Christmas and New Year Airport Transfers in Sydney: How to Beat the Holiday Rush

From mid-December to late January, Sydney Airport is at its busiest. School holidays, Christmas trips, international visitors and New Year's Eve all land at once, and transfer bookings fill quickly. A little planning makes a big difference.

Book as early as you can

For travel between mid-December and the end of January, we recommend booking your Christmas airport transfer as soon as your flights are confirmed. The days just before Christmas, the first days of the school holidays and the early days of January are usually the busiest, and the larger cars (SUVs, the Mercedes V Class and the Sprinter mini bus) are the first to book out.

Allow more time at the airport

Queues at check-in and security are longer in the holidays. As a guide, plan to arrive about 3 hours before international flights from T1 and at least 90 minutes before domestic flights from T2 and T3. We set your pick-up time with this in mind.

New Year's Eve transfers

On New Year's Eve, many roads around the harbour foreshore close for the fireworks, and traffic across the city is heavy before and after midnight. If you are flying out late on 31 December or early on 1 January, or heading to a party or harbour event, tell us your exact plans when you book. We plan pick-up points around the official road closures and confirm them with you closer to the date.

Arriving for the holidays?

Visiting family over Christmas? Give us your flight number and your chauffeur will track your arrival and meet you in the arrivals hall, ready to help with luggage and gifts. Child seats are available on request.

Western Sydney Airport

This is the first holiday season with Western Sydney International Airport open. Double-check which airport your flight uses, as some airlines now fly from both.

Secure your holiday transfer

Request a quote now with your dates and flight details, and read our tips on how far in advance to book.