Bronze to Silver upgrade

[francopolli]

The OP is a HE . Yep PS in Jan with first US trip and probably SG by Oct 15.
Thanks for all the help guys!

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Some more twaddle: ask for a green outgoing passenger card in PERd, one should be given to you as a matter of fact, but if not, ask.
Most likely too, you will be given 2 BP, keep them safe.
Fill in your OPC when on the flight from PERd to SYDd, this is the most time you will have.
When you get to SYDd, you will be in a mad rush to get from the arrival gate from PERd, most likely gate 7/8/9/10, run as fast as you can to gate 15, try to get the bus. Some times, you might miss it, these bus drivers don't hurry, they seem to take their time.
Hopefully, you will have down time of about 3.5 hours. The more the better, but sometimes the MCT can be hard to believe. I have had one at 1.25hrs, but lucky I was on a J tix, and was able to get an earlier flight from ADL to SYD, to meet my flight SYD to CHC. The bus can sometimes wait for what seems like hours, ...
You with your green OPC and BP and passport, should try to get to SYDi immi control ASAP.
Dont go out into the open area, QF transfer buses are the fastest, and the best, as they use the inner road, rather than the public one, (inside airport fence, vs VA which uses the main road).
The QF transfer bus will drop you in a spot not too many people know, so you could run up the stairs, or use the escalators, and get to passport control ASAP.
Only F and J get ExpressPath, for you maybe next time.
Once past passport control, go through all the sales men and ladies, ignore them.
Get to the J/ (int QP) lounge, its near QF int gate 10.
Up escalators, and keep walking, its not the one closest to the escalators, but the most left hand side glass doors.
Go in, show int BP, /or QP card, and enjoy.
30 mins before flight, I usually make it 45 mins, before departure, I am at the departure gate!
As yours is going to the US, you would probably need about an hour to be at gate, as they do a secondary passport check at the gate, and not cursory, they are much stricter than just a photo check it seems.
Because of my work, I dont have a lot of time off, so no US trips for me, but NZ is my next best thing.
You might have done int trips before, if you have, I am sorry for tossing the monkey too much.
If not, it will be a learning experience.
Try not to pack too much into the hand baggage, as you might have to go through full body scan at SYDi security check, and they make you unload everything out of your pockets.
Your hold baggage will automatically transfer from SYDd to SYDi, you don't have to pick it up, but you do have to pick it up, coming back into Aust from the US.
On coming back to Aust, use Smartgate!
Hopefully your PER flight is the one that gets to SYDd at 12.40, and the one to the US is at 15.25. This will give you some time in the lounge, if its the later one, getting to SYDd at 14.15, then its playing with fire, so leave the lounge visit to next time.

 

[francopolli]

Some more twaddle: ask for a green outgoing passenger card in PERd, one should be given to you as a matter of fact, but if not, ask.
Most likely too, you will be given 2 BP, keep them safe.
Fill in your OPC when on the flight from PERd to SYDd, this is the most time you will have.
When you get to SYDd, you will be in a mad rush to get from the arrival gate from PERd, most likely gate 7/8/9/10, run as fast as you can to gate 15, try to get the bus. Some times, you might miss it, these bus drivers don't hurry, they seem to take their time.
Hopefully, you will have down time of about 3.5 hours. The more the better, but sometimes the MCT can be hard to believe. I have had one at 1.25hrs, but lucky I was on a J tix, and was able to get an earlier flight from ADL to SYD, to meet my flight SYD to CHC. The bus can sometimes wait for what seems like hours, ...
You with your green OPC and BP and passport, should try to get to SYDi immi control ASAP.
Dont go out into the open area, QF transfer buses are the fastest, and the best, as they use the inner road, rather than the public one, (inside airport fence, vs VA which uses the main road).
The QF transfer bus will drop you in a spot not too many people know, so you could run up the stairs, or use the escalators, and get to passport control ASAP.
Only F and J get ExpressPath, for you maybe next time.
Once past passport control, go through all the sales men and ladies, ignore them.
Get to the J/ (int QP) lounge, its near QF int gate 10.
Up escalators, and keep walking, its not the one closest to the escalators, but the most left hand side glass doors.
Go in, show int BP, /or QP card, and enjoy.
30 mins before flight, I usually make it 45 mins, before departure, I am at the departure gate!
As yours is going to the US, you would probably need about an hour to be at gate, as they do a secondary passport check at the gate, and not cursory, they are much stricter than just a photo check it seems.
Because of my work, I dont have a lot of time off, so no US trips for me, but NZ is my next best thing.
You might have done int trips before, if you have, I am sorry for tossing the monkey too much.
If not, it will be a learning experience.
Try not to pack too much into the hand baggage, as you might have to go through full body scan at SYDi security check, and they make you unload everything out of your pockets.
Your hold baggage will automatically transfer from SYDd to SYDi, you don't have to pick it up, but you do have to pick it up, coming back into Aust from the US.
On coming back to Aust, use Smartgate!
Hopefully your PER flight is the one that gets to SYDd at 12.40, and the one to the US is at 15.25. This will give you some time in the lounge, if its the later one, getting to SYDd at 14.15, then its playing with fire, so leave the lounge visit to next time.

