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Cheap flights to Melbourne for 2021

Read our essential guide to Melbourne flights, airports and transfers.

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Courtney Edwards
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If you're planning a trip to Melbourne, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about flights to and from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine), Avalon Airport and Essendon Airport. Travellers can get direct flights to Melbourne from multiple cities across Australia including Adelaide, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane.

See our latest Melbourne flight deals

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TL;DR: Melbourne flights

Melbourne's airport:
Tullamarine (MEL) or Avalon (AVV)

Get the best price:
February, March and August

Book in advance by:
5-7 weeks

Best airline (price):
Jetstar

Frequently asked questions about flights to Melbourne

How much are flights to Melbourne?

You can get return fares to Melbourne from Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth for less than $300. Keep an eye out for cheap sale fares from Jetstar and Virgin Australia during their frequent flight sales.

When is the cheapest time to fly to Melbourne?

February and March is the cheapest time to fly to Melbourne if you are departing from Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. You can expect warmer temperatures during these months, which is perfect for spending time outdoors. There are a number of parks and beaches for you to enjoy as well as a number of festivals to keep you busy.

From Sydney, the cheapest time to fly is in August. You can expect cold temperatures during this time, but if you're heading to Melbourne for the shopping, theatre shows, food spots or a trip to the snow, this is an ideal time to visit.

Generally, the most expensive time to fly to Melbourne would be during peak summer periods with school and public holidays and events like the Australian Open, which bump up demand.

Cheapest months to fly:

February, March and August

Priciest months to fly:

December and January

How far in advance should I book flights to Melbourne?

If you know the dates you want to travel, it's best to book five to seven weeks in advance.

When's the best time to book Christmas flights to Melbourne?

For Christmas flights from Sydney to Melbourne. Aim to book four months in advance (September) for savings of up to 11%. Booking in August, just a month earlier, could mean slightly less savings at 8% off while booking just three months in advance in October can award you with savings of up to 7%.

Departure flight prices jump up and down throughout the month but flying on the 3, 5 or 10 of December can provide you with the best savings. Return flights double in price the week after Christmas so fly between the 26 and 28 of December or after 15 January for the best prices.

For Christmas flights from Brisbane to Melbourne. If you book four to five months in advance (August or September). By booking this early, you can enjoy savings of up to 13%. Book a month later in October and those savings drop to 5%.

Book a departure flight anytime between the 1 and 20 of December but avoid the 2 and 15 of December when prices slightly peak, likely due to their proximity to the weekend.

After Christmas, flight prices rise and remain high with the cheapest return date being 31 January.

For Christmas flights from Adelaide to Melbourne. Flights have savings of up to 18% when you book four months in advance (September). Book in July or August and your savings will be up to 10%.

You can score a super deal on departure flights between the 7 and 13 of December and on the 19 of December. Return flights after Christmas are cheapest on the 28 and 29 of December.

For Christmas flights from Perth to Melbourne. Book six or three months in advance for savings of up to 10% off flight prices. Book five months in advance in August and you can save up to 8%.

The cheapest departure dates are between the 3 and 8 of December, but you can also find great savings between the 1 and 17 of December. Flights home rise after Christmas but are best on the 25 and 31 December.

How long does it take to fly to Tullamarine and, by comparison, Avalon?

If you're flying to Tullamarine (Melbourne) from:
  • Adelaide: 1 hour, 20 minutes direct
  • Brisbane: 2 hours, 30 minutes direct
  • Cairns: 3 hours, 24 minutes direct
  • Darwin: 4 hours, 12 minutes direct
  • Perth: 3 hours, 35 minutes direct
  • Sydney: 1 hour, 35 minutes direct

If you're flying to Avalon (Mebourne) from:
  • Adelaide: 1 hour, 15 minutes direct
  • Brisbane: 5 hours, 25 minutes with a stopover
  • Cairns: 8 hours, 45 minutes with a stopover
  • Darwin: 7 hours, 50 minutes with a stopover
  • Perth: 7 hours, 55 minutes with a stopover
  • Sydney: 1 hour, 35 minutes direct

*Note: These flight times are the quickest ones that we could find and reflect the stopover time, if one is required.

