Quick answer
Sydney Airport has a curfew that bars most flights between 11pm and 6am, so few passengers land or depart in those hours, while Melbourne Airport runs without a curfew. If you land just before 11pm or fly soon after 6am, give your chauffeur company your flight number so the pickup follows the real schedule.
Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport sits in the middle of a dense residential area, and that is why it has a curfew. It shapes when you can fly, and so when you need a chauffeur. Here is how it works and how to plan around it.
What is the Sydney Airport curfew?
Under the Sydney Airport Curfew Act 1995, most aircraft take-offs and landings are barred between 11pm and 6am. A small group of movements is allowed, including emergency aircraft, some small jets, propeller aircraft and freight, so scheduled passenger flights are rare in that window. Outside the curfew, from 6am to 11pm, the Australian Government also caps movements at 80 an hour. The rules have been debated but, at the time of writing, had not changed, so check the Australian Government's current information before you plan around them.
How is Sydney different from Melbourne?
| Sydney Airport | Melbourne Airport | |
|---|---|---|
| Overnight curfew | Yes, 11pm to 6am | No |
| Scheduled flights overnight | Very limited | Operates around the clock |
| Earliest typical departures | From about 6am | Any hour |
| Late arrivals | Land before 11pm | Can land through the night |
How do I plan a chauffeur for an early flight from Sydney?
- Start from your airline's check-in guidance for your flight, and work backwards from there.
- Add time for traffic. The CBD is usually 20 to 40 minutes from the airport, and further suburbs take longer.
- Book the pickup in advance and confirm the exact time in writing the night before.
- Keep your booking reference handy, and be ready at the door when the chauffeur arrives.
The fare is fixed when you book and includes tolls, parking and GST, so an early start does not mean a surprise at the end.
What if my flight is delayed close to the curfew?
A late departure into the 11pm cut-off can disrupt the flight, so watch your airline's updates. Tell your chauffeur company straight away if your flight number changes. A change advised in advance carries no fee, while an unnotified change can be treated as a no-show. Your chauffeur tracks the flight and the pickup follows the actual landing time, with no extra waiting charge for a delayed flight.
What about arrivals at Melbourne in the middle of the night?
Melbourne Airport has no curfew, so flights can land at any hour and chauffeurs can be booked to match. The meeting arrangements are in our Melbourne Airport pickup guide. For Sydney's terminals, see the Sydney Airport pickup guide, and for how round-the-clock booking works, read our 24/7 chauffeur guide.
