Domestic flights within Australia are a relatively simple affair – you could liken it to catching a flying shuttle bus. However, a few flights between domestic cities are also treated as international flights as they take off and arrive at international terminals.

For those in the know, these ‘tag flights’ open up an interesting opportunity to enjoy international-standard lounge access and onboard service on an otherwise standard domestic route. You can book many of these legs easily online – so here’s everything you need to know.

I had an excellent lunch in the Qantas First Lounge before heading back to Perth.

What’s the process to travel on a tag flight?

There are many reasons why you should consider booking a tag flight. But you’ll also be bound by international travel restrictions, which can be inconvenient. So before clicking ‘book now’, keep these steps in mind:

  • You’ll check in and arrive at the international terminal, not the domestic one. In some cities, those terminals are on different sides of the airfield.
  • Your photo ID will be verified, and you’ll get an orange ‘D’ sticker on your boarding pass.
  • You’ll undergo international-level security screening and go through a manual processing line at immigration, as you can’t use SmartGates.
At immigration, you’ll need to go through the assistance lane. Follow the ‘D’ sign.
  • Your carry-on will be subject to liquid, aerosol and gel limits. If you’re travelling only with hand luggage, double-check your toiletries to ensure nothing will be confiscated.
  • Upon arrival, you’ll have to line up at immigration, but you’ll skip the baggage check at customs by showing your ‘D’ sticker boarding pass to exit the international section.
The orange ‘D’ sticker is necessary to fly these international legs as a domestic passenger.

Personally, I’ve found that going through outbound international security and immigration is the most significant pain point, as there is usually a line at the manual processing lane that you can’t skip.

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What are the perks of travelling on a tag flight?

Domestic tag flights are best suited to travellers with premium lounge access – otherwise, the hassle might not be worth it. With the Qantas QF5 and QF33 services out of Sydney, the biggest drawcard is International First Lounge access for those with Qantas Platinum/Oneworld Emerald status.

Both flights are well-timed in the afternoon or evening, so you can have a relaxing lunch in the lounge.

Another good reason to book tag flights is if you have international lounge passes that wouldn’t otherwise be used, such as Priority Pass visits or American Express Centurion Lounge passes.

With Qantas, you’ll have international-grade service on the Boeing 787, although these jets don’t yet have WiFi installed. From Economy Red e-Deal, you can upgrade to Premium Economy from 10,900 Qantas Points or straight to Business Class for 27,200 points. I’ve done both and happily recommend either option.

Enjoying the Business Class meal on QF33 from Sydney to Perth, thanks to a points upgrade.

Why are there tag flights in Australia?

Domestic tag flights usually connect to or from an actual international leg – usually on the same flight number and aircraft. They exist for two main reasons. Firstly, it provides extra connectivity for passengers. Secondly, it repositions the plane to fly the longer international leg.

Virgin Australia doesn’t currently operate tag flights, but Jetstar occasionally does on its Boeing 787 services. Only Qantas regularly operates tag flights on its QF33/34 service between Sydney, Perth and Paris. A similar service exists on QF5/6 during the European summer between Sydney, Perth and Rome.

QF33 flies from Sydney to Perth, then onwards to Paris. You can book just the Sydney-Perth leg.

Foreign airlines will occasionally include domestic tag legs. But these carriers don’t have the right to sell tickets solely on the domestic leg, so we can’t book Qatar Airways Qsuites on a domestic Australian flight just for the fun of it!

Summing up

Flying a domestic route as an international flight won’t be for everybody – the extra steps might not be worth it for someone who wants to turn up at the airport as late as possible and just hop on the flight.

But if you’ve got time and are keen to indulge, booking one of these tag flights (especially on Qantas) can be an easy way to enjoy some time in a fancier lounge while enjoying better onboard service and amenities.

Photography by Brandon Loo, who used his own frequent flyer points for the upgrade.

What to expect on a Qantas ‘international’ domestic flight was last modified: February 14th, 2025 by Brandon Loo