Australia is one of the most distant destinations from mainland France. Plan 22 to 24 hours of flying minimum from Paris to reach Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL), Brisbane (BNE) or Perth (PER), with a mandatory stopover (no direct flight from Europe — Paris-Sydney distance of 17,000 km exceeds current commercial range).
Four main routes with one stopover:
Via Singapore: the classic and most frequented route. Singapore Airlines (absolute reference for A380 service quality), Qantas (the Australian carrier), Air France codeshare with Qantas/Singapore. 12-13h Paris-Singapore + 1-3h layover + 8h Singapore-Sydney. Return fares: €1,200-2,000 depending on season. Recommended route for comfort and flight frequency.
Via Dubai: Emirates offers Paris-Dubai-Sydney/Melbourne flights in A380 — 7h Paris-Dubai + 2-4h layover + 14h Dubai-Sydney (one of the world's longest commercial flights). Return fares: €1,100-1,900. High comfort, daily frequency.
Via Doha: Qatar Airways Paris-Doha-Sydney/Melbourne. Duration and fares comparable to Emirates. Qatar Airways regularly ranked world's best airline (Skytrax). Exceptional comfort.
Via Tokyo, Hong Kong or Bangkok: alternative routes via ANA, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Thai Airways. Slightly longer duration (24-28h total) but possible to include a stopover city stop of a few days to break the journey.
Long-haul low-cost exists: Scoot (Singapore Airlines subsidiary), Jetstar (Qantas subsidiary). Paris-Sydney return fares via Singapore connection: €900-1,400, but basic service and paid luggage.
Fare seasons: high season December-February and July-August (€1,800-2,500 Paris-Sydney return), low season May-June and September-October (€1,100-1,500). Book 3-6 months ahead for best fares, more for Christmas-New Year.
On arrival, border control via automated SmartGate kiosks (biometric passport) takes 10-20 min. The customs declaration (Incoming Passenger Card) is mandatory and strict — declare all food products, plants, seeds, medications, under penalty of immediate AUD 2,600 fine.
On site, internal distances are almost always covered by plane. Domestic carriers: Qantas (most comprehensive), Virgin Australia (main competitor), Jetstar (Qantas low-cost), Rex (regional). Sydney-Cairns 3h, €150-300 return; Sydney-Uluru via Alice Springs or direct Ayers Rock Airport (AYQ) 3h, €250-450 return; Sydney-Melbourne 1h30, €80-200 return (one of the world's busiest air routes); Sydney-Perth 5h, €300-500 return. Domestic flights are fast and reliable, book as early as possible for best fares.
Road trips are an Australian institution. Car rental (Sixt, Hertz, Europcar, Avis): €40-80/day for a compact. Campervan or motorhome rental (Jucy, Britz, Apollo, Maui): €60-150/day depending on size, essential for the Outback or east coast road trip. Long-distance bus Greyhound Australia: economical option for east coast, Whimit unlimited pass 1,800-2,500 km. Transcontinental train Indian Pacific (Sydney-Perth in 4 days-3 nights, €1,800-4,000/person) and The Ghan (Adelaide-Darwin in 3 days-2 nights via Alice Springs, signature experience).
Read also
- Sydney and the East Coast — Iconic Sydney, Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley and New South Wales beaches.
- Melbourne and Victoria — Cultural Melbourne, Great Ocean Road and the 12 Apostles, Phillip Island.
- Great Barrier Reef — Cairns, Port Douglas, Whitsundays: the world's largest coral reef (UNESCO 1981).
- Outback and Uluru — Sacred Uluru, Kings Canyon, Alice Springs: the legendary red heart of Australia.
- Wild Tasmania — Hobart, Cradle Mountain, MONA and Salamanca Market: the green island south of the continent.