Brisbane Airport (BNE) Flights & Flight Status

Brisbane (BNE) is the busiest airport in Queensland and an important gateway for the country after the two major hubs to its south, Sydney and Melbourne. From this city, you can reach all corners of Australia, numerous parts of the South Pacific, destinations in Asia and the Middle East, and a growing number of North American cities. With the Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon for 2032, BNE is ripe for expansion and modernisation. As the airport grows, so do the terminals and the best ways to navigate through and around them. Here’s what you need to know for now and for the coming years.

Where you can fly from BNE

Brisbane’s route network is extensive and reaches all across Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. You can also fly to major Middle Eastern mega hubs (like Doha and Dubai) and most major Asian hubs (Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Tokyo among others). From there, you can connect to points around the world.

While there are no nonstop flights to Europe, one-stop connections are available by stopping in one of the intermediate Asian major airports along the way. If flying across the Pacific to North America, the airport has been slowly adding more cities. Now, you can fly from BNE to Dallas/Ft. Worth, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Vancouver. This is the largest number of flights to North America the airport has ever seen.

Another specialty for Brisbane’s airport, and one that has me frequenting its terminals often, is its robust network to various parts of the Pacific that are not easily reachable from other cities.

This includes flights to places like Honiara, Solomon Islands; Nauru; Noumea, New Caledonia (France); Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; and Port Vila, Vanuatu. In many cases, Brisbane is the only major international gateway offering connections to these islands.

How to navigate the terminals at BNE

The airport is divided into two terminals: one dedicated to all international flights and the other for domestic sectors. They are not connected to each other, but there is a free bus that travels between them. Walking is not feasible.

International terminal

The international terminal is not gigantic, and it is easy to navigate. At its centre, travellers will find most shops, restaurants and lounges. Extending out on either end are the gates, and the walks can be long if you are at the farthest end.

My preferred lounges are the Air New Zealand and Plaza Premium Lounges that are up one level and have great views of the apron. These have decent hot and cold buffet items plus an open bar. If you enter lounges via Priority Pass, the Plaza Premium Lounge participates in that program, but not the air New Zealand lounge.

Some of the other lounges at Brisbane’s airport are the Emirates Lounge (probably one of the most elaborate here, but only open during select hours and only for its own passengers) and the Singapore Airlines lounge (I come here when flying any Star Alliance airline since I have Gold status with the alliance and love their traditional laksa soup).

You will also find smaller Priority Pass venues as you walk to the gates, but these are not as exciting. I recommend spending most of your time in the central part of the airport until boarding for your flight is called as there are few shops in the gate areas.

Impressively, BNE has four gates capable of handling the double-decker Airbus A380, even though it rarely ever sees that many of the jumbo planes on the ground simultaneously. Perhaps when the Olympics take place, that number will have grown (and the airport will be ready).

Domestic terminal

To get between the international and domestic terminals, you can take the complimentary bus service or use the Airtrain, although the latter charges a fee. Just keep in mind that if you are booking a self-transfer (one where all of your flights are not on the same ticket), you need to allow time to collect bags from one terminal and bring them to another.

The domestic section of the airport is dominated by Qantas and Virgin Australia. Both airlines have their own lounges with Qantas having both a Qantas Club (accessible via paid membership or Oneworld elite status) and a Business Lounge (accessible via premium cabin ticket or top-tier elite status with Oneworld).

This is one of the busiest terminals at the airport and has three concourses shaped like banjos that extend from the main building. They accommodate all of the flights that connect Australian cities with each other. This is also where you will find low-cost airlines like Jetstar and Tiger Airways departing.

Where to stay near BNE

My biggest gripe about BNE is that there are no notable hotels near the international terminal. They are instead adjacent to the domestic terminal. The Pullman and ibis properties are within walking distance of domestic arrivals, but require a paid shuttle from the international terminal. Don’t bother with that; just take an Uber, the cost is almost the same.

The Novotel Brisbane Airport is not convenient for domestic departures as it is closer to the international terminal. It, too, requires a paid shuttle to get to the international doors, too. I still recommend an Uber.

Kudos to Brisbane airport for allowing guests to spend the night in the airport thanks to lounge chairs where travellers can recline comfortably. Just remember to bring your own blanket, eye shades and headphones. These lounge chairs are available in both the international and domestic terminals, but I only recommend this if you have a few hours overnight (otherwise get a hotel).

How to get to and from BNE

Beyond the traditional methods like Uber or taxis, there are several public transportation options for getting to and from BNE airport. One of the fastest ways to get into the downtown area is the Airtrain, which leaves every 15 minutes during busy times and every half hour during less-travelled hours.

Once you get into town, you can walk, take an Uber or ride public transportation to reach your final destination. The train from the airport only takes 20 minutes. If you are going to Surfers Paradise or most places along the Gold Coast, you can change to the G:link tram (the Gold Coast Light Rail).

I typically book one of the shared shuttle services that will take you door-to-door to your final destination, but with a few spots along the way. It is more affordable than a taxi or an Uber, and less complicated than taking the Airtrain, especially if not staying within the central business district (CBD).

The public Translink 590 bus also goes from the airport into town and is one of the most cost-efficient ways to travel. Route 777 will take you to another bus stop that will get you up to the Gold Coast.

Important tips for flying through Brisbane

It is permitted to bring liquids through the domestic security checkpoint, which means you can bring your own bottled water or soda instead of paying an inflated price inside the airport. This makes going through security so much faster, too. There are also water bottle refilling stations inside the terminal, another nice feature when travelling internationally.

Just remember that these rules are only for domestic flights. Passing through security for an international flight follows the same rules of one small plastic bag of 100ml liquid bottles.

Like other major Australian airports, airlines are very strict about the weight of carry-on bags. Expect to have them weighed at the check-in counter, before entering security and even at the gate. I find their obsession with no bag entering the aircraft over 7kg to be a bit overkill, considering how many other countries around the world do not have this rule and flights operate safely.

If you buy souvenirs or wine while in Australia, you are eligible to request a refund on the taxes paid before leaving the country. Alert the sales person in the store that you want to apply for this tax refund when you leave. You will also need to complete the tourist refund scheme application online before heading to the airport.

Fun facts about Brisbane airport

By land size, this is the largest airport in Australia, even though it is not the busiest. A notable claim for BNE, however, is that it serves more domestic destinations than any other airport in Australia (more than 60 cities).

Brisbane Airport lies within Moreton Bay, and its land area includes 285 hectares that are a protected biodiversity zone with areas of wetlands and an aquatic habitat. The area has become a popular spot for migratory birds, and many people come to the area to spot more than just planes, but feathered flyers, too.

One of the rare birds are the curlew sandpipers, which are an endangered species that migrate from as far north as Alaska and Siberia. Grouper fish, crabs, bees and other insects live in the natural area of the airport.