Before you can even begin to think about lounging on powdered sand or eyeballing green turtles and giant clams, you must answer one important question: how to get to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Thankfully, it’s easier than you might think, especially when you have the up-to-date information.
With direct flights available from Christmas Island and connecting flights from Perth, there’s more than one way to scoot over to the Cocos. We’re here to break it down step-by-step, including the flight days and frequency and important baggage and airport notes.
That way, you can move on to the more important things, like fleshing out your itinerary using our ultimate Cocos (Keeling) Islands travel guide.
Overview — Getting to the Islands
Indian Ocean territories flights are limited, so there is only one airline operating flights to and from the Cocos, and that’s QantasLink.
If you’re already soaking up the tropical climate at Christmas Island, good news: there are direct flights to Cocos (Keeling) Islands every Monday.
However, if, like most folks, you’re departing from mainland Australia, the best way to reach the Cocos is to take the direct through-flight from Perth. The flight departs every Friday, and while it stops briefly at Port Hedland, passengers don’t need to disembark the aircraft.
The third and final option is to fly from Perth to the Cocos Islands, connecting via Christmas Island. However, departing every Monday, the flight includes two stops (an operational stop at Port Hedland and a connecting flight at Christmas Island). This adds an additional hour and a half to your journey, which can seem like a hassle.
Direct Flights From Perth
Keen to know the quickest solution for how to get to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands? That’s easy. It’s the direct through-flight from Perth to Cocos, departing every Friday.
The QantasLink flight (QF 363) is technically a direct flight. However, it makes one operational stop at Port Hedland, where passengers don’t need to leave the aircraft.
This is a big plus if you’re travelling to the Cocos with kids because you can avoid rousing them from their nap to hotfoot it to a connecting flight.
The Perth – Cocos flight time is 9:25 am, with an expected arrival time of 2:20 pm at the Cocos. That leaves plenty of time for you to check in at your hotel, take a quick afternoon dip and settle in for a Cocos-Malay-inspired dinner.
This all brings the total flight duration to 6 hours and 25 minutes, including the brief 45-minute stop in Port Hedland.
Connecting via Christmas Island
There are a couple of other alternatives to taking the direct flight from Perth to the Cocos. The first is to fly from Perth to the Cocos via Christmas Island.
Flights connecting via Christmas Island depart every Monday at 9:25 am. The route features two stops, an operational stop at Port Hedland (like the Friday flights, there’s no need to disembark the plane) and a connecting flight at Christmas Island.
Taking a connecting flight adds an extra hour and a half to your journey; this includes the time for the detour and the 50-minute stopover at Christmas Island.
Sometimes taking a connecting flight is a great tactic to reduce your overall trip costs and budget. However, in this case, we’re sorry to say that the prices for the direct through-flights and connecting flights via Christmas Island are pretty much identical.
There’s one plus side, though. The flight route via Christmas Island is a good opportunity to take a longer stopover at Christmas Island, which is popular for its lush rainforest, red crabs and whale sharks.
The only problem is that flights from Christmas Island to Cocos Islands (QF 361) only depart once per week: every Monday at 2:45 pm.
If you’re arriving from Perth on a Monday, that means committing to staying a whole week on Christmas Island. For those of you on a tight schedule, that’s far from ideal.
How Early to Book
Booking early is never a bad idea when it comes to planning how to get to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. As you can tell, the Cocos Keeling flight schedule is limited. On top of that, visitor numbers at the Cocos are capped at 144 tourists at any one time.
Naturally, the QantasLink Australia Cocos flights are in high demand, especially during the Australian school holidays.
The best time to visit the Cocos is from April to November, which just so happens to coincide with the term 1, 2 and 3 holidays.
For this entire stretch, flights are often booked up weeks or months in advance. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to book your flight tickets at least 8 to 12 months in advance for the best ticket prices and availability.
Flight availability can suddenly take a nosedive around other important dates:
- The annual red crab migration on Christmas Island: October to December.
- Christmas and New Year’s celebrations: December and January.
- Other occasions like Valentine’s Day (14 February)
Airport Guide — What to Expect
We’ve already covered the main facts about how to get to the Cocos Islands. However, these baggage and airport notes are just as important. Jot them down in your notes folder, add a sticky note to your fridge, but whatever you do, don’t forget them…
Do you need a passport for your flight from Perth to Cocos?
If you’re an Australian citizen flying from Perth to Cocos, you only need a valid photo ID (such as a valid Australian State/Territory motor vehicle licence) to check in for your flight. The main stipulation is that the name on the ID must match the name on the booking.
Simple, right? Well, it is, unless you have a stroke of bad luck and your flight is diverted off course. If you unexpectedly wind up in a country like Indonesia or Malaysia, you will need a valid passport to enter the country. That’s why we always recommend packing your passport just in case.
Weight limits for luggage
The weight limit for flights from Perth to Cocos is set at 30 kg per person for checked luggage and 7kg per person for carry-on baggage.
However, it’s always a good idea to travel light because flights to Cocos (Keeling) Islands operate on a subject-to-load basis.
In the rare case that your flight reaches its weight capacity, any excess baggage, like golf clubs, will be diverted to a later flight.
What snacks and food can you bring to the Cocos?
If you’re a snacker (who isn’t?), you have pretty much free rein over the snacks you can take on your flight to the Cocos Islands. However, you might want to hold off on planning an in-flight tapas party because homegrown produce, seafood, tomato, capsicum and fresh honey are not permitted onboard.
There are also limited speciality food items on the Cocos Islands themselves. If you have dietary requirements (e.g. gluten intolerance), it’s a smart idea to pack safe, pre-packaged foods in your carry-on baggage.
Which terminal do you need for flights to Cocos (Keeling) Islands?
Flights from Perth to the Cocos depart from International Terminal 1 at Perth Airport. As most other QantasLink flights depart from Terminal 3 or 4, travelling to the wrong terminal is an easy mistake to make.
It’s also worth noting that international check-in times apply at Terminal 1. According to QantasLink, check-in and baggage drop-off close one hour before international flights.
Of course, this timing doesn’t account for airport queues, so arriving 2-3 hours in advance of your flight is always a safer approach.
Travel Tips
Knowing how to get to Cocos Keeling Islands is one thing. You also need to pick where to stay, how to reach your hotel from the airport and other simple tips and tricks.
Here are some quick, easy things to consider that’ll make your arrival just that little bit smoother:
- Always carry valuables like money and medication in your carry-on luggage.
- When you first arrive on the Cocos, it’s smart to stay on West Island. It’s home to many hotels and the Cocos Islands Airport.
- Taxis are available directly outside the airport and charge a flat fee for transport to the hotels on West Island.
FAQs
Does QantasLink fly to the Cocos Islands?
QantasLink operates direct-thru flights to the Cocos Islands, as well as flights connecting via Christmas Island.
Which airlines fly to the Cocos Islands from Australia?
There is only one airline operating flights from Australia to the Cocos Islands: QantasLink.
How do I get from Sydney to the Cocos Islands?
To reach the Cocos Islands from Sydney, you should take a flight to Perth. From Perth, there are through-flights (via Port Hedland) to the Cocos Islands every Friday, which take 6 hours and 25 minutes. Alternatively, you can take a flight connecting via Christmas Island. These depart every Monday.
References:
