2w ago

Tips for getting through customs quickly?

We have a 2 hour layover in Sydney before our flight to Brisbane. We need to get through customs from the international terminal to the domestic terminal in less than 2 hours.

Any tips on speed running this thing?

9 comments

You should just sprint through security as fast and as suddenly as possible. Leap over some machines, shoulder some people out of the way, sprint through a metal detector to set it off.
All the security staff there find things like that really funny and will really appreciate you brightening their day.
Tell your check in staff and flight attendants, if you're super nice they might be able to put a sticker on your luggage/help you get a priority pass for queues.
Bring some fruit or seafood with you from overseas as a gift to the customs people.
Fly in from the Golden Triangle. With a boogie board.
If you have an Australian passport, you'll likely be through in under an hour even during busy times.
- Alas, we have American passports. I suspect we’ll be in for a thorough inspection. Inside and out. You’d think that the prior inspections we’ve had for the visas and the work security clearance would have sufficed…
  
  Having never navigated Australian Customs as a non-Australian, I have nothing to offer I fear.
  At least they don't take mugshots and fingerprint everyone, though. "Welcome to the USA! Free FBI files for everyone!". They even fingerprinted/photographed my 18-month baby one visit. Criminal mastermind he was.
Nothing to Declare
- I've had the opposite experience. When I declared something I was taken to the front of the queue. My travelling partner declared nothing and I had to wait half an hour for them to catch up to me.
  Might depend on exactly how they're running the queues that day? Not sure. This was terminating in Sydney too, not layover, so they might use a different location, equipment and/or staff.

9 comments