WOW Poochie, I should take you with me and just run behind copying everything you do?
Seriously, very good points. I haven't gone overseas in many years. I done lots of PER/FRA and PER/ROM in the 90s but nothing recently. It was all different in that time.
I know that connection flight time is your enemy. Itinerary is PER/SYD; SYD/DFW; DFW/DTM. I will have 90min only in Sydney. Arrive from Perth at 12:35, levae Sydney at 14:10. I'll have 2.5 hrs in Dallas. Arrive 13:45 and leave at 16:15.
I normally travel very light, been doing this enough to know what i need with me.
As I said, so many things changed from my days on the Int flights. Tonight i gotta research what green card is and how to get it. Relief to know my luggage goes straight PER/DTM (have to check for last leg in US). Interesting to hear that return is different. Can't spend much time in here now (at work) but tonight I do more research and find out about Smartgate. Cheers, Franco

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Green card, is the OPC, outgoing passenger card. You can have a look at what the questions are, online. Its not as oneous as when coming back, (which I certainly hope you have more time for).
OPC-it will ask for name, dob, passport #, nationality, flight #, where you are going, and down the bottom, or if they change the layout again, somewhere, it asks for your occupation, aye.
You will be E, Aust resident departing temporarily, and the Aussies want an X in the box, not a tick! In which state you live. Sign and date the back.
Coming back, its a list of 10 or 11 questions, and if you put an X (no) to all, you will most likely be asked aside and chatted with, what ever your job, make sure when you come back, put something "executive" as job title. I am a toilet cleaning pooch, and I put that, and so far, touch wood, no questions asked.
When coming back, (have a google search on) Smartgate, its a very good invention with epassports, faster than the old way. Also, Aust border force (new name) will no longer stamp Aust passports, so no use to line up, just veer to the Smartgate booth, enter passport deep into slot, answer 1 question or 2, and a little bit of paper comes out, keep that with passport and IPC, go to a mugshot gate, enter Smartgate receipt, lights light up, your photo is taken and kept electronically, the receipt gets given back to you, the gate opens, you go collect bags, and then, most likely (hopefully) you won't get popped, and go through to the final zigzag, where at the last point, they take your Smartgate receipt and IPC from you, and if you are asked to go out a certain exit, (which I wont name), you are free to enter Aust!
Re: the QP thingo, with that short a connection, you decide if its worth paying for the QP or hold onto the idea, and do it next time.
Because the MCT is so short, maybe next time, book the PER to SYD for the night before, then you can spend more time in the QP at SYDi. As a SG, you do get all time access, ...
Sorry for all this confusion.
When you flew in the 1990s, yes, its very different to now. While whole body scan might be important, its a pain in the bum.
All your worldy possessions, even hidden money belt must be taken off, and put into hand baggage to be scanned.
Ok, sorry to be such a know it all, or appearances... enjoy the planning, and then the trip.
Er, I hear someone getting very tired of my fluff, so maybe, you have to now do the indepth stuff, read, read, read... I am so excited for you.
I know I certainly was before my first trip to NZ all those years ago, 2012, ...
Ok, I will (try to) shut my dog mouth now.
Dont forget your ESTA.

 

[francopolli]

ESTA is done, ok I am with you on most of it. I never got problems entering back. I always have some alcohol and used to smoke so had tobacco too and always declared it. QP has to wait, too expensive right now. I may consider to get the 00:05 PER/SYD and have more time, too many things changed from my days.... also got a QF email about double SC for bookings from yesterday to end of Feb. Better do some work now. Your advice is very good for me so keep them coming. Cheers

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

One more, SG get any flight access to the QP.
If you do make SG, then while you retain that, you don't need to pay for QP, dom or int on QF and JQ flights.
More important to consider it, if you have to go back to PS.
I have been pointed to the dog box!