Why go
- Capital city of New South Wales, Australia.
- 1 hand-picked place to stay.
- Served by Sydney Airport (SYD).
History
Sydney is the capital of the state of New South Wales and the largest city in Australia. The metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west, and about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and the Hawkesbury River in the north and north-west, to the Royal National Park and Macarthur in the south and south-west. Greater Sydney consists of 658 suburbs, spread across 33 local government areas. Residents of the city are colloquially known as "Sydneysiders". The estimated population in June 2025 was 5,638,830, which is about 66% of the state's population. The city's nicknames include the Emerald City and the Harbour City.
Where to stay
Indoor
Airports
Sydney Airport (SYD) 8.6 km to the centre
Sydney (Mascot), NSW, AU — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 47 airlines (Qantas, Virgin Australia, Jetstar Airways, Regional Express…) · direct flights to 85 destinations incl. Auckland, Singapore, Christchurch, Melbourne, Los Angeles… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 47 airlines, 85 direct destinations
- Qantas QF (737-800, Dash 8-300, A330-300, 747-400, Dash 8-400, DH8…) · 46 routes: Adelaide, Albury*, Alice Springs, Armidale*, Auckland, Bangkok, Brisbane, Broome, Cairns, Canberra, Christchurch*, Coff's Harbour*, Coolangatta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Darwin, Dubai, Dubbo*, Gladstone*, Ho Chi Minh City*, Hobart, Hong Kong, Honolulu, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Karratha, Lord Howe Island*, Los Angeles, Manila, Melbourne, Moree*, Nandi, Nanjing, Noumea, Perth, Port Macquarie*, Port Moresby*, Port-vila*, Queenstown International, Santiago, Seoul* … +6 more
- Virgin Australia VA (737-800, Embraer 190, A320, 737-700, ATR 72, A330-200…) · 32 routes: Abu Dhabi, Adelaide*, Albury*, Auckland*, Ballina Byron Bay*, Brisbane*, Cairns*, Canberra, Christchurch, Coff's Harbour*, Coolangatta*, Darwin*, Denpasar*, Faleolo*, Hamilton Island*, Hervey Bay*, Hobart*, Hong Kong*, Honolulu*, Launceston*, Los Angeles, Mackay*, Maroochydore*, Melbourne*, Nandi*, Perth*, Port Macquarie*, Singapore*, Tongatapu*, Townsville*, Uluru*, Wellington
- Jetstar Airways JQ (A320, A321, 787-8, A330-200) · 22 routes: Adelaide, Auckland, Avalon, Ballina Byron Bay, Brisbane, Cairns, Christchurch, Coolangatta, Darwin, Denpasar, Hamilton Island, Hobart, Honolulu, Launceston, Maroochydore, Melbourne, Nandi, Perth, Phuket, Queenstown International, Townsville, Uluru
- Regional Express ZL (Saab 340) · 17 routes: Albury, Armidale, Ballina Byron Bay, Bathurst, Broken Hill, Dubbo, Griffith, Lismore, Merimbula, Mildura, Moruya, Narrandera, Newcastle, Orange, Parkes, Taree, Wagga Wagga
- American Airlines AA (737, 767-300, 747-400, 330, 380) · 13 routes: Adelaide*, Alice Springs*, Auckland*, Brisbane*, Cairns*, Canberra*, Christchurch*, Dallas-Fort Worth*, Darwin*, Honolulu*, Los Angeles*, Melbourne, Perth*
- Air New Zealand NZ (A320, 767-300, 777, 330, 777-200, ATR 72) · 9 routes: Auckland, Avarua, Christchurch, Los Angeles*, Norfolk Island, Port Macquarie, San Francisco*, Shanghai*, Wellington
- Tiger Airways Australia TT (A320) · 9 routes: Adelaide, Alice Springs, Brisbane, Cairns, Coff's Harbour, Coolangatta, Melbourne, Perth, Prosserpine
- Emirates EK (A380, 777-300ER, 737-800, A330-300, 747-400) · 7 routes: Auckland, Bangkok, Christchurch, Dubai, Queenstown International*, Singapore*, Wellington*
- China Eastern Airlines MU (737-800, A330-200, A330-300, 747-400) · 6 routes: Auckland*, Christchurch*, Nanjing, Shanghai, Singapore*, Wellington*
- United Airlines UA (777) · 3 routes: Los Angeles, Melbourne, San Francisco
- Air China CA (330) · 2 routes: Beijing, Shanghai
- Air India Limited AI (787-8) · 2 routes: Delhi, Melbourne
- Air Pacific FJ (A330-200, 737-800, 737-700) · 2 routes: Nandi, Nausori
- China Airlines CI (A330-300) · 2 routes: Auckland, Taipei
- Garuda Indonesia GA (A330-200) · 2 routes: Denpasar, Jakarta
- LAN Airlines LA (A340-300, 747-400) · 2 routes: Auckland, Santiago*
- Turkish Airlines TK (747, 777-200) · 2 routes: Bangkok*, Seoul*
- Aero Condor Peru Q6 (Dash 8-300) · 1 route: Toowoomba
- Air Caledonie International SB (A320, A330-200) · 1 route: Noumea
