Weekday morning security times at BNE International

[jomar]

In December I'll be transiting internationally through Brisbane: arriving on EK at 0050 and travelling on to CHC with QF at 0840. I was planning to relive my youth by spending the night at the airport, but — with QPoints available by booking via Qantas Hotels and now 2000 more for signing up for Uber — entering Australia and getting a few hours good sleep in a hotel is looking increasingly attractive.

I can use the SmartGate so if EK 432 is not late I could hope to be at a hotel before 2am. Hopefully I'd have a few hours before needing to head back to the airport again…

Both baggage and I will already be checked in of course, so I'll be getting back to the airport unladen and with BP already in hand. Any advice on how early I need to be there to get through security and any exit formalities (and ideally grab some breakfast at the lounge!) to catch a 0840 flight to New Zealand (on a Tuesday)?

 

[brown891]

Haven’t done the morning at BNE international for ages but just from tracking flights in and out of BNE there aren’t many int. Flights at that time. However if you are planning to get to the airport later than the usual ‘3 hours before departure’ you could expect to be in the traffic for the int. Flights that leave majority between 9:30-11am
I would say to get to the lounge and actually be able to sit rather than be in a rush, Flights at 8:40, aim to be at airport between 6:30-7, through by 7:30, gives you an hour or so in the lounge.

Being December, could catch holiday traffic if you leave it later than that

That’s just my opinion however

 

[Major]

Last week the Immigration/ Customs gates were not opened until 05.00

You cannot go down to those levels until then. Lounges opened 05.30

 

[eric2011]

I've been through at around 8.30 (a little bit later than you will need to do) but have been able to go straight through xray with about a 3 minute wait and no delay at the smart gate.
For your info we now have a Ibis and a Pullman hotel just down the road outside the domestic or the Novotel just down the road from the International. The Ibis is going for around $150pn, would be about a $7 Uber ride and you can get you 3 points per dollar (if SG or better) as well as the first time 2000 pts

 

[Denali]

What date in December because we did it once when school holidays was just about to start and it was an nightmare and forget about the priority line, it was every pax for themselves to just get through. Staff said it was because of school holiday/families heading out.

 

[jomar]

Thanks for the information, everyone. I'll be passing through on 4th/5th December, so I think most of the kids should still be in school. I'm looking at the Rydges Fortitude Valley at $134pn and 9 points/$ (!) — rather further from the airport, but I'll get to see some Brisbane streets on the way back in the morning.

Major, plan A was staying overnight in the transit area and getting to the lounge the minute it opens at 5:30. If I'm escaping to a hotel I'll aim to be snoozing for about another hour past that!

 

[brown891]

Thanks for the information, everyone. I'll be passing through on 4th/5th December, so I think most of the kids should still be in school. I'm looking at the Rydges Fortitude Valley at $134pn and 9 points/$ (!) — rather further from the airport, but I'll get to see some Brisbane streets on the way back in the morning.

Major, plan A was staying overnight in the transit area and getting to the lounge the minute it opens at 5:30. If I'm escaping to a hotel I'll aim to be snoozing for about another hour past that!

Just be careful with early morning traffic along Kingsford Smith drive (assuming that’s the road you take to get back to the airport) as they are currently upgrading it + morning traffic could put you at a stand still. maybe airport link tunnel will be your best bet (will be tolls) but if in an uber as your first ride you’ll be getting all those points anyways

 

[eric2011]

Sorry but you say you hope to be at a hotel by 2.00am, to be on the road at 6.00am again in the morning for Brisbanes traffic woes you would be out of bed by 5.30am.
I wouldn't go all the way to the city for a 3 & half hour sleep. Everyone to there own

 

[jomar]

Thanks again for all the advice. In the event, EK432 touched down at 1am, we were getting off at ten past, my first Uber ride was uncomplicated, and I was in my hotel room at 1:55 am. Just in time for a conference call which had been helpfully scheduled at "4pm UK time", yay.

The train was a pleasant walk from the hotel and avoided any worries about heavy morning traffic. Apparently it's holiday travels time already, as there was more of a queue at the x-ray than I expected, but off the train at 6:55 and in the lounge at 7:20 wasn't too bad.

Definitely my briefest hotel stay ever. It wouldn't be worth it every time, but having just arrived from Europe and with a bonus of 3.5K QF points for my trouble, it was the refreshing option this time around.

 

[brown891]

Glad to hear it went well! I went through security on sunday morning coming back from HKT and similar to you
Was outside within Half an hour of disembarking. The automated passport control is so good