You get to Lord Howe Island almost always by flying from Australia, with a small extra twist: you need confirmed accommodation before you go because visitor numbers are capped.

Main ways to get there

  • Fly on a small regional plane from Sydney or Brisbane; flight time is under two hours.
  • QantasLink is the carrier operating these services, with flights from Sydney several times a week (often daily) and from Brisbane usually on weekends.
  • There are no regular public ferries; arriving by sea is only realistic if you sail your own yacht or private boat and arrange a mooring in advance.

Step‑by‑step: typical trip

  1. Get to the east coast of Australia
    • Fly into Sydney or Brisbane from your home city; both have onward connections to Lord Howe.
  1. Book Lord Howe flights early
    • Seats are limited and use small propeller aircraft, so dates can sell out quickly, especially in school holidays.
  1. Secure accommodation before confirming plans
    • Only about 400 tourists are allowed on the island at any one time, and many properties require you to coordinate flights and rooms together.
 * Many lodges will help you line up flights once you’ve chosen dates.
  1. Fly to Lord Howe Island Airport (LDH)
    • The airport is about 2.5 km from the main settlement, and most accommodations include airport transfers, so you’re usually picked up on arrival.
  1. If sailing instead of flying
    • Distance from mainland Australia is roughly 600 km across the Tasman Sea, so this is an ocean passage suited to experienced skippers.
 * You must contact the Lord Howe Island Board to book a public mooring and pay nightly fees; there are no commercial passenger boat services.

Travel tips and “gotchas”

  • Luggage limits : Flights use small aircraft with strict weight limits (around 14 kg checked and 7 kg carry‑on per person on some services), so pack light and check your exact allowance when booking.
  • Timing : Because there may be just one or a few flights on any given day, missing your departure can mean waiting until the next available seat.
  • Seasonality : Demand spikes in warmer months and school holidays; book months ahead for those periods.
  • Once there : No need to rent a car—many people walk or cycle, and your accommodation will help with local logistics.

Quick forum‑style perspective

People talking about “how do I get to Lord Howe Island” on forums usually land on the same answer:

Fly from Sydney or Brisbane on the limited QantasLink service, book very early, and don’t expect to take a ferry.

Many who’ve been say it absolutely belongs on a bucket list, precisely because the slightly tricky access keeps it quiet and pristine.

TL;DR: To get to Lord Howe Island, fly QantasLink from Sydney or Brisbane (about two hours), with accommodation booked beforehand due to the 400‑visitor cap; there’s no regular ferry, only private yachts with pre‑booked moorings.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.