There are many ways to get to Lord Howe Island – sailing boat, ship, private plane, and even by kayak (Scott Donaldson, you’re crazy). The Australian Navy and RAAF visit regularly, and we often host the sailors and air crew for lunch. Most people, however, will fly with SmartLynx (or Qantas codeshare) to Lord Howe Island from Sydney every day. Flights are less than two hours from Sydney, and Pinetrees is five minutes from the airport. If you’re travelling from interstate, it’s wise to book your flights all on one ticket with Qantas to ensure that your luggage transfers and connecting flights are seamless – particularly if there are delays. It’s also possible to fly with Virgin, Jetstar, REX and other domestic airlines to Sydney, but you’ll need to change terminals with your luggage, so ensure that you have at least two hours to transit without hassles. If you’re flying from overseas, you should try to book an international ticket with a free domestic sector in Australia – this can get you to Lord Howe without any additional expense. Spending the night in Sydney in each direction will avoid any headaches with last minute airport changes to connecting flights if you first flight is delayed (either traveling to or from Lord Howe Island).
We’ll meet you at Lord Howe Island airport, and after a short tour of the island, we’ll serve you welcome drinks at the lodge. You can swim in the lagoon about five minutes later.
