Australia is one of the most popular destinations in the world, and that’s no surprise. With its natural beauty, diverse landscape, and friendly people, it’s a fantastic place to visit.
Between the wide-open Outback, beautiful beaches, and stunning wildlife, there is plenty to see on the red continent.
While Australia has some of the largest airports in the world, flying to Australia is not a short trip.
We take a look at how long flights to Australia take with some fast, non-stop routes.
How Long Does It Take To Fly To Australia?
The duration of a flight to Australia depends on various factors such as the departure city and layovers. On average, non-stop flights from the United States to Australia take around 15-20 hours. However, flights with layovers can take up to 24 hours or more.
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How Long Does It Take To Fly To Australia?
| Flight | Flight duration | Direct/Stops |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles International Airport to Brisbane Airport | 14 hours | Direct |
| Los Angeles International Airport to Sydney Airport | 15 hours | Direct |
| San Francisco Airport to Sydney Airport | 15 hours | Direct |
| Los Angeles International Airport to Melbourne Airport | 16 hours | Direct |
| Dallas Fort Worth International Airport to Sydney Airport | 17 hours | Direct |
| Los Angeles International Airport to Adelaide Airport | 20.5 hours | One stop at Auckland Airport |
| New York JFK Airport to Sydney Airport | 22 hours | One stop at Hong Kong International Airport |
| Los Angeles International Airport to Perth Airport | 25 hours | One stop at Sydney Airport |
| New York JFK Airport To Melbourne Airport | 27 hours | One stop at Narita International Airport |
| Houston George Bush International Airport to Melbourne Airport | 27.5 hours | One stop at Los Angeles International Airport |
The shortest flight from the US to Australia takes just over 14 hours. This direct flight is from Los Angeles International Airport to Brisbane Airport.
There are also a number of other non-stop flights, such as from Los Angeles to Sydney which take 15 hours.
When you are flying to Australia, then the flight duration depends on your departure airport and where you are flying to in Australia.
Luckily, the most common tourist destinations, such as Sydney and Melbourne, also have large airports which make it easy to get to Australia.
These airports are also located in the Eastern part of the country which means they are much faster to get to from the US.
Back in the 1970s I flew from the UK to Australia and the flight took almost 36 hours as it stopped at Zurich, Abu Dhabi, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Perth and then Sydney
I worked with a friend at British Airways at that time whose sister lived in Brisbane. He went there for Christmas with his parents but there was a Christmas staff travel embargo meaning that a staff member could only travel with one family member.
So he flew with his father to Brisbane then flew straight back to the UK, picked up his mother and flew back to Brisbane. That was over 5 days on a plane! I don’t know how he did it.
Direct Flights To Australia
Direct flights from Los Angeles International Airport or Dallas Fort Worth International Airport to Australia are some of the fastest ways to get to Australia.
These flights can take between 14 and 17 hours to land in Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane.
Flying from the West coast of the US to Australia is the fastest route.
However, when you are based in New York or on the US East coast, then you will need to catch a connecting flight to change to Los Angeles for your final destination flight to Australia.
Non-Direct Flights To Australia
If you don’t live around Texas or California, then it can be tricky to get a direct flight to any destination in Australia.
This being said, there are still some fast non-direct flights to Australia which only have one stop.
The fastest non-direct route (outside California or Texas) is from New York JFK Airport to Adelaide Airport which takes only a little over 20 hours. You will need to change at Hong Kong International Airport.
The Best Airports In Australia
When you want to travel to Australia, then you can choose from a good range of large airports.
They are also close to some of the greatest tourist spots in Australia, so you don’t even have to travel too much farther after your flight.
Sydney Airport
There is no doubt that Sydney is one of the most popular destinations in Australia and across the world.
This large airport welcomes over 40 million passengers a year, and it’s one of the main gateways into Australia.
You can fly directly from Los Angeles or Dallas to Sydney, or take a non-direct flight from New York.
Melbourne Airport
After Sydney, Melbourne is the second-busiest airport in Australia. Every year, just under 40 million visitors arrive at Melbourne airport.
This airport is located in the Northern part of the city where flights land and take off day and night.
You can catch a connecting flight in Melbourne to fly to any other location in Australia. For example, Melbourne to Sydney is one of the most popular routes in the country.
