A 06:00 SYD arrival after 22 hours looks efficient and feels like punishment. If you can stand a four-hour longer journey that lands at 09:00, say so. We treat arrival hour as a cabin feature.
Typical one-stops
From Europe: Gulf hubs and Singapore remain the workhorses; some one-world and Star routings still go via Asia with a longer layover. From North America: Pacific nonstops and one-stops via LAX, SFO or DFW, plus the long way round via the Gulf if the price is absurdly better and you like that kind of day.
Open-jaw Australia
SYD in, MEL or BNE out (or the reverse) is how a two-city trip should be ticketed. Domestic add-ons on Qantas, Virgin Australia or Jetstar belong on the same conversation so baggage rules do not reset at the worst moment.
Biosecurity and bags
Australia is serious about food in luggage. That is not a fare rule, but it is the conversation people have at the carousel. We mention it because “what’s the baggage allowance” is the question we get; “don’t pack fruit” is the one that actually delays you.