Brisbane Airport arrivals guide
Brisbane is the biggest airport serving the Northern Rivers and the one most long-haul travellers land at. It also has two separate terminals and a two-hour drive at the end of it, so a little planning makes the difference between a smooth arrival and a long one. This is how we run it.
Two terminals, a couple of kilometres apart
The international and domestic terminals are separate buildings with their own roads and pickup areas. We confirm which one you are arriving into from your flight number, so nobody is waiting at the wrong building. If you are connecting between terminals we can meet you after the second leg instead.
Long-haul arrivals
After a long flight, border processing and baggage can take a while, and that is exactly when a fixed arrangement helps most. We track the flight, wait inside with your name, and the fare does not move because the queue was slow.
If you are travelling with children, a lot of luggage or sporting equipment, tell us when you book and we will bring the right vehicle rather than working it out at the kerb.
The drive south
- Byron Bay: about 2 hours 5 minutes. Fixed fare $439.
- Lennox Head: about 2 hours 25 minutes. Fixed fare $449.
- Ballina: about 2 hours 35 minutes. Fixed fare $459.
- Every fare includes the Gateway and Logan motorway tolls, airport access fees and GST, and works the same in both directions.
When to allow more time
- Weekday afternoons between 3pm and 6pm through the southern suburbs.
- Friday and Sunday afternoons on the Pacific Motorway.
- Queensland and New South Wales school holidays.
- Major event weekends in Brisbane or on the Gold Coast.
Why people choose Brisbane over connecting
Flying into Brisbane and driving south is one vehicle and one driver the whole way. Connecting onward to Ballina adds a second check-in, a baggage transfer and a small aircraft that weather can hold up. When the numbers are close, the single leg usually wins on both time and stress.
Cruise terminal and city stops
We also run between the Northern Rivers and the Brisbane Cruise Terminal at Luggage Point, city hotels and the suburbs. Those journeys are quoted by distance rather than fixed, and use the same tracked, fixed-quote approach as an airport run.
Frequently asked questions
Which terminal do you meet me at? Whichever one your flight arrives into. We confirm the terminal from your flight number when we reply to your booking, so international and domestic arrivals are both covered.
How long does Brisbane Airport to Byron Bay take? About two hours and five minutes in good conditions, at a fixed fare of $439 including tolls, airport access fees and GST.
Do you wait if a long-haul flight is late? Yes. We track the flight and hold the vehicle. A delay, a customs queue or a slow bag does not change the fixed fare.
Call Bay2Coast on 0407 162 495