QF/UA business class transfer at Sydney

[pn1]

Something new for us, my partner and I have booked a business class RTW ticket from Melbourne - departing next June (hopefully)!

We are booked QF (448 departing Melbourne 1400) on Sunday 12 June then UA (870 [to San Francisco] departing Sydney 1030 Monday 13 June).

It was our choice to do it that way with accommodation in Sydney at our expense.

Some questions (considering business class is a new experience for us baby boomer retirees)

* Would the business class ticket give us lounge access in Melbourne prior to departure on the QF domestic flight
* What are the transfer arrangements at Sydney considering the overnight stopover and change from QF domestic to UA international?
* What's a good hotel convenient to the international terminal at Sydney?
* The business class ticket would give us lounge access prior to departure from Sydney?

Based on current requirements (and we accept everything is subject to change in these uncertain times) what would be any COVID-19 test requirements prior to departure from Australia.

We are experienced travellers but, as stated previously, this will be a new experience for us.

Thanks in advance for any assistance. Any other tips would be most appreciated.

Merry Christmas from P and R in Melbourne

 

[bam71]

Would the business class ticket give us lounge access in Melbourne prior to departure on the QF domestic flight
- Yes
* What are the transfer arrangements at Sydney considering the overnight stopover and change from QF domestic to UA international?
- If you are staying in Sydney overnight, you won’t need any transfer arrangements from the domestic to international terminal
* What's a good hotel convenient to the international terminal at Sydney?
- I’d do Rydges near the international terminal
* The business class ticket would give us lounge access prior to departure from Sydney
- Yes, I believe United uses (used) the Air New Zealand lounge.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes to all of the points posted by bam71.

Because of your overnight the MEL-SYD is pretty much treated as a standalone flight. On arrival in SYD you'll collect your luggage, go to the hotel, and then check-in with United the next day. If they do by chance offer to check your bags all the way through I would still ask for them to be delivered in SYD and that way you have them with you. Lessens the chance of them being lost.

Your MEL-SYD will come with lounge access provided you are in business class on that segment, or have Qantas/oneworld lounge access. If in business class you'll get to use the qantas domestic business lounge, a step up from the Qantas club.

Under star alliance rules you can use any lounge or any other star alliance carrier. In SYD I'd be heading to the Singapore Airlines lounge if it's open Just show your united boarding pass. I think the SQ lounge is way above the Air NZ lounge. And usually less crowded as most people don't know you can go to a different lounge other than the one you're told about at checkin.

 

[Quickstatus]

Comes with lounge access = only if lounge is open.

Currently SQ SK lounge is only open for the evening flights and buffet meal offering curtailed

And currently NZ lounge closed

If they opened for the morning flights the hours are 0530-0900 if I recall correctly. Which means it will likely close 1.5 hrs prior to the UA morning flight

Your flight is in June so arrangements might change by then