Great Barrier Reef Airport (HTI) is the one and only airport serving Shute Harbour.

It’s 18 kilometres from Great Barrier Reef Airport to downtown Shute Harbour. Make things easier by researching the best way of commuting from the terminal to the city center before you land.

Travelers visiting Shute Harbour have lots of choice. Depending on where you’re going and the deals you can find, you’re probably going to arrive at Great Barrier Reef Airport (18 kilometres from downtown), PPP (32 kilometres from downtown) or JHQ (0.64 kilometres from downtown).

With 4 air carriers flying into Shute Harbour from at least 4 airports around the globe, your perfect flight is only a few clicks away.

Typically, travelers fly with Virgin Australia, Jetstar and Qantas when heading to Shute Harbour. The largest number of these flights arrive from Brisbane, with Virgin Australia flying this route the most frequently.

With approximately 74 nonstop flights running each week, you’ll be arriving in Shute Harbour before you have time to say, “Are we there yet?”

Travelers often set off from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne airports when flying to Shute Harbour.

If it’s Brisbane you’re departing, you’ll be in the sky for around 1 hour and 40 minutes before you touchdown in Shute Harbour. Airport to airport from Sydney generally takes 2 hours and 25 minutes and from Melbourne, 2 hours and 51 minutes.

We all know those fortunate travelers who somehow land extremely cheap plane tickets whenever they fly. Eager to know how to do it for your Shute Harbour vacation? Don’t wait until the last minute to lock in your flight. Also, look around online and compare your options. If your destination has more than one airport, you may be able to pick up a terrific price by flying into a smaller terminal. Last but not least, another easy way to save a few dollars is be ready to book at a moment’s notice. If you see an irresistible deal, don’t hold off — grab it while the opportunity’s there.

We’ve got the lowdown on how to make your flight as pain-free as possible. Follow our insider tips and you’ll be cruising through the airport and having a ball in Shute Harbour in next to no time.What to pack in your hand luggage:

• It’s easy — first, pack your passport, important documents, credit cards and vital medications. Next, you’ll want some entertainment to help pass the time. A juicy book and a tablet filled with your favorite movies are some fantastic options. If you hope to take a short snooze, a quality neck pillow and some earplugs will also be useful. Finally, make room for a toothbrush and some cleansing wipes to ensure you step off the plane looking fresh and raring to go.

Do not pack the following items in your hand luggage:

• Leave all your full-sized bottles of shampoo and hairspray in your checked baggage. Any gels or liquids in your carry-on suitcase larger than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) won’t be allowed on. Pointed or sharp objects, like a pocket knife, and dangerous goods which are explosive or flammable, such as flares, bleaching agents and fuels, are also restricted.

What to wear on a flight:

• Your goal here is to make yourself as comfortable as you can. Layer yourself up in natural-fiber clothing and take a jacket in case it gets cold in the cabin. Opt for well-fitting, flat shoes as your feet may swell during the journey. Leave the stilettos and hiking boots in your luggage.
• Unfortunately, one risk of long-distance travel is developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clotting condition caused by lengthy periods of inactivity. To prevent this, take every opportunity to stretch your legs and walk around the cabin. Compression tights and socks are another great idea to help reduce this risk.

Being prepared before your flight will help make your trip to Shute Harbour easy and painless. Read through our handy tips for a stress-free journey through security:

• Airport security personnel first need to see that you have a valid ID and boarding pass before anything else. Have them within easy reach, ready for inspection.
• Next up, both you and your hand luggage must be X-rayed. To speed things up, remove anything that is likely to trigger the alarm. Personal belongings such as your jacket, belt and earphones need to go through the machine.
• Your electronic gadgets like laptops and phones will also have to go on a tray to be scanned. No need to worry though, you’ll be back online soon enough.
• Don’t forget to remove liquids and gels from your hand luggage. They often need to be sent through the X-ray scanner separately. Each product should be in a container no larger than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) and everything must fit inside a quart-size (one liter), clear zip-lock bag.
• There’s a chance you’ll be required to remove your shoes to be X-rayed, so wearing slip-on shoes is always a wise idea.
• Sharp items like knives are not allowed on board. They’ll be seized at security, so pack them safely away in your checked suitcase.