When is the best time to fly to the Sunshine Coast?
Peak season
Holidaymakers love to take cheap flights to the Sunshine Coast for destinations such as Noosa, Maroochydore, Mooloolaba and Caloundra. The 60 km idyllic stretch of coast starts an hour north of Brisbane and ends at Cooloola, the jumping off point for Fraser Island. The Sunshine Coast offers great natural beauty and is well set up for tourism with plenty of resort style accommodation both in the lush hinterland and in the seaside towns all along the coastline. Noosa offers a more luxurious seaside escape, while the laid-back town of Caloundra is perfect for outdoor activities such as: surfing, kayaking and fishing. The peak tourist time, when the majority of sun-seekers arrive on flights to the Sunshine Coast, is the Christmas period up until the third week of January. This is a popular destination for families during school holidays and long weekends such as Easter, so you’ll need to book flights and accommodation well in advance.
Off Season
The low season is from after Easter through to mid-September. This is becoming an increasingly popular time to visit and when many visitors seek flights to the Sunshine Coast from the cooler southern states to relax on sunny beaches.
When is the best time to book a flight to the Sunshine Coast?
You should be able to get a reasonably priced flight to the Sunshine Coast at any time of year. In general in the low season months between June and September are the best times to look for the cheapest flights to the Sunshine Coast. If you want to fully appreciate the numerous beaches and outdoor activities the area offers, then October to February, outside of school holidays can offer flight ticket bargains.
How long is the flight to the Sunshine Coast?
Flights from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast – 1 hr 35 mins
Flights from Melbourne to the Sunshine Coast – 2 hrs 20 mins
Flights from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast - 3 hrs 50 mins
Flights from Perth to the Sunshine Coast – 7 hrs 30 mins
Which airlines operate flights to the Sunshine Coast?
There are direct daily flights from Sydney and Melbourne to the Sunshine Coast operated by Virgin Australia and Jetstar. Air New Zealand operates a couple of flights a week to the Sunshine Coast from Auckland.
How to get from the airport to the city centre?
Your flight will land at the Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY) located in Marcoola. The main resort town of Maroochydore is 10 km south and connected by public bus route 622. For those travelling outside of Maroochydore, two shuttle operators can take passengers to destinations throughout the Sunshine Coast. Taxis are also available at the airport but can be costly, it’s cheaper to take a bus or a shuttle. Many visitors to the Sunshine Coast prefer to rent a car for independent means of transport, and there are several rental car companies that operate out of Sunshine Coast Airport.