Flying from Melbourne to Darwin International Airport (DRW): What you need to know
Your journey comes together at Melbourne's main airport, Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL). Check out the options for reserving a flight from Melbourne to Darwin International Airport (DRW) leaving from this base.
The average time for a direct Melbourne to Darwin International Airport flight is 4 hours 30 minutes.
Darwin International Airport is located in Darwin. The city runs on the UTC+9:30 timezone and is one hour 30 minutes behind Melbourne.
With 19 direct flights a week between the two airports, Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL) to Darwin International Airport (DRW) is the busiest route. Qantas operates the earliest flight at 9:10am. If you'd like to get more out of your day before flying, the last flight from MEL to DRW is with Jetstar at 10:15pm.
For stress-free travel, arrive at the airport two hours ahead of international flights and an hour before domestic departures. This way, you'll have plenty of time to board your flight from Melbourne to DRW.
Flying during a popular month such as July? School holidays and other high seasons can mean longer queues and delays at security. Play it safe and get there up to four hours before international flights and two hours before domestic departures.
Airports in Melbourne
Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL)
Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL) makes it easy to travel directly to your destination. Nonstop flights from Melbourne to Darwin International Airport (DRW) can be booked from this terminal.
At MEL, there's a good selection of carriers that operate direct flights from Melbourne to Darwin International Airport, including:
Qantas is the airline with the highest passenger demand for flights from MEL to DRW.
Virgin Australia is the leading carrier for punctuality on this route.
Located around 24 kilometres from central Melbourne, MEL can be reached in about 25 minutes by car (depending on traffic). The journey by public transport takes roughly 35 minutes.
In search of a convenient hotel close to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport? If you've booked an early flight from Melbourne to Darwin International Airport, these stays will put you a quick hop from check-in:
Of the departures from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, 63% arrive as scheduled at their destination.
Avalon Airport (AVV)
With public transport, you can travel from central Melbourne to AVV in around 1 hour 20 minutes. The airport is roughly 56 kilometres away, and making the trip by car will take approximately 1 hour 5 minutes.
You're off on holiday, so why not book another night away at a hotel near Avalon Airport? Before your Melbourne to DRW flight, make yourself comfortable at Corio Bay Motel.
76% of all departures from Avalon Airport stick to their scheduled arrival time.
About Darwin International Airport (DRW)
If you're arriving on a late flight from Melbourne to Darwin International Airport, few things beat the convenience of staying close to the terminal. Grab your bags from the carousel and then be showered and relaxing soon after at one of these hotels near DRW:
Lock in the best rate by reserving your ride around four weeks before your Melbourne to Darwin International Airport flight.
Getting from Darwin International Airport (DRW) to central Darwin
Darwin International Airport is around 13 kilometres from the centre of Darwin. It takes around 15 minutes or so to get to the city by car.
When travelling on public transport, expect a journey of about 35 minutes.
How to find the cheapest flights from Melbourne to Darwin International Airport (DRW)
The cheapest price we've found for a one-way ticket from Melbourne to Darwin International Airport is ₹ 11,441. For a return flight on this route, the best price is ₹ 22,627. Depending on when you want to go and the availability, these fares can change.
Booking in advance is often the key to finding a cheap flight from Melbourne to DRW. Fares tend to rise as demand increases, so the closer your departure date, the more you'll likely spend on your ticket.
Cheap Melbourne to Darwin International Airport tickets are easier to find when you have flexibility in your schedule. Use the 'Whole month' search function to compare fares across every month and then pick the cheapest day.
Save time searching for cheap plane tickets from Melbourne to DRW by setting up a Price Alert. We'll send you an email or notification on the app when a lower fare becomes available.
Filters make it easier to track down a bargain for your flight from Melbourne to Darwin International Airport. Pick the airlines, flight times and stops that check all your boxes. Then sort the results by 'Cheapest' to bring up the lowest fares right away.
The best time to fly from Melbourne to Darwin International Airport (DRW)
Think about the kind of holiday you want when deciding your trip dates. December is the quietest month to go to Darwin. July is when most people book flights from Melbourne to Darwin International Airport (DRW), which may be ideal if you're chasing more excitement.
Book a Melbourne to DRW plane ticket departing in October if you want to experience the city during its warmest month. You can expect temperatures in Darwin to range from 24ºC to 34ºC.
Look for cheap tickets from Melbourne to Darwin International Airport in July if you like travelling in cooler conditions. Temperatures are at their lowest then, ranging between 18ºC and 31ºC.
More about Darwin
When it comes to searching for somewhere to rest your head, you'll find the top stays in Darwin right here. Browse these hotels as soon as you've booked your flight from Melbourne to Darwin International Airport:
There are plenty of awesome things to do in Darwin when you're ready to see the sights. Kick off your itinerary at Mindil Beach followed by Mindil Beach Park and Charles Darwin National Park.
Explore more of Australia
Go all in on your Australia getaway by venturing beyond Darwin. Around 274 kilometres away to the southeast, Katherine East is another awesome city to put on your to-do list. Tick off some of its biggest attractions like Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts & Culture Centre while you're there.
Katherine is another well-known destination in Australia and is around 274 kilometres southeast of Darwin. No trip is complete without experiencing Katherine Outback Experience, Katherine River and Jurassic Cycad Gardens.
