50, and 53)
- Travel agency (Departures level)
Sydney airport terminal 1 remains closed from 11:00 pm to 03:00 am.
Sydney Airport Terminal 2
Sydney Kingsford Smith airport terminal 2 is the largest domestic terminal of Sydney Airport. It is to be found on the northeast side of SYD Airport and handles the domestic flights of various airlines such as Fly Pelican, Jetstar, Rex Airlines, and Virgin Australia. It has 26 gates and two levels. The Ground level houses the Arrivals, and the First floor the Departures.
In detail, Sydney airport terminal 2 (T2) ensures a pleasant traveling experience for its passengers, featuring the following services:
- ATMs
- Currency exchange
- Lounges
- Baggage storage (Level 1)
- Free Wifi
- Information desks (Level 1)
- Lost & Found
- Parents’ rooms
- Numerous shopping options
- Restaurants-bars-cafes
- Duty-free
- Outdoor smoking areas
Sydney Airport Terminal 3
Sydney airport terminal 3 is also a domestic terminal. However, it is smaller than the other SYD domestic terminal (T2). In fact, it is the smallest of the three Sydney airport terminals. It has 19 gates and mainly serves Qantas domestic flights. It lies adjacent to T2 and houses the Arrivals area on its Ground floor and the Departures on the First level.
Sydney airport terminal 3 might be the smallest SYD terminal, but it still offers all the necessary services and amenities. Thus, passengers departing or arriving at T3 can benefit from the following facilities:
- Retail stores
- Dining facilities
- Duty-free
- Baggage storage (Level 1)
- ATMs
- Free Wifi
- Family facilities
- Lounges
- Telephones
- Outdoor smoking areas
Sydney airport terminals 2 and 3 are closed from 11:00 pm to 04:00 am.
Transfers Between Sydney Airport Terminals
Transferring between the domestic terminals couldn’t be easier. The two Sydney airport terminals (T2 and T3) lie right next to each other. Thus, passengers can walk from T2 to T3 and vice versa. As a matter of fact, they need about 7 minutes to transfer from one terminal to the other, following the passageway that passes through the Car Park P2 or the train tunnel link, as T2 and T3 share an underground train station.
That being said, traveling from the domestic terminals to the international terminal (T1) and vice versa is more time-consuming and entails more hassle. Verily, a runway separates Sydney airport terminal 1 from the other two terminals. As a result, passengers have to opt for a train, bus, or taxi ride to reach their destination. In detail, transfers from the domestic terminals to the international one (and vice versa) can be made via:
- The Free Terminal Transfer Bus (T Bus): The free shuttle runs every 15 minutes from 05:30 am to 09:30 pm and takes about 10 minutes to travel from one terminal to the other. It calls at the Arrivals level of Sydney airport terminal 1 (outside the Arrivals hall B) as well as outside the Arrivals of T2 and T3.
- The Airport Link (Train): The Airport Link travels from the domestic terminals to T1 in just 2 minutes. Nevertheless, it isn’t free. Thus, transfers between Sydney airport terminals via train cost AU$8,50/$5,55/€5,17 during peak hours (from Monday to Thursday excluding public holidays, from 06:30 am to 10:00 am and from 03:00 pm to 07:00 pm) and AU$7,30/$4,76/€4,43 at other times. However, these fares apply if you opt for a contactless payment (please remember to use the same card or device to tap on and off) or pay via an Opal Card. Opal Cards are free of charge yet they must be topped up with at least AU$20/$13,05/€12,16. In any case, they can be bought from the ticket counters at the Sydney airport train stations. Alternatively, a single Opal Ticket costs AU$9,30/$6,07/€5,56 no matter the time of the day or the day of the week. The Airport Link operates from 04:30 am to midnight on a 5-10-minute frequency.
- The Bus 420: Bus 420 also links the Sydney airport terminals. The 14-minute bus ride between terminals costs AU$2,24/$1,46/€1,36 during off-peak hours and AU$3,20/$2,09/€1,85 during rush hours.
- An Airport Taxi: Sydney airport taxis are lining up outside all the terminal buildings. Overall, the ride from T2 or T3 to T1 or vice versa costs approximately AU$17/$11,09/€10,33 to AU$22/$14,35/€13,37 and lasts around 10 minutes.
Sydney International Airport is an accessible aviation hub, providing special transit services between terminals to passengers with reduced mobility.
Our Tip: Qantas offers transfer services to transit passengers with an onward Qantas flight as well. Indeed, Qantas Seamless Transfers guarantee hassle-free transit between Sydney airport terminals to passengers who are entitled to that privilege.
FAQs
How many terminals does Kingsford Smith Airport have?
Sydney International Airport has three terminal buildings. T1 is the terminal handling international flights. On the other hand, the other two Sydney airport terminals (T2 and T3) are dedicated to domestic flights.
Can you walk between domestic terminals at Sydney Airport?
The Sydney airport domestic terminals (T2 and T3) are adjacent to each other. Thus, passengers can get from one terminal to the other on foot. In fact, T2 and T3 are within a 7-minute walking distance from each other.
Can you walk between terminals at Sydney Airport?
The two domestic terminals of Sydney Airport are located within walking distance of each other. Conversely, the international terminal (T1) is situated further away from T2 and T3. Thus, the transit from T1 to the domestic terminals can be made via the complimentary T Buses, the Airport Link Train, or the airport taxis.