Which airlines fly to Melbourne?

DestinationsJetstarQantasRexVirgin Australia
Adelaide
Albury
Alice Springs
Armidale
Ballina Byron
Brisbane
Broome
Bundaberg
Burnie–Wynyard
Cairns
Canberra
Coffs Harbour
Darwin
Devonport
Dubbo
Geraldton
Gladstone
Gold Coast
Hamilton Island
Hervey Bay
Hobart
Kangaroo Island
King Island
Launceston
Lord Howe Island
Mackay
Margaret River
Merimbula
Mildura
Mount Gambier
Newcastle
Orange
Perth
Port Lincoln
Port Macquarie
Sunshine Coast
Sydney
Tamworth
Toowoomba
Townsville
Uluru (Ayers Rock)
Wagga Wagga
Whitsundays
*These points were calculated in June 2020 and are subject to change and increases based on demand on your preferred travel dates.

Want to earn a free flight to Melbourne?

These frequent flyer credit card offers can give you more than enough bonus points for a complimentary flight (minus applicable taxes) to Tullamarine (MEL) or Avalon (AVV) from major cities across Australia.

NAB Qantas Rewards Signature Card

Earn up to 110,000 bonus Qantas Points
Discounted $295 first year annual fee

Offer may be withdrawn at any time

Eligibility criteria, terms and conditions, fees and charges apply

Go to Site
Promoted

Citi Rewards Card - Velocity Points Offer

100,000 bonus Velocity Points
$99 first-year annual fee

Offer ends 30 June 2021

Eligibility criteria, terms and conditions, fees and charges apply

Go to Site
Promoted

What's the best airline to fly to Melbourne?

  • Best for price: Jetstar, being a budget carrier, tends to have the cheapest fares to Melbourne. Note that baggage, entertainment and food aren't included in the fares to keep costs down. If you do need a checked bag, consider Rex. While its routes are limited, the prices are competitive and you'll get checked baggage with even promotional fares.
  • Best for inclusions: Qantas and Rex are both ideal options if you're looking for a fare that includes checked baggage along with a bite to eat and drink in-flight. However, if you're also after entertainment, Qantas is the only one of the two to offer this.
  • Best for frequent flyer rewards:Qantas (Qantas Frequent Flyer) and Virgin (Velocity) let you earn frequent flyer points on flights to Melbourne. You'll also be able to collect Qantas points with some Jetstar fares.

Where is the airport in Melbourne?

There are two major and one minor airport in Melbourne that service domestic flights.

  • Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine)(MEL) is the primary domestic and international airport serving Melbourne.
  • Avalon Airport (AVV) is located a little further from the city, closer to Geelong, and serves as the secondary airport for Melbourne.
  • Essendon Airport (MEB) is a smaller suburban airport that serves a small number of flights from domestic and regional airports.

If you are staying in Melbourne CBD or the surrounding areas, you will find Tullamarine Airport to be the most convenient airport to fly into in terms of proximity and convenience. If you're looking for the most cost-effective option, you will find that the cheapest flights into Melbourne fly into Avalon Airport.

Avalon Airport is also an ideal starting point for trips to Great Ocean Road.

How long does it take to get to and from Melbourne Airport?

Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine): Pre-booked airport transfers can be arranged in advance through your accommodation or via a rideshare app. The SkyBus runs every 10 minutes to and from the airport, with Southern Cross Station being the drop off and pick-up point. Rental cars are available from the desks in the arrival halls, and taxis are available from the ground floor outside all terminals. Public bus services are available from the transport hub on the ground floor.

Avalon Airport: Car hire is available inside the airport from the arrival terminal. The drive takes about 45 minutes to Melbourne CBD. SkyBus runs an Avalon Airport express service to and from Melbourne CBD. Rideshares are available from designated pick-up and drop off areas just outside the terminal and taxis are available from the taxi ranks outside the terminal. Taxis are available from the taxi ranks outside the terminal.

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