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Well within the Snowy Mountains in Kosciuszko National Park, Thredbo doesn't have an airport itself, but it can be reached by car in about an hour from Cooma's Snowy Mountains Airport or in two and a half hours from the more-serviced Canberra Airport.
The cheapest flights will be available into Canberra Airport, but if you are able to catch a sale from Rex, the only airline that services Cooma, you may be able to save on both your airfare and driving time.
We checked airfares from a few cities around Australia and found flights to be about 35–45% cheaper into Canberra compared to flying into Cooma. However, the drive from Canberra is 90 minutes longer than from Cooma.
Cheapest time to fly to Snowy Mountains Airport (Cooma):
Flights to Cooma don't fluctuate too much throughout the year, but as demand for flights to Thredbo and nearby Perisher increases during the winter months, prices tend to be slightly higher during the ski season.
Unlike flights to Cooma, flights to Canberra tend to be cheaper during the winter months. If you're paying for more than one person, the savings compared to flying to Cooma could be well worth the extra 1.5-hour drive.
How far in advance to book flights to Snowy Mountains Airport (Cooma)
Fares to Cooma tend to stay pretty steady throughout the year unless there's a sale. We'd recommend keeping an eye on Rex fares as we have seen them drop below $99 in a sale.
Snowy Mountains Airport in Cooma is the closest airport to Thredbo. It's 83km east of the ski resort and takes about an hour to drive, but factor in some extra time if the roads are slippery.
At 210km northeast of Thredbo, Canberra Airport is a 2.5-hour drive, making an ideal alternative as there are more flight options available and, usually, lower fares.
Below are the minimum flight times, including any stopovers, to Snowy Mountains Airport (Cooma) and Canberra Airport. Keep in mind that the airport in Cooma is a one-hour drive from Thredbo and Canberra Airport is a two and a half hours away, on top of the total flight times.Snowy Mountains Airport (Cooma):
In some cases, you may be better to drive. For example, the fastest flight time to Cooma from Melbourne is four and a half hours, and from there it's another hour by car. Given that you'll need to disembark your flight, collect any checked luggage and pick up your hire car, the 6.5-hour drive direct to Thredbo may be a better option.
Canberra Airport:
If you're travelling from Cooma: Alpine Resort Shuttle, Snowy Mountains Shuttles and Snowlink Shuttle all offer transfer service between the airport in Cooma and Thredbo Resort.If you're travelling from Canberra: You can hire a car right from the airport with Hertz and Europcar. If you'd prefer not to drive yourself, you can book a transfer with Elite Transport, Snowy Mountains Shuttles, Snowlink Shuttle, Alpine Charters, Snow Alliance and Summit Coaches.
Although Snowy Mountains Airport (Cooma) is closer to Thredbo, there are fewer flight options available than the further-away Canberra Airport.
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