If you’re driving to Sydney Airport to pick up incoming travellers, one of the most convenient places to meet is at the Priority Pick-up Zone. There are two of these green coloured zones, one close to the Domestic Terminals and the other by the International, which allows drivers to wait in their vehicle for friends, family, or rideshare passengers. If you’d like to know more about Priority Pickup Sydney, we’ve put together a handy Flyparks guide, to explain how the zones work, the rates charged, and payment methods accepted.
Note! The Priority Pick-up Zones should not be confused with the yellow Express Pick-up Zones, as different rates and payment methods apply.
The Priority Pick-up Zones at Sydney Airport are dedicated areas for collecting passengers from the International and Domestic Terminals. Both Zones are only a few minutes' walk from Arrivals and are the most convenient pick-up option offered at Kingsford Smith. This level of convenience does come at a cost, with rates starting at $4.35 for the first 15 minutes. To enter the Priority Pickup Sydney Domestic Airport or the Priority Pickup Sydney International Airport, drivers must have a valid and working e-TAG installed, as cash and credit card payments are not accepted. Those that do not have an e-TAG will be directed towards other parking facilities.
The Priority Pick-up Zones can also be used by pre-booked taxis and ridesharing services such as Uber, Lyft, Ola, and GoCar. This is the only area within the airport grounds, outside the Limousine Pick-up area, that ridesharing vehicles can pick-up passengers, and where rideshare passengers can wait for their driver.
TIP: To avoid paying for parking fees at Sydney Airport, plan to arrive 30 minutes after your passenger's flight has landed, as it will take time for them to off-board the plane, collect luggage, and clear immigration if arriving internationally.
If you’re collecting passengers from T2 or T3, you can meet them at the Sydney Domestic Airport Pickup. This is located between the two terminal buildings, next to the P1 and P2 car parks. Drivers should follow the green Sydney Domestic Airport Arrivals Pick-up signage once they arrive in the Domestic precinct.
Passengers should follow the green Priority Pick-up signage at Arrivals. The walk from priority pickup Sydney Domestic to the waiting area takes approximately four minutes. Once there, passengers will find a range of refreshments available for purchase.
Drivers who are meeting passengers who are due to arrive at T1 should follow the green Priority Pick-up signage once they arrive in the International precinct. The Sydney International Airport Priority Pick-up Zone is next to P7 Parking Sydney Airport and the Express Pick-up Zone.
Passengers should similarly follow the green Priority Pick-up signage inside the Arrivals Hall. The walk should take no more than two or three minutes, and there’s a waiting area at the Zone, with a range of food and drinks available for purchase.
The cost to park at either Priority Zone, whether the International or Domestic Airport pick-up Sydney is quite affordable. We have listed the different rates below for your convenience:
| Duration | Domestic Express Pick-Up | International Express Pick-Up |
|---|---|---|
| 0 - 15 min | $5.01 | $5.01 |
| 15 - 30 min | $10.59 | $10.59 |
| 30 - 60 min | $24.89 | $24.89 |
| 1 - 2 hrs | $35.38 | $35.38 |
| 2 - 3 hrs | $45.63 | $45.63 |
| 3 - 24 hrs | $82.28 | $82.28 |
All parking payments are made automatically, through your e-TAG as you exit the zone. No cash or credit card payments are accepted. If you don’t have an e-TAG yet, you won’t be able to park at the Priority Pick-up Zone, and should instead consider using the Express Pick-up Zone.
The following e-TAGs can be used in the Priority Zone:
If you have booked a rideshare service such as Uber, GoCar, Lyft, or Ola, from either terminal, you can meet your driver at the Priority Pick-up Zone. Simply send the request once you’ve exited the terminal, and make your way to the Priority Zone by following the green signage. These services typically include the cost of all airport tolls in the final bill, unless you’re picked up outside airport grounds.
At Flyparks, we aim to simplify the process of comparing and booking Sydney Airport parking as much as possible. We collect relevant and up-to-date information about the many different airport car parks available, making it easy for travellers to compare and book directly on our platform.
To help you find the ideal short or long term car park with the lowest possible rates, we have published extensive resources on our blog, about parking prices, security measures, opening hours, distance to the terminals, and anything else you might need to know.
At present, you cannot book any of the official Sydney Airport car parks on our website. While we have made every attempt to report on the parking rates charged at Kingsford Smith accurately, prices do fluctuate over time. The rates mentioned in this article were valid in April 2024, for stays in April 2024.