Melbourne is also an international flight destination with long-haul international connections, including the US.
Brisbane Airport
Brisbane is another popular Australian airport. Brisbane is a fantastic location because it is close to the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast with the famous Great Barrier Reef.
This means Brisbane is not just a hit with local tourists but also many international visitors.
Saying this, the city also has a reputation as a spot for backpackers who want to explore Australia’s East Coast.
You can easily fly from Los Angeles International Airport to Brisbane airport in 14 hours. This is one of the quickest ways to get to Australia from any US airport.
Adelaide Airport
While destinations along Australia’s East coast are more popular, Adelaide airport is also a convenient airport to get to.
It has more domestic flights than international routes but you can still get to Adelaide on a flight from Los Angeles.
However, this is not a direct flight, so you will need to stop off in Auckland.
From Adelaide, you can explore South Australia, and you can even catch a flight from Adelaide to other airports in the West of the country, such as Perth airport.
Perth Airport
Perth’s airport is located on the West coast of the country. While it also welcomes international travelers, other airports like Melbourne and Sydney are usually more popular with visitors.
If you want to fly from the US to Perth, then you can catch a flight from New York JFK Airport to Perth with a flight time of 28 hours. But this includes a stop at Singapore Changi Airport.
Flight times to Australia FAQs
San Francisco to Australia flight time
The direct flight time from San Fransisco to Sydney, Australia is 15 hours. SFO-SYD
Hawaii to Australia flight time
A direct flight from Honolulu, Hawaii to Sydney, Australia takes just over 10 hours. HNL-SYD
Chicago to Australia flight time
You cannot fly direct from Chicago to Australia. You can fly via San Francisco (SFO) to Sydney which takes 20hrs 30mins. ORD-SYD
Los Angeles to Australia flight time
The LAX to Australia flight time on a direct flight to Sydney takes 15 hours. LAX-SYD
New York to Australia flight time
There are no direct flights to Australia from New York. The fastest flight time is from LaGuardia (via Dallas) to Sydney which takes 22hrs 50mins. LGA-DFW-SYD
California to Australia flight time
The shortest flight time from California to Australia is a direct flight from Los Angeles to Brisbane which takes 14hrs 25mins LAX-BNE. Los Angeles to Sydney takes 15hrs 5 mins LAX-SYD.syd
Boston to Australia flight time
There are no direct flights to Australia from Boston. The fastest flight time is from Boston (via Los Angeles) to Sydney which takes 22hrs 55mins. BOS-LAX-SYD
Seattle to Australia flight time
There are no direct flights to Australia from Seattle. The fastest flight time is from Seattle (via San Fransisco) to Sydney which takes 18hrs 32mins. SEA-SFO-SYD
Atlanta to Australia flight time
There are no direct flights to Australia from Atlanta. The fastest flight time is from Atlanta (via Los Angeles) to Sydney which takes 21hrs. ATL-LAX-SYD
Florida to Australia flight time
There are no direct flights to Australia from Florida. The fastest flight time is from Miami (via Dallas) to Sydney which takes 22hrs. MIA-DFW-SYD
Dallas to Australia flight time
There are direct flights from Dallas to Sydney which take 17hrs 5mins. DFW-SYD
Miami to Australia flight time
There are no direct flights to Australia from Miami. The fastest flight time is from Miami (via Dallas) to Sydney which takes 22hrs. MIA-DFW-SYD
Denver to Australia flight time
There are no direct flights to Australia from Denver. The fastest flight time is from Denver (via San Fransisco) to Sydney which takes 18hrs 45mins. DEN-SFO-SYD
Detroit to Australia flight time
There are no direct flights to Australia from Detroit. The fastest flight time is from Detroit (via Los Angeles) to Sydney which takes 22hrs 5mins. DTW-LAX-SYD
Alaska to Australia flight time
There are no direct flights to Australia from Alaska. The fastest flight time is from Anchorage to Sydney which takes 30hrs 30mins (including a 13 hour overnight layover at Honolulu). ANC-HNL-SYD
Final Thoughts
Some of the fastest non-stop flights from the US to Australia only take a little over 14 hours. You can also catch one of the many non-direct flights to Australia which are often cheaper.
I have been traveling around the world by air since the early 70s and living overseas too. I worked for British Airways for a number of years and I am also a private pilot. About Me
