Flights to Sydney
Which airport to land at, how far each is from the centre, and where the routes go. Live fares are booked here.
Sydney is served by one airport with scheduled flights. The closest large one is Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD), 9 km (6 mi) from the centre, whose 12,999-ft runway is long enough for long-haul wide-body aircraft.
| Airport | Code | From centre | Longest runway | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport | SYD | 9 km (6 mi) | 12,999 ft | 21 ft |
Runway length is a practical tell: at 12,999 ft, SYD can take the largest long-haul aircraft, so direct intercontinental flights are physically possible here. The airport sits at 21 ft; that is low enough that altitude never restricts departures.
Book a flight to Sydney
Our airline partner is activating live fares for this site; the search below opens the moment that is done. Hotels can be booked now.
Routes to and from Sydney
Straight-line distance and an estimated block time for the city pairs people search for most. Each opens a page with both ends’ airports, the time-zone shift and what changes on arrival.
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney to Melbourne | Australia | 713 km (443 mi) | about 1 h 40 min |
| Sydney to Brisbane | Australia | 733 km (455 mi) | about 1 h 41 min |
| Sydney to Adelaide | Australia | 1,162 km (722 mi) | about 2 h 14 min |
| Sydney to Gold Coast | Australia | 686 km (426 mi) | about 1 h 38 min |
| Sydney to Sunshine Coast | Australia | 822 km (511 mi) | about 1 h 48 min |
| Sydney to Canberra | Australia | 247 km (153 mi) | about 1 h 4 min |
| Sydney to Logan City | Australia | 716 km (445 mi) | about 1 h 40 min |
| Sydney to Geelong | Australia | 778 km (483 mi) | about 1 h 45 min |
| Sydney to Hobart | Australia | 1,057 km (657 mi) | about 2 h 6 min |
| Sydney to Toowoomba | Australia | 705 km (438 mi) | about 1 h 39 min |
| Sydney to Ballarat | Australia | 781 km (485 mi) | about 1 h 45 min |
| Sydney to São Paulo | Brazil | 13,358 km (8,300 mi) | about 17 h 53 min |
| Sydney to Johannesburg | South Africa | 11,041 km (6,860 mi) | about 14 h 54 min |
| Sydney to Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | 13,521 km (8,402 mi) | about 18 h 5 min |
| Sydney to Santiago | Chile | 11,347 km (7,051 mi) | about 15 h 18 min |
| Sydney to Cape Town | South Africa | 11,012 km (6,842 mi) | about 14 h 52 min |
| Sydney to Durban | South Africa | 10,547 km (6,554 mi) | about 14 h 16 min |
| Sydney to Buenos Aires | Argentina | 11,800 km (7,332 mi) | about 15 h 53 min |
| Sydney to Belo Horizonte | Brazil | 13,822 km (8,589 mi) | about 18 h 28 min |
| Sydney to Shanghai | China | 7,881 km (4,897 mi) | about 10 h 51 min |
| Sydney to Chongqing | China | 8,471 km (5,263 mi) | about 11 h 37 min |
| Sydney to Chengdu | China | 8,715 km (5,415 mi) | about 11 h 55 min |
| Sydney to Beijing | China | 8,949 km (5,560 mi) | about 12 h 13 min |
| Sydney to Guangzhou | China | 7,501 km (4,661 mi) | about 10 h 22 min |
| Sydney to Shenzhen | China | 7,402 km (4,599 mi) | about 10 h 14 min |
Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.
Common questions
Which airport should I fly into for Sydney?
Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) is the closest large airport at 9 km (6 mi). It is the only one with scheduled flights within 100 km.
How far is SYD from Sydney city centre?
9 km (6 mi) in a straight line; the road or rail distance is somewhat longer.
Can I book flights to Sydney on this site?
Very soon: our airline partner is switching live fares on for this site. Hotels can be booked now.
How are the journey times on this page worked out?
From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.