- Air Canada AC (777-200LR) · 1 route: Vancouver
- Air Niugini PX (737-800) · 1 route: Port Moresby
- Air Tahiti Nui TN (737-800) · 1 route: Auckland*
- Air Vanuatu NF (737-800) · 1 route: Port-vila
- AirAsia X D7 (330) · 1 route: Kuala Lumpur
- Alitalia AZ (A340-600, 777-300ER) · 1 route: Abu Dhabi*
- Asiana Airlines OZ (777-200) · 1 route: Seoul
- British Airways BA (777) · 1 route: Singapore
- Cathay Pacific CX (A330-300) · 1 route: Hong Kong
- China Southern Airlines CZ (A330-200, A330-300) · 1 route: Guangzhou
- Delta Air Lines DL (777-200LR) · 1 route: Los Angeles
- Ethiopian Airlines ET (A380) · 1 route: Singapore
- Etihad Airways EY (A340-600, 777-300ER) · 1 route: Abu Dhabi
- Finnair AY (A380, 747-400) · 1 route: Hong Kong*
- Hawaiian Airlines HA (A330-200) · 1 route: Honolulu
- Iberia Airlines IB (777) · 1 route: Singapore*
- Japan Airlines Domestic JL (777) · 1 route: Tokyo
- Korean Air KE (A330-300) · 1 route: Seoul
- Malaysia Airlines MH (A330-300) · 1 route: Kuala Lumpur
- Philippine Airlines PR (A340-300) · 1 route: Manila
- Scoot TZ (777-200) · 1 route: Singapore
- Sichuan Airlines 3U (330) · 1 route: Chongqing
- Singapore Airlines Cargo SQ (A380, 777-200, 777-300) · 1 route: Singapore
- South African Airways SA (747-400) · 1 route: Johannesburg*
- Thai Airways International TG (747) · 1 route: Bangkok
- US Airways US (A320, 767-300, 777-200) · 1 route: Auckland*
- Vietnam Airlines VN (330) · 1 route: Ho Chi Minh City
- Virgin Atlantic Airways VS (A340-600) · 1 route: Hong Kong
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Sydney Bankstown Airport (BWU) 20 km to the centre
Sydney, NSW, AU — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Getting there by ferry
Darling Harbour Wharf 9
Ferry terminal · 0.3 km from the centre
Pyrmont Bay Wharf
Ferry terminal · 0.4 km from the centre · Transdev Sydney Ferries
Darling Harbour, King St Wharf 7
Ferry terminal · 0.4 km from the centre
Darling Harbour, King St Wharf 6
Ferry terminal · 0.4 km from the centre
Darling Harbour, King St Wharf 8
Ferry terminal · 0.4 km from the centre
Darling Harbour Wharf 3
Ferry terminal · 0.5 km from the centre · NSW Maritime
Barangaroo - Pyrmont Bay
Ferry route · Transdev Sydney Ferries
Barangaroo - Blackwattle Bay
Ferry route
Barangaroo - Circular Quay
Ferry route · Transdev Sydney Ferries
Barangaroo - White Bay Cruise Terminal
Ferry route
F10 Blackwattle Bay via Pirrama Park
Ferry route · Transdev Sydney Ferries
F10 B Blackwattle Bay
Ferry route · Transdev Sydney Ferries
Manly Fast Ferry
Ferry route
Circular Quay - Manly
Ferry route · Transdev Sydney Ferries
Where things are
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping
base map © OSM
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
Tourist season
October – March
The warmer, longer-day half of the southern-hemisphere year.
Shoulder season
April – May, September
Milder and quieter, with better value.
Worth avoiding
June – August
The southern winter — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Sydney Airport (SYD); 1 other airport serves the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: SYD has direct flights to 85 destinations on 47 airlines (incl. Auckland, Singapore, Christchurch, Melbourne, Los Angeles…). By water: 6 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Darling Harbour Wharf 9, 0.3 km); routes include Barangaroo - Pyrmont Bay, Barangaroo - Blackwattle Bay, Barangaroo - Circular Quay.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Sydney, Australia. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Local transit
Train, metro, bus, ferry · Sydney's trains, metro, buses, light rail and harbour ferries. · Fares: Opal card or contactless · Airport: Airport Link train to Central in 13 min
Trains & rail
Rail operator
Rail operator
Rail operator
Sydney to Perth across the Nullarbor, four days coast to coast. · Perth, Western Australia guide →
National rail
Coaches & shuttles
About three and a half hours to the capital. · Canberra guide →
Overnight coach up the Hume Highway, about 12 hours. · Melbourne, Australia guide →
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.
Charter, management · Managed fleet · Sydney-based charter and management.
Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.
Tours & experiences
Cruise · 2 hours · from A$115/pp
Boat Tour · from A$14/pp