If traveling from Auckland to Dubai (and onto Europe, connecting flight) would you recommend transiting through Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane.

If traveling from Auckland to Dubai (and onto Europe, connecting flight) would you recommend transiting through Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane. I apologise if this question has already been asked. Thanks.

I should probably add that, if you haven't already come to the conclusion, I am talking about Emirates A380 flights that stop in all three of these Australian ports.

If you're in First, transit through Sydney.

Yeah, unfortunately it's only economy at this stage.

If you are in Economy and have no status, then pick whichever is cheapest on your dates. BNE, SYD and MEL are all about the same.

They'll all have food courts (SYD has Eagle Boys, MEL has Nandos and BNE is just dire), they'll all have free showers (byo towel), they'll all be insipid places to wait for your A380.

OK, thanks.

I take it that you're not a big fan of BNE. :P

I'm dead serious. I once received a $20 food voucher from QF for a four hour delay. I struggled to find a place to blow the voucher. (I ended up at The Coffee Club.)

That is dire. :)

Do you have any frequent flyer status with either Skywards or Qantas Frequent Flyer?

That would determine any lounge choices on the Australian stopover which would be the deciding factor in my view. :)

Agreed, the lounge access is the deciding factor.

Mainly because the BNE lounge is dire.

No, not with them. The main deciding factor is probably what would have the most seamless experience and what had the most entertainment/shopping option for the time, keeping in mind we are a family of 5 with younger teenage children. Basically what would be most comfortable to spend an hour in (non-lounge) for the 1 and a half/2 hour wait at the start and end of a long holiday.

SYD, then. You'll be able to park yourself at some fast food place or in one of the many seating areas, and there is free WiFi to keep the kids busy.

Cool, thanks. :)

SYD is the most seamless because of the proximity of security check and the arriving/departing gate. In MEL there's always that chance of docking at a remote gate which involves a bit of treck (much like in BNE) to/from security.

OK, thank you.