Our Review of Perth Airport (PER)

Table of contents: Our Review of Perth Airport (PER) Pros and Cons of Perth Airport (PER) Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide) How we calculate On Time Performance Some Stats

Our Review of Perth Airport (PER)

Information compiled by David Enrich, aviation and airport guide expert since 1999.

At Plan Your Trips, we have analyzed hundreds of airports around the world, gaining a clear understanding of what users expect when visiting an airport. With this know-how, we have created this guide, placing passengers at the forefront of everything, aiming to simplify and enhance the airport experience.

In this guide, our goal is to present information in a manner that is both quick and reliable. Recognizing that passengers often have limited time and may be in a hurry, we strive to ensure that they do not waste time unnecessarily.

Another key focus of our guide is to highlight the strengths of the airport and also the weaknesses, and in some cases, offer recommendations to travelers. In alignment with this approach, we provide users with aggregated information on delays and on-time performance, analyzing both airlines and individual flights.

Other Reviews

This summary is based on user-generated reviews from Google Reviews (large volume, general public feedback) and Skytrax (specialised aviation review platform and global benchmark for airport quality).

Overall Impression

Perth Airport generally receives mixed-to-positive reviews, with a Skytrax 4-star rating, indicating good overall standards in comfort, cleanliness and services.

What Passengers Like

Modern Terminal 1: Clean, spacious and well-equipped for international travel
Efficient security & immigration: Often described as fast and well-organised
Easy access to the city: Train connection is highly valued
Less crowded than major hubs: More relaxed travel experience

Main Complaints

Terminal separation: Poor connectivity between T1/T2 and T3/T4 is one of the biggest issues
Inconsistent facilities: Older terminals (especially T3/T4) have fewer services
Queues & peak congestion: Reports of long lines at times
Customer service variability: Some reviews mention rude or inconsistent staff
Aging infrastructure in parts: Certain areas described as outdated or poorly maintained

Key Takeaways

Strong international terminal experience (T1)
Weaker experience in older domestic terminals
Good efficiency, but inconsistent passenger experience
Layout still a major drawback

Final Rating: 7.5 / 10

Justification:
Perth Airport delivers a solid and reliable experience, especially for international travellers, with good efficiency and modern facilities in key areas. However, terminal fragmentation, uneven quality and occasional service issues prevent it from reaching top-tier airport standards.

Pros and Cons of Perth Airport (PER)

Advantages of Perth Airport

Excellent location: Perth Airport is located around 10 km east of Perth city centre, with very good access via train, buses and major roads.
Modern airport facilities: PER offers contemporary terminals with duty free shopping, restaurants, cafés and airline lounges for both domestic and international travelers.
Important airline hub: Perth Airport serves as a hub for Alliance Airlines, Network Aviation, National Jet Express, Qantas, Skippers Aviation and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines.
Efficient passenger processing: Outside peak periods, travelers usually report smooth check-in, baggage handling and relatively efficient airport procedures.
Wide parking selection: The airport provides multiple parking options including short stay, long stay and premium parking facilities.

Disadvantages of Perth Airport

Terminal separation: T1/T2 and T3/T4 are located in different precincts around 11 km apart, requiring shuttle bus transfers between them.
Peak-hour congestion: Security, immigration and baggage claim areas can become crowded during busy travel periods and FIFO commuting peaks.
Expensive parking fees: Long-term parking costs can become relatively high compared with off-airport parking alternatives.
Limited overnight atmosphere: Some shops, restaurants and services close overnight despite the airport operating 24 hours.
Long walking distances: Certain gates and boarding areas may require longer walks than some passengers expect.

Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide)

Terminals: Perth Airport has four terminals split between two precincts: T1/T2 and T3/T4. You cannot walk between these terminal precincts as the distance between them are around 11km, so be sure to check which terminal your flight departs from and allow extra time for shuttle transfers if needed. Domestic flights generally operate from T3/T4, while international and some domestic services use T1.

Transport to and from Perth: The Airport Line rail, taxis, shuttle buses, public buses, and ridesharing services provide convenient access from Perth Airport to the city center. Quick and reasonably priced direct train connection to the city is offered by the recently opened Airport Line. Additionally, ridesharing and taxis are available 24/7.

Check-in Areas:

Terminal 1 (T1): The check-in area is located on the ground level of departures side and serves both international and domestic flights. Security screening is straightforward and well-marked.
Terminal 2 (T2): T2’s check-in facility is on the ground floor and has 16 check-in desks as well as a large Departures Lounge with amenities and concessions. Covered pathways lead to 14 boarding gates, which are accessible after passing the security check.
Terminal 3/4: Dedicated to domestic services, with check-in areas located in single ground level.

Shops and Dining: There are a good number of stores, some of which are duty-free, for visitors for international passengers. Also, there are a range of restaurants and cafes accessible from both the ground and the air.

Family-Friendly Services: Perth Airport has family-friendly amenities, such as family toilets and baby changing rooms. T1 has kid-friendly play spaces, which makes it simpler to spend time with young children while you wait for your aircraft.

Lounges: There are passenger lounges at Perth Airport, such as the International Aspire Lounge in T1. Before your flight, these lounges offer comfy seating, food, and drinks.

Additional Information: There is free Wi-Fi available all around the airport. Travelers may easily pick up and drop off their rental cars at T1/T2 and T3/T4, which are home to major vehicle rental agencies.

How we calculate On Time Performance

On various pages of our website, you will encounter a metric widely utilized in aviation and other forms of transportation known as OTP (On Time Performance). We believe that providing this metric assists passengers in planning their trips and exploring alternatives before purchasing their flight tickets.

We calculate the On Time Performance for all flights and airlines, when we have enough data to do so. In certain instances, it may not be feasible to accurately compute the On-Time Performance for a specific flight or airline due to inadequate or non-representative data, which could result in misleading conclusions.

Our calculation of On Time Performance and delay information solely relies on arrival times. This approach is chosen over calculating departure delays, as we consider arrival punctuality to be of primary concern to passengers.

The On Time Performance displayed on our website is calculated as follows:

On Time: Flights that arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time, or earlier. In the absence of data for a specific flight, we assume the flight arrives on time, to avoid penalizing airlines for data unavailability.
Moderate Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 15 to 30 minutes.
Significant Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 30 to 60 minutes.
Major Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay exceeding 60 minutes.
Average Delay: The average delay is calculated by considering flights that arrive early as having a delay of 0 minutes. Early arrivals do not contribute to reducing the average delay calculation