Australian Travel Visa Information

There are different Australian visa types available for travellers to Australia. Knowing which Australian visa to apply for depends on the length of your stay, your passport and the purpose of your visit. You’ll also need to meet certain financial and medical requirements, be outside of Australia when applying and maintain health insurance for the duration of your stay.

Electronic Travel Authority Visa - Subclass 601

(EU, US, and Canada citizens)

This visa allows you to visit Australia as many times as you want, for up to a year, and stay for up to three months each visit. This visa is available to passport holders from a number of countries and regions, who live outside Australia. A step-by-step guide on how to apply is here.

This is a phone app based submission that only takes a few minutes but it should be done at least 2 days prior to departure for Australia. This visa currently costs approximately $15 USD.

eVisitor- Subclass 651

(Europe Only)

This is a free visa for multiple visits to Australia for tourism or business purposes for up to three months at a time within a 12-month period. This visa is available to passport holders from a number of European countries and it cannot be extended. Apply for this visa here.

Visitor Visa - Subclass 600

The visitor visa allows you to visit Australia, either for tourism or business purposes. It is open to all nationalities. Generally, a period of stay of up to three months is granted, but up to 12 months may be granted in certain circumstances. Be sure to submit your application well in advance of your travel date to allow enough time for processing. You may be asked to provide further supporting information. You will be notified in writing if your tourist visa is approved and it will be digitally linked to your passport. More information regarding this visa can be found here.

Flights

There are many ways to get to Sydney - whether that’s through a direct flight or connections. We recommend that you consider stopping along the way through other cities. This will help to break up the trip, add new places to explore, and can sometimes offer a more cost effective route.

Non-Stop from the US to Sydney

Our favorite direct option to get to Sydney from the US is to break up the trip and stop in Los Angeles for the day. American Airlines, Delta, Qantas, and United offer non-stop flights from LAX to SYD.

We plan for an 8+ hour layover where we can leave the airport, get some fresh air, and get some great food. This also provides some buffer room in the event that your domestic flight to LAX is delayed. We hop on an airport shuttle to the Westin, where we store our bags using the Bounce App.

Highlights from our prior LA layovers include:

  • La Brea Tar Pits and Museum - We were surprised to see live tar pits in downtown LA

  • Santa Monica Beach - This was a great way to enjoy some fresh air and relax by the beach

  • Strolling the Grove - If you’re thirsty, hungry, or like to window shop this is a great pit stop

  • Erewhon - we wanted to see what the hype was all about

  • Waymo - Our recommended way to get around LA

  • Food Highlights: El Cartel (Mexican food), Fabios Pasta (homemade fresh pasta), All’Antico Vinaio (Italian sandwiches), Levain Bakery, % Arabica (coffee)

We recommend avoiding Hollywood unless it’s on your bucket list.

Other non-stop options from North America to Sydney include Dallas (Qantas), San Francisco (United/Qantas), & Vancouver (Qantas/Air Canada)

Our Recommended Stop-Over Cities

  • Auckland, New Zealand (AKL) - Transoceanic flights to Auckland can often be a better deal than flying directly to Australia. If you are traveling from North America - New York, Vancouver, LA, San Francisco, Houston offer non-stop flights to Auckland. Once in Auckland, a flight to Sydney is only ~3hrs away. In January of 2026, we spent 2 nights in Auckland - we explored the city and rented a car to explore the scenery of the northern island. For ideas of what to do in Auckland, see our map!

  • Melbourne, Australia (MEL) - If you are making the effort to visit Australia, we highly recommend spending a few nights in Melbourne which is a short hop away from Sydney (~1hr flight). If you are traveling from North America - Dallas, LA, and San Francisco offer non-stop flights to Melbourne. Outside of the city, you can see the beautiful coast line and iconic Australian wildlife (we’re talking koalas, kangaroos, and penguins). For ideas of what to do in Melbourne, see our map!

  • Brisbane, Australia (BNE) - Another city that is a short hop away from Sydney (<2hrs) is Brisbane and known for a more laid-back feel. If you are traveling from North America, - LA, San Francisco, Vancouver offer non-stop flights to Brisbane. Unfortunately, have yet to properly explore Brisbane and don’t have any personal recommendations.

  • Perth, Australia (PER) - If you are interested in taking the less traveled path, you can stop in Perth to get a taste of the Australian Outback. Most of the trans-oceanic flights between Perth and North America include a layover in the Middle East or London .We are planning to take this route in February - we’ll keep you posted on how that goes!

  • Singapore (SIN) - This is one of the world’s most iconic cities with an even more iconic airport. This city has incredible hotels, food, and attractions condensed on a small island that is easy to get around in. Stopping in Singapore would make an eventful part of your trip, just have your wallet ready. If you are traveling from North America, numerous flights are available from the west coast, as well as New York City. If you are traveling from Europe, this offers one of the most convenient layovers. We are planning to take this route in January - we’ll keep you posted on how that goes!

  • Tokyo, Japan (HND or NRT)- If you are looking to use all your vacation time and have Japan on your bucket list, Tokyo is a great option to cross the pacific but keep in mind that it will take out of the way. If you are traveling from North America, there are plenty of flight options from multiple major cities. We recommend flying into Haneda (HND) airport instead of Narita (NRT) airport as is significantly closer to the city and has a direct train option into downtown Tokyo. While there, enjoy unbelievable food and bring an extra suitcase for shopping (just trust us).

  • Doha, Qatar (DOH) / Abu Dhabi, UAE (AUH) / Dubai, AEU (DXB) - The Gulf carriers (Etihad, Qatar, and Emirates) are known for being some of the top airlines in the world with exceptional service and quality. Previously we stayed in Doha during a connection, explored the Old City and enjoyed some delicious food. Similar to Singapore, the airports in the Gulf are worth experiencing. These carriers offer non-stop flights to the Gulf from anywhere in the world, assuming the region is stable.

Justin’s Travel Tips

  • Sydney is getting a new airport! Western Sydney airport (WSI) is opening Fall of 2026 and will be ramping up new flight options during 2027. If you’re connecting from the region, consider WSI airport in addition to the larger SYD airport.

  • Miles & points redemption are typically fantastic value for flights to Australia & New Zealand. American Airlines typically posts the most award inventory but I have seen some with Alaska & Qantas as well. If you have some banked up, this is a great way to get good redemption value. Feel free to reach out, we have a subscription to Roame & Expert Flyer to help find the best option for you!

One-way economy tickets are commonly available for ~35k miles.

One-way business tickets are occasionally available for 60-100k miles.