Flights to Melbourne Airport Tullamarine (MEL)

Melbourne Airport, known to most Australians simply as Tullamarine, is the main gateway to Victoria and one of the busiest airports in the country. It is where nonstop services from Singapore land, and where travellers change onto domestic flights for Tasmania, Adelaide, Sydney and beyond. If you are searching for flights to Melbourne Airport, this page shows options that arrive at MEL specifically, so you can plan the ride into town and the days that follow.

About Melbourne Airport (MEL), Tullamarine

Location

The airport sits in the north-western suburbs, a little over 20 km from the centre of Melbourne, beside the suburb of Tullamarine that gives it its nickname. It operates around the clock, which means late-evening and very early arrivals are common on long-haul routes from Asia.

Terminals

Four terminals share one frontage. International arrivals, including those from Changi, use Terminal 2, where passengers pass through immigration, collect bags and go through customs and biosecurity screening. Australia takes food, plant and animal products seriously, so declare anything you are unsure about when you arrive. Terminal 1, Terminal 3 and Terminal 4 handle domestic services, and all of them can be reached on foot from the international terminal.

Getting to and from Tullamarine

A rail line to the airport has been planned for years but is not running, so road transport does the work. The SkyBus express coach leaves from outside the terminals for Southern Cross Station, and from there trams and suburban trains fan out across the city. Metered taxis and ride-hailing pick-up zones are clearly signed, and hire car desks are a short walk from the arrivals halls. Drivers heading to the CBD usually take the Tullamarine Freeway and CityLink, which is a tolled road, so check how your hire company charges tolls.

Direct and connecting flights to Melbourne Airport

Singapore and Tullamarine are linked by nonstop flights, with full-service and budget airlines both on the route. To see them, switch on the Direct filter and confirm that the arrival airport reads MEL. If you are happy to stop on the way, one-stop itineraries via other Asian hubs can open up different departure times or fares.

Tullamarine is also the right choice when your trip continues inside Australia, since the domestic terminals are next door. Travellers staying around Geelong or on the Great Ocean Road can compare flights into Avalon Airport, or see every Melbourne option together on the Melbourne city page. Before paying, check that the code reads MEL and not MLB, which is Melbourne in Florida.

When to fly to Melbourne Airport

Arrivals from Singapore swap tropical heat for a temperate climate. December to February is summer, warm and dry with the odd scorching day. March to May brings crisp mornings and calm, sunny afternoons. June to August is winter, when a warm coat, scarf and umbrella earn their place in your luggage, and September to November is a mix of blossom and sudden showers.

The busiest weeks at Tullamarine for Singapore travellers are the June and December school holidays, Chinese New Year and the start of Australian university semesters. Big events such as the Australian Open in January and the spring racing carnival also push up demand. If your dates can move, compare several weeks in the fare chart above and set a Price Alert to watch the route.

Popular places to visit from Melbourne Airport

Melbourne Cricket Ground

The MCG is the spiritual home of Australian sport, hosting cricket in summer and Australian Rules football through winter. Stadium tours and the sports museum inside are worth the visit even when no match is on.

Federation Square and the NGV

Opposite Flinders Street Station, Federation Square is the city's meeting place, and the National Gallery of Victoria nearby holds a large collection of Australian and international art with free entry to its permanent galleries.

Yarra Valley

North-east of the city, rolling vineyards, cheese makers and chocolate producers fill the Yarra Valley. Hot-air balloon flights over the vines at sunrise are a popular splurge.

Dandenong Ranges

Tall mountain ash forest, fern gullies and hill villages lie east of Melbourne. The restored Puffing Billy steam railway winds through the ranges on trestle bridges and is a family favourite.

Brighton Beach

A row of brightly painted bathing boxes lines the sand at Brighton, on Port Phillip Bay, and has become one of the most photographed spots in Melbourne.

Where to stay near Melbourne Airport and in the city

For a late arrival or an early departure, the airport precinct and the nearby suburbs of Tullamarine, Airport West and Essendon keep you close to the terminals. Moonee Ponds, a short drive further in, has a lively high street and good tram links.

Most holidaymakers head straight for the city. The CBD and Docklands suit short stays thanks to free trams in the centre, Carlton is close to the Melbourne Museum and Lygon Street, and South Melbourne and Albert Park offer quiet streets near the bay and the Grand Prix circuit.

Food to try in Melbourne

Chicken parmigiana

Crumbed chicken topped with tomato sauce and melted cheese, sometimes with a slice of ham, usually served with chips and salad, is the classic Melbourne pub meal. Locals simply call it a parma.

Italian on Lygon Street

Post-war Italian migrants shaped Carlton, and Lygon Street is still the place for wood-fired pizza, handmade pasta and a cannoli with dessert.

Lamingtons

Squares of sponge cake dipped in chocolate and rolled in desiccated coconut are an Australian bakery staple, sometimes filled with jam or cream.

Banh mi

Crusty Vietnamese rolls stuffed with pork, pâté, pickled vegetables and chilli are sold from bakeries across the western suburbs and make a filling, budget-friendly lunch.

Planning to land at Tullamarine? Compare flights to Melbourne Airport on Traveloka, filter for nonstop services from Changi and keep your e-ticket in the app for a smooth arrival.