Perth Airport Guide

Western Australia is blessed with never-ending sunshine, clear skies, vast and varied landscapes and amazing beaches, not to mention a bustling city that has it all great food, exciting nightlife, fantastic beachside location and arguably the friendliest and most down to earth people on the continent.

Perth airport is a great starting point to explore this dynamic state that is the country's biggest, yet most remote. Conveniently, the airport is a brisk 12km (8 miles) from the city's CBD and has more than 6 million passengers passing through its gates each year as the major international and regional gateway to the West.

Importantly, it is Australia's closest airport to South East Asia, Africa and Europe and the country's fourth biggest airport for passenger traffic. Like most other major Australian airports, Perth Airport is undergoing some extensive renovation with a grand plan to have both domestic and international terminals consolidated as one giant terminal on the south eastern side of the airfield some time in the next 15 years.

Airlines & Terminals

Structured a little differently to your average airport, Perth Airport has several terminals with the main ones being the International Terminal (T1) and Domestic Terminals (T2, T3 & T4). Then there's a bunch of smaller regional service terminals. The International Terminal operates every day of the week and is on the eastern side of the main runway. A newer T2 Terminal serving Alliance Airlines, Tiger Air and Virgin Australia is located next to T1.   On the western side of the airport there is T3 & T4. T3 houses Jetstar and Virgin Australia and T4 is exclusively home to Qantas.

The Regional terminals are smaller operations with mainly charters and airfreight services to regional Western Australia and are located on Fauntleroy avenue, Newton and Valentine roads.

The Domestic Terminal's check in is on the ground floor, and those arriving by car will find there's an excellent two minute loading time allowed at the public road for drop off. It also has excellent facilities and services.

Facilities

Perth is another airport continually on the improve with its facilities thanks largely due to a conscientious and proactive approach of such initiatives as surveys each year to help management establish what needs to be upgraded or created. On a whole, the facilities could be rated as good to excellent, but, as mentioned, they are always evolving and improving and stand up as some of the best facilities in Australia.

Aside from the standard toilet and shower facilities, the airport is well equipped with baby rooms (soft furnishings, baby tables, nappy disposal etc). Older kids can be entertained by a children's playground outside Terminal 1 on the west side of the building.

There's lost property services in all terminals and baggage lockers available for hire. For money matters, Travelex offers foreign exchange, travel insurance, travellers cheques and money transfers at the airport in both arrivals and departures.

Business travellers and others wanting to check email or click online have wireless internet access available (Wi Fi) in all terminals. In Terminal 1 a high speed service is in the departures lounge and visitors can use the service in the departures lounge of Terminal 3 on the ground floor. Best of all, here you can enjoy a coffee or snack while logged online because the cafes/outlets are within range. Throughout the airport there are internet kiosks with standard rates.

Disabled people are fully catered for at Perth Airport and there's access to all terminals and facilities for those with special needs. Wheelchairs are available on request.

Shopping

Whether you’ve forgotten to pack a key piece of gear or just want to buy something new for yourself or somebody else, Perth Airport has a range of awesome retailers that can provide plenty of options depending on what you’re looking for. Here’s a bit of an introduction to some of the highlights.

Duty Free

Browse the amazing selection of premium goods from JR/Duty Free and surprise friends and family Source: Perth Airport

If you’ve got the itch to shop, you can start your journey by shopping at the Perth Airport duty free shop. Located on levels 1 and 2 of the departure zones and level 1 at the arrivals zone, JR/Duty Free is where you can browse through a huge selection of great products and get fantastic deals. It’s an excellent duty free shop filled with extensive ranges of perfumes, beauty, wine, liquor, electronics, and Australian products. You can also shop luxury items and stylish fashion pieces all within JR/Duty Free.

Select from a range of Aussie gifts to remember your trip in Perth with some help from Australian Way Source: Perth Airport

Australian Way

Unsure of what souvenirs to get your family and friends back home? Gift them with unique Australian products at Australian Way. Find authentic Aboriginal gifts, local handmade gourmet chocolate boxes, abalone, and nougat amongst other great items. What’s more is that you could also get fashion products such as comfy UGG Australia boots, along with Australian Merino wool items, and Western Australian pearls. And let’s not forget the children, as there are fuzzy Australian animal toys such as kangaroos and koala bears for them to cuddle while on board the flight.

