Australia is a long way from everywhere, which means arrivals are almost always by air — and usually after a significant flight.
By air is how almost all international visitors arrive. The main international gateways are Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL), Brisbane (BNE), Perth (PER), and Cairns (CNS). Sydney handles the most traffic; Perth is the closest to Europe and the Middle East. Qantas is the national carrier, with direct flights from London to Perth (around 17 hours, one of the world's longest non-stop routes) and to Sydney via a stop. Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Malaysia Airlines are among the major carriers serving Australia. From the US West Coast, Sydney or Melbourne is around 15–16 hours non-stop. From Southeast Asia, flights to Perth or Darwin can be as short as 3–5 hours.
All major international airports have trains, buses, or shuttles into the city centre. Duty-free shops, currency exchange, and rental car counters are standard at arrival. Australian customs is strict — declare all food, plant material and wooden objects without exception. Fines for undeclared goods are large, and biosecurity inspections are thorough.
By sea remains an option via cruise ship. Ships dock at Sydney, Melbourne, Fremantle (Perth), Adelaide, and Brisbane. A handful of cargo ships accept passengers on routes from Europe or Asia, but these are slow and niche.
Visas: Most nationalities need a visa before arrival. Citizens of the UK, US, Canada, and most EU countries are eligible for an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) or eVisitor visa, both applied for online for short tourism stays. Working Holiday visas (for those under 30 or 35 from eligible countries) are also popular. Check requirements well in advance; processing is usually fast but entry requirements can change.