An airport curfew is a window when planes are mostly not allowed to take off or land. Of the three biggest eastern Australian airports, only Sydney has one.
The three airports
| Airport | Curfew | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 11pm to 6am | Few flights overnight. Early flights leave from 6am. |
| Melbourne | None | Flights can run at any hour. |
| Brisbane | None | Flights can run at any hour. |
Sydney: 11pm to 6am
Sydney's curfew is set by law, and a small number of flights are exempt, such as freight, emergency services and some smaller aircraft. For passengers, the rule is simple: your flight will not be scheduled to leave or land between 11pm and 6am.
Outside those hours there is a second limit, a cap of 80 take-offs and landings in any hour. That limit is one reason Sydney's morning and evening peaks feel tight.
What it means for you
- Early flights leave from 6am. There are no 4am departures, but 6am ones are common, and check-in still opens well before them. For a 6am flight you want to be at the terminal around 4am, which is hard to manage from the city. See how early to arrive.
- A late delay can run into the curfew. If your evening flight is delayed close to 11pm, the airline may not be able to depart or land it that night. The usual result is a cancellation or a diversion and a rebooking for the morning. Our overnight delay post covers what to ask for.
- The last arrivals land late in the evening. Because flights stop at 11pm, a flight landing at 10:30pm leaves you collecting bags close to when transfers thin out. Plan how you will get to your hotel before you book.
Melbourne and Brisbane: no curfew
Neither airport has a curfew, so flights can operate through the night. That helps with very early departures and late-night arrivals, and it means a delay is less likely to turn into an overnight stop. The trade-off is that you may find yourself arriving at 1am or leaving at 5am, with fewer ways to get to or from the airport. Plan the transfer before you book the flight.
Western Sydney
The new Western Sydney International airport was planned to run without a curfew. See our Western Sydney Airport guide for what is operating now.
When a hotel near the airport helps
- Early Sydney flight: a room at the airport takes the 4am start out of your morning. See staying near Sydney Airport and the early flight short lists.
- Late arrival anywhere: if you land after the trains have stopped, a room close to the terminal beats a long ride at midnight. See late arrival.
- A flight that might hit the curfew: if your Sydney departure is already running late in the evening, ask the airline whether it will still go. If not, book a room close to the airport before they all fill.