Flights from Sydney to Phuket

Compare Cheap Flights from Sydney to Phuket

Phuket is located on a large island just off of Thailand. Phuket is the tourism hub for southern Thailand and has so much to offer visitors. Phuket Town is full of exciting culture, friendly locals, and delicious food. Just outside the centre, Phuket has some incredible beaches, each offering something a bit different. All of the beaches are beautiful and have some of the best snorkelling and diving you’ll experience around the world. And for even more natural beauty, there are several island groups off the coast of Phuket that make for the perfect tropical getaway.

With more than 500 cheap flights from Sydney to Phuket departing each week, you have lots of opportunities to book a trip to paradise. Direct flights are offered from SYD to HKT, getting you into Phuket Airport in just 9 hours. A variety of airlines offer cheap airfares from Sydney to Phuket, including AirAsia, Jetstar, Thai Airways, Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Singapore Airlines.

Are you ready to explore Phuket, Thailand? Use Webjet to compare cheap airfares from Sydney to Phuket. We find the best flight deals to help you book cheap flights from Sydney to Phuket. Book your SYD to HKT ticket, pack your bags, and use Webjet’s Phuket guide to start planning your amazing adventure to Thailand!

Things to do in Phuket

Wat Chalong

Thailand is known for its beautiful temples, and one of the best ones to visit in Phuket is Wat Chalong. Inside this Buddhist temple, you can see several artifacts, including a walking stick that is said to hold healing powers and even a piece of Buddha’s bone. Wall art throughout the temple teaches you about Buddha’s life story, making Wat Chalong a great place to learn about the spiritual side to Phuket. The temple is beautifully designed and a must-visit when you book return flights from Sydney to Phuket.

Big Buddha

Recognised as one of the most prominent symbols of Phuket, this statue is 45 metres tall and sits on a hill overlooking the city. From the Big Buddha, you can get a great view of some of Phuket’s top beaches, including Karon, Kata Noi, and Phang Nga Bay. The Buddha is made of Burmese marble and shines beautifully in the sun. The area around the Big Buddha gets extremely hot in the middle of the day and afternoon, so for the best experience, make it your first stop for the day.

Phang Nga Bay

Northwest of Phuket is Phang Nga Bay, which makes for a perfect day trip. Several boat tours are available from Phuket to Phang Nga Bay, or you can hire a private boat for your group. The bay is full of limestone cliffs emerging from the water, and the bay is even home to the famous James Bond Island. On the northern end of Phang Nga Bay, you can also visit a fishing village called Koh Panyi. The floating village is made up of stilt houses that are popular throughout Thailand.

Go to the Beach

With more than 30 beaches, Phuket is an ocean-lover’s dream. There are lots of different beaches that will appeal to different types of travellers. Patong Beach is one of the most popular. It’s close to the centre of Phuket Town and is a popular nightlife area. For a quieter beach experience, Karon Beach, Kata Beach, and Paradise Beach are great spots to go. They have quiet and secluded atmospheres, but are still close to lots of restaurants. All of the Phuket beaches are beautiful with white sand, bright turquoise water, and lots of palm trees.

Go Island Hopping around Phuket

Phuket is located on an island itself, and all around are many more islands for you to visit. With the close proximity of many of the islands to Phuket Town, you could easily visit for a day, or you could plan to spend a few days on the surrounding islands. All of the islands have beautiful beaches as well as great snorkelling and diving. The Phi Phi Islands are some of the most popular to visit outside of Phuket. They are just 45 minutes from Phuket by speedboat and 90 minutes by ferry. There are several Phi Phi Islands, with some known for their nightlife and others known as a quiet paradise. The Similan Islands are another beautiful spot, located 45 minutes from Phuket by speedboat. And for a day of diving and snorkelling just off the coast of Phuket, the Koh Kai Islands are only located 20 minutes from town by speedboat.

Karon Temple Night Market

There are several night markets throughout Phuket, and this is one of the best. The market is held on Tuesdays and Fridays and is set up right on the temple grounds. The market is full of local crafts, art, and clothing that will give you a great insight into Phuket culture. The market also has lots of food stalls where you can sample some amazing Thai food. Some of the must-try foods on a visit to Thailand include pad thai, tom yum, panang and green curries, and mango sticky rice for dessert. 

When should you book return flights from Sydney to Phuket?

Phuket is located in the tropics, so it experiences stable temperatures throughout the year. It gets hot during the day, and at night, it gets cooler but stays at a comfortable 24-25 degrees. Although the temperature doesn’t change much, Phuket experiences vastly different weather throughout the year.

Due to its tropical location, Thailand experiences a wet season and a dry season. The dry season is the best time to book cheap airfares from Sydney to Phuket and lasts from November to April. January and February are the busiest months, so if you book return flights from Sydney to Phuket during this time, be sure to book your hotel far in advance. Wet season, also called monsoon season, lasts from May to October. These months experience a lot of rain, and some attractions close for the wet season. The ocean can be dangerous during monsoon season, and swimming and diving are not recommended due to powerful waves and rip currents. Prices drop during the wet season, so it could be a good option for travellers who aren’t planning to dive or snorkel in Phuket.

