Tullamarine MEL
A flight to London or Frankfurt is a very different day from one to Athens or Belgrade, and Tullamarine (MEL) is the Melbourne airport that handles your side of either. If you are comparing cheap flights from Melbourne, look past the fare to how the arrival actually works. The first hours matter most, because where you land, how you leave the terminal, and whether your bag, phone and transport plan still make sense after a long flight can change the whole trip, especially when you arrive tired and carrying luggage.
Tullamarine at a glance
- Passengers per year
- 25.7 M (2022)
- Hub for
- Qantas, V Australia, Jetstar
- Elevation
- 132 m
- Opened
- 1970
- Official website
- melbourneairport.com.au
- Population of Melbourne
- 5.4 M (2024)
Country facts: Wikidata
Getting to the city
Tullamarine sits outside central Melbourne, so the transfer is a real part of the journey rather than an afterthought. Public transport, taxis and rideshares all run between the terminal and the city, but the right choice depends on your arrival time, luggage and where you are staying. Build in extra time for traffic and for finding the right pickup point, and do not assume the last service of the night will suit a late arrival.