MEL - DRW

$165 Find cheap flights from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to Darwin

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Melbourne to Darwin departing on 20/12. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
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Search hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Darwin

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Melbourne to Darwin, as well as popular online travel agencies
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Melbourne to Darwin, as well as popular online travel agencies
In the last 7 days, travellers have searched 47,039,612 times on KAYAK, and here's why:

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Cheap flight deals from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to Darwin (MEL-DRW)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to Darwin that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.

Recent return flight deals from Melbourne to Darwin

Recommended round-trip deals departing in the coming months from the most popular airlines that fly from Melbourne to Darwin.
Discover the best prices and deals for you by selecting your travel dates.
Choose your dates
21:30 - 00:20MEL-DRW
4h 20mdirect
01:00 - 06:45DRW-MEL
4h 15mdirect
$359Jetstar
Find Deal
Mon, 10 Mar - Sun, 16 Mar
20:45 - 23:50MEL-DRW
4h 35mdirect
00:40 - 06:25DRW-MEL
4h 15mdirect
$391Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Fri, 17 Jan - Sun, 19 Jan
14:50 - 17:55MEL-DRW
4h 35mdirect
01:00 - 06:45DRW-MEL
4h 15mdirect
Fri, 14 Feb - Mon, 17 Feb
20:45 - 23:50MEL-DRW
4h 35mdirect
01:00 - 06:45DRW-MEL
4h 15mdirect
Fri, 17 Jan - Mon, 20 Jan
20:45 - 23:50MEL-DRW
4h 35mdirect
01:00 - 06:45DRW-MEL
4h 15mdirect
Wed, 15 Jan - Tue, 21 Jan
20:45 - 23:50MEL-DRW
4h 35mdirect
01:00 - 06:45DRW-MEL
4h 15mdirect
Fri, 17 Jan - Mon, 20 Jan
21:30 - 00:20MEL-DRW
4h 20mdirect
01:00 - 06:45DRW-MEL
4h 15mdirect
$435Jetstar
Find Deal
Sun, 19 Jan - Sat, 25 Jan
20:45 - 23:50MEL-DRW
4h 35mdirect
13:20 - 00:15DRW-MEL
9h 25m1 stop
$540Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Fri, 17 Jan - Tue, 21 Jan
20:55 - 23:55MEL-DRW
4h 30mdirect
12:00 - 23:35DRW-MEL
10h 05m1 stop
$835Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Tue, 31 Dec - Wed, 1 Jan
06:45 - 12:30MEL-DRW
7h 15m1 stop
12:00 - 23:35DRW-MEL
10h 05m1 stop
$947Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Sat, 21 Dec - Wed, 1 Jan

Flights from Melbourne to Darwin - Travel Insights & Trends

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Melbourne to Darwin to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to Darwin?

The average price of all round-trip flights from Melbourne Airport to Darwin clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.
If you are looking for a flight deal from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to Darwin, look for departures on Fridays and avoid leaving on a Saturday, as it's usually the priciest day. When flying back from Darwin, Tuesday is the cheapest day to fly and Friday is the most expensive.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Melbourne Airport to Darwin?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Melbourne Airport to Darwin, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.
The cheapest month for flights from Melbourne Airport to Darwin is November, where tickets cost $433 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and July, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $689 and $658 respectively.

Can I save money by flying with a stopover from Melbourne Airport to Darwin?

The average return price for all direct flights, flights with one stopover, and flights with two stopovers for the route found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.
No, with an average price for the route of $488, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Melbourne Airport to Darwin?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Melbourne Airport to Darwin, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.
To get a below average price on the flight from Melbourne Airport to Darwin, you should book around 4 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 20 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low season

February

High season

July

Cheapest flight

$165
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 4% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly (18% more expensive on average)
Flight from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to Darwin

When to book flights from Melbourne to Darwin

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Melbourne to Darwin based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated return price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or returns with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to Darwin flights

  • What is the best way to reach Darwin centre from Darwin Airport?

    There is no public bus departing directly from Darwin Airport, but within a 5–15min walk, you can board the BusLink to Darwin centre. Tickets for the bus lie at approximately A$ 3–7, depending on how long you want the ticket to be valid. The closest bus stop to the airport is at Charles Eaton Drive, about 5min away.

  • Where can I find the car hire centre at Darwin Airport?

    One who wants to rent a car for their time in Darwin does not have to bother with public transport and can head straight to the many car hire desks in the Arrivals Hall. Just outside the baggage claim area, you find a variety of providers, including Avis, Hertz, and Thrifty, among many others.

  • What is the smoking policy at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport?

    Smoking is only permitted in a few areas and not possible once passengers have passed through the security screening. In general, it is difficult to find clearly marked smoking areas throughout the airport building, so it is best-advised to refrain altogether or inquire about safe smoking places at the information desk in the Departures Hall.

  • What shopping perks can I enjoy at Melbourne Airport?

    Melbourne Tullamarine offers a wide range of shops, including high-street brands like Burberry, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Emporio Armani. As part of their Shop & Collect policy, you can leave your purchases at Melbourne Airport and collect them when you return, so you don’t have to account for extra luggage space beforehand.

