Flights to Melbourne
Which airport to land at, how far each is from the centre, and where the routes go. Live fares are booked here.
Melbourne is served by 4 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Melbourne Airport (MEL), 19 km (12 mi) from the centre, whose 11,998-ft runway is long enough for long-haul wide-body aircraft. The alternatives are Melbourne Avalon International Airport (AVV, 50 km), Melbourne Essendon Airport (MEB, 11 km), Melbourne Moorabbin Airport (MBW, 22 km).
| Airport | Code | From centre | Longest runway | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne Airport | MEL | 19 km (12 mi) | 11,998 ft | 434 ft |
| Melbourne Avalon International Airport | AVV | 50 km (31 mi) | 10,000 ft | 35 ft |
| Melbourne Essendon Airport (regional) | MEB | 11 km (7 mi) | 6,302 ft | 282 ft |
| Melbourne Moorabbin Airport (regional) | MBW | 22 km (14 mi) | 4,380 ft | 50 ft |
Runway length is a practical tell: at 11,998 ft, MEL can take the largest long-haul aircraft, so direct intercontinental flights are physically possible here. The airport sits at 434 ft; that is low enough that altitude never restricts departures.
Book a flight to Melbourne
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Routes to and from Melbourne
Straight-line distance and an estimated block time for the city pairs people search for most. Each opens a page with both ends’ airports, the time-zone shift and what changes on arrival.
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne to Sydney | Australia | 713 km (443 mi) | about 1 h 40 min |
| Melbourne to Brisbane | Australia | 1,375 km (854 mi) | about 2 h 31 min |
| Melbourne to Adelaide | Australia | 654 km (406 mi) | about 1 h 35 min |
| Melbourne to Gold Coast | Australia | 1,346 km (836 mi) | about 2 h 29 min |
| Melbourne to Newcastle | Australia | 822 km (511 mi) | about 1 h 48 min |
| Melbourne to Sunshine Coast | Australia | 1,455 km (904 mi) | about 2 h 37 min |
| Melbourne to Canberra | Australia | 466 km (290 mi) | about 1 h 21 min |
| Melbourne to Central Coast | Australia | 757 km (470 mi) | about 1 h 43 min |
| Melbourne to Logan City | Australia | 1,363 km (847 mi) | about 2 h 30 min |
| Melbourne to Wollongong | Australia | 652 km (405 mi) | about 1 h 35 min |
| Melbourne to Hobart | Australia | 598 km (371 mi) | about 1 h 31 min |
| Melbourne to Toowoomba | Australia | 1,313 km (816 mi) | about 2 h 26 min |
| Melbourne to Johannesburg | South Africa | 10,328 km (6,417 mi) | about 13 h 59 min |
| Melbourne to Santiago | Chile | 11,276 km (7,007 mi) | about 15 h 12 min |
| Melbourne to Cape Town | South Africa | 10,314 km (6,409 mi) | about 13 h 58 min |
| Melbourne to Durban | South Africa | 9,834 km (6,110 mi) | about 13 h 21 min |
| Melbourne to Buenos Aires | Argentina | 11,609 km (7,213 mi) | about 15 h 38 min |
| Melbourne to Perth | Australia | 2,721 km (1,691 mi) | about 4 h 14 min |
| Melbourne to Pretoria | South Africa | 10,353 km (6,433 mi) | about 14 h 1 min |
| Melbourne to Córdoba | Argentina | 11,745 km (7,298 mi) | about 15 h 48 min |
| Melbourne to Shanghai | China | 8,055 km (5,005 mi) | about 11 h 5 min |
| Melbourne to Chongqing | China | 8,489 km (5,275 mi) | about 11 h 38 min |
| Melbourne to Chengdu | China | 8,719 km (5,417 mi) | about 11 h 56 min |
| Melbourne to Beijing | China | 9,120 km (5,667 mi) | about 12 h 27 min |
| Melbourne to Guangzhou | China | 7,542 km (4,686 mi) | about 10 h 25 min |
| Melbourne to Shenzhen | China | 7,448 km (4,628 mi) | about 10 h 18 min |
Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.
Common questions
Which airport should I fly into for Melbourne?
Melbourne Airport (MEL) is the closest large airport at 19 km (12 mi). The others, AVV, MEB, MBW, are further out and worth it only when the fare or the airline makes them so.
How far is MEL from Melbourne city centre?
19 km (12 mi) in a straight line; the road or rail distance is somewhat longer.
Can I book flights to Melbourne on this site?
Very soon: our airline partner is switching live fares on for this site. Hotels can be booked now.
How are the journey times on this page worked out?
From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.