May I have some advice regarding layovers.

May I have some advice regarding layovers. We are flying LA to Perth business Qantas. I need advice about time needed to make connecting flight, also we go through customs in Perth or Melb/Bris.

Our options are:

LA -Bris arr 0615, Bris -Per dep 0815

LA-Melb arr 0700, Melb -Perth dep either 0815 or 1035.

Thanks in anticipation.

So sorry meant advice about connecting times not layovers!

Very stupid question that i cant get from your profile, are you an australian passport holder?

Either way, the Mel to Perth 815 departure is to close to arrival and not enough time to clear customs and re-check in

Thanks Hayden, yes Austrlain passports.

MM

Brisbane international is separate to the domestic terminal. There is a train service connecting terminals but I would think your transfer times are very tight and would probably catch a cab.

Melbourne domestic and international terminal is together in house and you will be jogging around on those transfer times to get through

both tight schedules

i would choose melbourne as both terminals are in the same building. 

birsbane changing by terminals is a pain in the backside unless you have heaps of time to do it 

I would transit at MEL too as you have control when jogging between terminals. In BNE it will depend on train schedule and assuming no delays.

Also MEL has a better QF lounge. BNE lounge is the worst IMO.

Thanks sounds like the consensus is Melbourne, would we go through customs there or in Perth?

You go through customs at the first arrival port in Australia - so Melbourne

mm,

Are you buying the ticket as a through fare or two separate tickets?

If it's a through fare, then you do not have to worry about connecting. Qantas will book you on the flight that meets the minimum connection time requirements. This occurs through an application control, which is not unique to Qantas, within their reservation system to ensure you are booked on a flight that you can connect to. However sometimes sh*it happens. If you're book on a through ticket, Qantas will automatically book you on the next flight to PER if a misconnection occurs.

Like the United States, you clear immigration/customs (you get Border Forced, seeing is now they've merged) at the first port of call. There, you will recheck your bags and if your connecting flight has changed due to a misconnection, you will be issued with new boarding passes.

Personally if given the choice between Melbourne and Brisbane, I would opt for Melbourne as a transit point for the following reasons:

1. Melbourne International and Domestic terminals are on one site, being next to each other and within walking distance. You do not need to hop on a transfer bus, in the case of SYD or a train in the case of BNE.
2. The QF LAX/BNE service is operated by an A380, which to me trumps the 747 anyway (don't tell that to Serg!)
3. I find the MEL QF Domestic Business Lounge much nicer than BNE's - I believe there may also be more showers at MEL than at BNE, which if I'm not wrong has only 2, though I stand to be corrected.

Reason 2 seems to advocate Brisbane?

Typo! I meant LAX/MEL! QF 94

P.S: Thanks Wombus!

Agreed with TRB on all counts.

1. The international-domestic transfer in MEL is the best on the East Coast. If you stay upstairs, it's even completely covered. Security is also a breeze when you have priority screening. If you're too jetlagged to do the bag drop yourself, as J pax you'll have access to a human being to do your dirty work.
2. The A380 is better than the B747 (*dons Serg protector*), particularly with regard to noise and cabin humidity.
3. MEL T1 Domestic J lounge has three showers indeed, but they fill up quite quickly. It may be a good idea to suss out the QP showers as well as there tends to be more supply on the QP side.

10/10 I would also recommend MEL as the transit port.

I would also float the idea of actually parking your bags in left luggage and heading into Melbourne proper for the day before flying back on the last flight - I did it just this weekend and it was great fun.

P.S.: I like the MEL T1 JCL, but it's not as nice as the SYD T3 JCL; too small and not nearly as airy and lounge-y.

Thanks everyone, very helpful.