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Sydney to Whitsundays

Compare Cheap Flights from Sydney to the Whitsundays

Located in Queensland, the Whitsundays are a series of 74 islands offering some of the best coastal scenery in Australia. The islands are separated into four groups, each featuring an island with resorts. Each island group in the Whitsundays offers a different experience, whether you’re looking for family-friendly activities, luxury, or eco-style budget. The Whitsundays are particularly known for their proximity to the Great Barrier Reef. The Whitsundays are considered by many to be the best place to experience the reef and all the activities that go along with it. Each island in the Whitsundays has the Great Barrier Reef right on its doorstep and offers a range of activities to visitors. The Whitsundays really are the perfect combination of relaxation and adventure.

When booking cheap flights from Sydney to the Whitsundays, there are two possible airports you could fly into. Proserpine Whitsunday Coast Airport (PPP) is located on the mainland and has easy access to Airlie Beach. Each day, there are between 30-50 flights from Sydney landing at Proserpine Whitsunday Coast Airport (PPP). Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Tigerair all offer cheap airfares from Sydney to the Whitsundays flying into Proserpine. There are some direct flights from SYD to PPP that arrive in 2 hours 30 minutes. Direct flights aren’t available from SYD to PPP every day, but even when you can’t get a direct flight, you can get there in about 4 hours with a quick stopover in Brisbane.

Are you ready for an escape to paradise? Treat yourself to some cheap flights from Sydney to the Whitsundays with Webjet. Webjet compares cheap airfares from Sydney to the Whitsundays to make sure you’re getting a good deal. Use our guide to the Whitsundays below to make the most of your return flights from Sydney to the Whitsundays.

Things to do in the Whitsundays

Go Sailing

As one of the best sailing spots in the Southern Hemisphere, sailing is a must-do when you book return flights from Sydney to the Whitsundays. There are lots of options to get you out on the water. You can charter a sailboat with a crew, join onto a sailing tour, or experienced sailors can rent a sailboat and cruise around themselves. A popular option for visitors to the Whitsundays is to sail between the island for several days and spend your nights on the boat. You can hire a sailboat to do this yourself or join onto a multi-day sailing tour of the Whitsundays.

See the Great Barrier Reef Up Close

The Whitsundays is one of the best places to experience the Great Barrier Reef. The Whitsundays have lots of beautiful coral and colourful fish for visitors to see. The best way to experience the reef is to see it from the water. Go snorkelling or diving over the reef for a view you’ll never forget. Some of the best spots for snorkelling and diving are Hook Island, Bait Reef, and Fairey Reef.

Whitehaven Beach

Unsurprisingly, the Whitsundays are home to some of Australia’s most beautiful beaches. With 74 islands to explore, there are a lot of great beaches to choose from. The most famous is Whitehaven Beach, which is located on Whitsunday Island—the largest island in the Whitsundays. The beach stretches for 7 km and is surrounded by vivid blue and turquoise ocean water. The sand is 98% pure white silica, giving it a bright white colour that perfectly contrasts with the water.

See the Whitsundays from a Different Perspective

One of the best ways to experience the Whitsundays is from above. Many tour operators offer helicopter and seaplane tours of the islands. This gives you a totally different perspective of the reefs below, and there are even some spots you can only really see from above. The Heart Reef is a popular spot to see, especially when booking cheap flights from Sydney to the Whitsundays for a romantic getaway. For an adrenaline-filled view of the Whitsundays from above, you could even plan to go skydiving over the islands.

Hamilton Island

This is one of the most popular islands to visit in the Whitsundays. If you fly into Hamilton Island Airport (HTI), make sure to spend at least a couple days taking in the atmosphere here. Hamilton Island is home to some great resorts, restaurants, and spas to give you a relaxing experience. The island is full of walking trails and is a great place for water activities, such as kayaking and paddle boarding. From Hamilton Island, you can also catch boats, seaplanes, and helicopters that will take you to explore the rest of the Whitsundays.

Visit the Rainforest

While the Whitsundays are known as an island paradise, there’s lots you can do back on the mainland as well. Just outside Airlie Beach are some incredible rainforests that you can explore. Conway National Park is a great place to visit. The park is full of scenic lookouts over the rainforest and Whitsundays, hiking trails, and lots of waterfalls.

Airlie Beach

If your return flights from Sydney to the Whitsundays take you into Proserpine Whitsunday Coast Airport (PPP), you’ll get to the Whitsunday islands through the town of Airlie Beach. Airlie Beach is particularly known for its nightlife, but it has lots more to offer as well, making it a great place to stay before and after your visit to the islands. The town has some great shopping, restaurants, and beaches. Airlie Lagoon is a pool that has a tropical beach feel to it. It’s a great way to go swimming during stinger season. And for some great views of the ocean and Whitsundays, take a walk or bike ride along Bicentennial Boardwalk. 

When should you book cheap flights from Sydney to the Whitsundays?

Due to its tropical location, the Whitsundays experience nice weather all year. Summers are hot and humid, while winters are cooler and drier. But even in winter, temperatures reach about 23-25 degrees during the day, meaning you’ll still be able to enjoy island activities. September is widely considered to be the best month to visit the Whitsundays. During this time, weather is sunny and warm, humidity hasn’t set in yet, it experiences the lowest rainfall of the year, and it’s before stinger season starts.

Stinger season lasts from October to May each year. But don’t let that put a damper on your plans to visit the Whitsundays. Even during stinger season, you can dive and snorkel. You’ll just need to wear a protective diving suit in case you run into any stingers. 

Departing from Sydney

Sydney Airport is located just 7 km south of the CBD, making it easy and convenient to get to. Qantas, Virgin Australia, Jetstar, and Tigerair all offer cheap airfares from Sydney to the Whitsundays. Direct flights are available, getting you to Whitsunday Airport in just 2 hours 30 minutes.

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 under a half hour.

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. The Blu Emu car park costs around $30 per day, but by booking your spot in advance, you can get even better rates.

For the quickest access to the Domestic Terminal, the P1/2 car park is a convenient option. From the car park, you can walk to the airport in 5 minutes. Next door to that is the P3 car park, which is an 8-minute walk to the terminal. P1/2 parking costs $59 for one day and $133 for 3 days. P3 parking costs $48 for one day and $128 for 3 days. You can get even lower daily rates by booking in advance through the Sydney Airport website.

Arriving in the Whitsundays

When travelling to the Whitsundays, Proserpine Whitsunday Coast Airport (PPP) is the most convenient. It's located 37 km south of Airlie Beach, which is where the majority of Whitsunday tours and ships depart from. It’s a small airport operating on one runway. 

Getting to the Whitsundays from Proserpine Whitsunday Coast Airport (PPP)

Once you have touched down at Whitsunday Airport and collected your bag, you can catch a quick and affordable ride into Airlie Beach with Whitsunday Transit. The bus will get you into the centre of Airlie Beach in about 40 minutes. Whitsunday Transit makes stops at many of the hotels and guest houses around Airlie Beach, as well as the Maritime Terminal where you can catch boats to the various islands of the Whitsundays. Tickets from Proserpine Whitsunday Coast Airport (PPP) to Airlie Beach cost $22 for adults.

A taxi from Proserpine Whitsunday Coast Airport (PPP) will get you to Airlie Beach in about a half hour. Fare averages between $85-$95. Once in Airlie Beach, you can check into your hotel or catch a boat from the Port of Airlie to one of the Whitsunday islands.