Link

Located on levels 1 and 2, Link is a news and convenience shop that offers a broad range of news, magazine, and books for every traveller looking for some reading entertainment. Not only are there newspapers and magazines, there’s also a range of essential and convenient items which include skincare, baby products, and yummy snacks. Furthermore, there are small gadgets, phone accessories and covers, and other techy stuff. Link is a convenient one-stop shop as you can get these tech items at its tech2go in the store.

Rip Curl

If you want to get some beachwear, Rip Curl offers great bikinis, t-shirts, flip flops, travel bags, board shorts, and more. The brand is popular and trusted among the surfing and beach going crowds in Australia and around the world so its products are stylish and of quality. The shop is located on level 1 after security screening on the left.

Airport Eateries

Don’t settle for low quality fare while waiting for your flight; there are several great options for food and drink at Perth Airport! Here are a couple of the best options.

Dine at the Crafty Swan for great hearty meals before your flight Source: Perth Airport

The Crafty Swan Kitchen & Bar

Located on the ground floor just before security screening, The Crafty Swan Kitchen and Bar serves top quality food that’s meticulously and beautifully designed by acclaimed chef Jason Walker, who is also the chef and owner of the popular European style bistro Chapter One Brasserie in Subiaco, Perth. While creating the menu, Jason was inspired by Perth’s lively artisanal food and beer culture. That’s why, at The Crafty Swan Kitchen & Bar, you’ll find some great local craft beers and wine.

You’ll be entranced by how amazingly delectable each dish is as he uses fresh and excellent produce sourced from local Australian farmers. There are a variety of meals offered, from small plates designed to be shared, big and small breakfasts, and signature dishes. These include Linley Valley free-range pork scallopine coupled with pear and fennel salad; 100 day grain fed Harvey Beef with coleslaw and oven roasted tomatoes; and tiger prawn spaghetti with tomato, sugo, and parsley. A children’s menu is also available, so that you won’t have to worry about their meals. All dishes are made once ordered and can be enjoyed indoors and outdoors.

Haymarket

Flaunting a bakery, pizzeria, café, and juice bar, Haymarket is a dining area teeming with plenty of food options for you to choose from. It’s a haven for foodies to satisfy their cravings, with tasty gourmet pizzas, fresh salads, artisanal breads, sandwiches, and refreshing juices. If you need to kick start your day with some caffeine, you can grab some organic coffee and tea to go. The beans are evenly and carefully roasted in small batches and the coffee is made by exceptional baristas, while the bar is always filled with an extensive range of Australian and international wines. Not forgetting a fantastic number of local and international beers on-tap, as well as bottled. There’s also a great selection of bakes and desserts which include muffins, delectable pastries, and handmade sweets for that sweet tooth in you. Haymarket is located after security on level 2 and is an excellent place to relax and find delicious meals to fill you up while you wait for your flight.

Long Neck Public House

Located before the security screening on level 1 in both the Domestic and International terminals, Long Neck Public House are chilled modern dining areas where you can relax and dig into a hearty meal during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There is plenty of variety on the menu, and you can share dishes or have a main meal all to yourself. And if you like to watch something while you eat, you could grab a comfortable spot to watch sports on the TV.

Small and large share plates are available, along with burgers, fish and chips, and salads. To complement the delicious meals and quench your thirst, the bar stocks a large selection of wines, beers and ciders, and spirits. The restaurant has also stirred up some major drink game by introducing a selection of alcoholic milkshakes like Tennessee Maple, made with Jack Daniel’s, maple syrup, and vanilla. Other than alcohol-spiked milkshakes, the regular non-alcoholic milkshakes are quite tasty, too. Classic vanilla, PB&J, and chocolate are the options there.

For early flights, there are amazing choices such as buttermilk chicken waffles, avocado on toast, and a grilled bacon burger with a fried egg, mayo, and bacon jam. Whenever they can, Long Neck Public house sources ingredients locally.