Airports
Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) (MEL)
Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) — the airport guide with real transport prices, lounge access, and what to do with a layover.
Photos for Melbourne are still on their way. Every listing below is real.
Terminals
Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) (MEL) — ~23 km northwest of the CBD.
Check your terminal before you go; the airport's own site has the live terminal maps.
Lounges: access and cost
Qantas, Virgin and independent lounges (e.g. Amex, Plaza Premium variants); confirm current access on the airport site.
Walk-up paid access varies by lounge — confirm on the lounge's own page before counting on it. Credit-card lounge access is the quiet hack: if your card includes it, the airport lounges are where it pays off (card-network links coming to this guide).
Food inside the airport
Good by airport standards: the T2 precinct has proper restaurants; coffee is taken seriously (it's Melbourne).
Ground transport: real prices
SkyBus runs to Southern Cross Station 24/7 (~20–30 min off-peak, longer in traffic). Public buses (route 901) are the budget play. Taxis/Uber ~30–45 min. No rail link (the Airport Rail project keeps slipping — check current status).
Prices move — confirm on the airport or transit operator's site before you travel. Only use official taxi ranks; ignore terminal touts.
Layover itineraries
3 hours — stay airside. 3 hours — stay airside. Tullamarine's terminals are walkable but the city is too far for a short layover.
6 hours — quick city trip. 6 hours — the city is borderline: SkyBus to Southern Cross (~25 min each way off-peak), 90 minutes around Fed Square/Flinders St, back with buffer. Only off-peak, carry-on only.
Overnight — sleep near the airport. Overnight — airport hotels (ibis, Holiday Inn, PARKROYAL) on the precinct; or SkyBus into the CBD for the night. Compare on the usual hotel sites. Book via Booking.com and compare — airport hotels spike on disruption days.
Flights
Compare fares into MEL: compare flights to MEL. Prices swing by season — the shoulder months are usually the value window.
Practical tips
- SkyBus is the default; buy return tickets online for the discount.
- International-domestic transfers need the terminal walk/bus — allow 20+ min.
Towns this airport serves
Common questions
How do I get from MEL to the city?
See the ground transport section above — the train or official taxis are the reliable plays.
Can I visit the city on a 6-hour layover?
See the 6-hour itinerary above. Only with bags checked through and no visa issues.
Where should I stay on an overnight layover?
Near the airport — see the overnight section. Book ahead on disruption-prone days.
More to explore in Melbourne
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