It’s always exciting to book cheap flights from Sydney to Phuket for one of their big celebrations! It’s a great way to learn more about the Thai culture and see how locals celebrate their holidays. The Songkran Water Festival is held in April to celebrate the Thai New Year. The festival involves water fights and people dumping buckets of water over each other. Water is seen as purifying in Thailand, so being soaked during the festival is a way to purify yourself of the bad memories from the previous year and start the new year with a clean slate. For a more relaxed festival, you can look at cheap airfares from Sydney to Phuket for the Loy Krathong Festival in November. During Loy Krathong, hundreds of floating lanterns are released into the sky, making for some beautiful sights.

Departing from Sydney

Sydney Airport is located just 7 km south of the CBD, making it easy and convenient to get to. Each day, there are about 75 return flights from Sydney to Phuket, giving you lots of options to choose from. Direct flights will get you from SYD to HKT in 9 hours. As one of the main airports in Australia, Sydney Airport has a variety of airlines with cheap flights from Sydney to Phuket, including Qantas, Virgin Australia, Thai Airways, Jetstar, and AirAsia.

Getting to Sydney Airport (SYD)

Sydney Airport (also called Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport) offers transport options to satisfy every budget. The most affordable way to get from central Sydney to the airport is to catch the Airport Link train. Airport Link departs from several different train stations around Sydney, including Central Station, Wynyard, Bondi Beach, and Darling Harbour. There are even Airport Link trains that depart from outer suburbs, such as Wollongong. Train times and ticket prices vary by departure point. Trains from the CBD only take about 15 minutes to the airport, while trains from Bondi take about 45 minutes. CBD train tickets are $18.70, and Bondi tickets are $19.70. You can purchase individual tickets or pay with your Opal Card.

With the airport’s close proximity to the CBD, you can get to the airport quickly in a taxi or an Uber. A taxi ride from the CBD takes about 20 minutes and costs about $45-$60. If you catch a taxi from Bondi, you’ll have a similar fare between $45-$65, and you’ll get to the airport in less than 30 minutes.

Parking at Sydney Airport

The Blu Emu car park is the most budget-friendly option for parking at Sydney Airport. Blu Emu offers a free 24-hour shuttle bus service between the car park and the Domestic Terminal. The shuttle takes about 15 minutes and runs every 15-30 minutes. From the Domestic Terminal, you can catch a free train to the International Terminal, which runs from 5AM-midnight. The Blu Emu car park costs about $30 per day, but by booking your spot in advance, you can get even better rates.

For quick and direct access to the International Terminal, the P7 car park is a good option. The car park is only a 5-minute walk from the International Terminal and offers covered parking. When you book your parking spot in advance, the P7 car park costs about $55 per day. Nice and convenient for a short visit from SYD to HKT.

Arriving in Phuket

Phuket is home to the third busiest airport in Thailand, just behind the two Bangkok airports. Located 30 km north of the city, Phuket Airport is the gateway to southern Thailand and many of the Thai islands. Phuket International Airport (HKT) is made up of three terminals. Terminal 2 receives international flights from SYD to HKT, domestic flights land in Terminal 3, and Terminal X receives charter flights and private planes. When you book return flights from Sydney to Phuket, you will most likely fly into Terminal 2. However, your flight may arrive to Phuket Airport Terminal 3 if you have a stopover in Bangkok.

Getting to the city centre from Phuket International Airport (HKT)

The most budget-friendly way to get from Phuket International Airport (HKT) into town is on the Phuket Airport Bus. This bus offers a route between Phuket Airport and Phuket Bus Terminal in the town centre. Other stops along the bus route include the Phuket Boat Lagoon, Sarakul Stadium, and Pranang Srang Temple. From the Phuket Bus Terminal, you can catch buses heading to other areas of Phuket, including Patong, Kata, Karon, and the Rassada Pier. The Phuket Airport Bus picks up passengers outside of Arrivals for Terminals 2 and 3. The bus departs the airport every 60 to 90 minutes and arrives to the Phuket Bus Terminal in a little over an hour. Tickets are available to purchase on the bus and cost 100 Thai baht (about $4.20).

For an easy transfer from Phuket International Airport (HKT) to your hotel, you can catch a taxi outside of your terminal. A taxi into the centre of Phuket Town costs about 400 baht and takes 30 minutes. A taxi ride to Patong costs about 550 baht and takes 40 minutes. If you are staying at a hotel in Kata or Karon, taxi fare from Phuket Airport costs about 600 baht and takes an hour. When you catch a taxi from Phuket International Airport (HKT), there is also a 100 baht surcharge that gets added onto your fare.

Looking for a unique Thai experience to start off your holiday? Tuk tuks are a popular method of transportation for visitors to Thailand. Tuk tuks are not very big, so taking one from Phuket Airport may not be possible if you have several pieces of luggage. Due to the popularity of tuk tuks, they are often more expensive to take than taxis. Phuket has set maximum rates for tuk tuks to avoid tourists being overcharged. Maximum tuk tuk rates from the airport include 1000 baht to Kata and Karon, 800 baht to Patong, and 550 baht to Phuket Town. While these are the maximum fares, tuk tuk drivers will expect you to negotiate down the price, and you can often ride a tuk tuk for about the same cost as a taxi.