  • How fast can I be in Darwin by car from Darwin Airport?

    Darwin International Airport is merely 15min by car away from the centre of Darwin and about 10min from Charles Darwin National Park. The quickest route into the city leads via Bagot Road and Tiger Brennan Drive.

  • What is the cheapest flight from Melbourne Airport to Darwin?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Melbourne Airport to Darwin was $106 for a one-way ticket and $231 for a return.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to Darwin?

    The Boeing 737-800 Passenger/BBJ2 (winglets) is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to Darwin flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to Darwin?

    oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance are the airline alliances operating flights between Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) and Darwin, with oneworld being the most commonly used for this route.

  • On which days can I fly direct from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to Darwin?

    There are direct flights from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to Darwin on a daily basis.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Melbourne to Darwin, Qantas Airways or Virgin Australia?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Melbourne to Darwin are Qantas Airways and Virgin Australia. With an average price for the route of $838 and an overall rating of 7.6, Qantas Airways is the most popular choice. Virgin Australia is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $616 and an overall rating of 7.5.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to Darwin?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to Darwin.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to Darwin?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Darwin from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) is likely to change within 7 days, so travellers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to Darwin?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional return ticket. You could then fly to Darwin with an airline and back to Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to Darwin?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Darwin from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

See more FAQs

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from Melbourne Airport to Darwin

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $253 or less one-way and $367 or less round-trip.
  • Travellers on a budget should book with low-cost airline Jetstar for their flight from Melbourne to Darwin (DRW). The airline departs from both Melbourne Tullamarine (MEL) and Melbourne Avalon (AVV), but choose Melbourne Tullamarine as your origin airport for a direct flight.
  • When you fly from Melbourne Tullamarine (MEL), you can spend the time before your flight in one of the open-access lounges inside the International Terminal. At the Marhaba Lounge on Level 3, you can work in peace, enjoy a hot drink and dinner, and watch the planes land and take off. In the Plaza Premium Lounge, there are also kids’ packages available.
  • When you arrive at Darwin International Airport (DRW) and need to change your baby, head to the baby changing facilities close to Gate 9 and the Green Bean Café.
  • If you depart from Terminal 3 at Melbourne Tullamarine, you can relax at one of the massage chairs available in the post-security area. For A$ 2, you can enjoy 5min on the massaging chairs to board entirely relaxed.
  • The Skybus services are your quickest public connection from Melbourne CBD to both Melbourne airports. Tickets to Avalon Airport cost approximately A$ 25, and are around A$ 20 to Melbourne Tullamarine.
  • If you opt to park your car at Melbourne Tullamarine to have it await your return, you can choose from various car parks. The cheapest is around A$ 100–150 per week in the long-term car park, located a bit away from the airport. A complimentary shuttle connects the lot with the terminal buildings.
See more tips

Prefer to fly direct from Melbourne to Darwin?

Find which airlines fly direct from Melbourne Airport to Darwin Airport, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

Melbourne to Darwin

Monday

Air New Zealand, Etihad Airways, Jetstar, +5 more

Air New Zealand, Etihad Airways, +6 more

Tuesday

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, +7 more

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, +8 more

Wednesday

Air New Zealand, Etihad Airways, Jetstar, +5 more

Air New Zealand, Etihad Airways, +6 more

Thursday

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, +7 more

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, +8 more

Friday

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, +7 more

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, +8 more

Saturday

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, +7 more

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, +8 more

Sunday

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, +7 more

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, +8 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Darwin to Melbourne

Monday

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, +7 more

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, +8 more

Tuesday

Air New Zealand, Etihad Airways, Jetstar, +5 more

Air New Zealand, Etihad Airways, +6 more

Wednesday

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, +7 more

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, +8 more

Thursday

Air New Zealand, Etihad Airways, Jetstar, +5 more

Air New Zealand, Etihad Airways, +6 more

Friday

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, +7 more

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, +8 more

Saturday

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, +7 more

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, +8 more

Sunday

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, +7 more

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, +8 more

See more direct flights
See more direct flights

Top 3 airlines serving from Melbourne to Darwin

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Melbourne to Darwin. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Melbourne to Darwin? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
7.6
Qantas AirwaysOverall score based on 807 reviews
7.7Boarding
7.0Food
7.4Comfort
8.2Crew
7.3Entertainment
Airline reviews

Delayed and missed connection, was not re-booked like other travelers so ended up being stuck for several hours due to no one handling my booking.

2.0 MediocreTara, Nov 2024LAX - SYD
Read more Qantas Airways reviews

Delayed and missed connection, was not re-booked like other travelers so ended up being stuck for several hours due to no one handling my booking.

same as previous comments. i hate being on a plane that long. no problems w/anything else.

Good communication regarding any updates time of flight and flight delayed. The fight was delayed by two and half hours at eleventh hour. That was unexpected, especially when you international passenger.

It was very nice. I will try to fly with Qantas whenever I can.

Terrible. 6 hour delay with no explanations and only 15 dollars in food credits. A disaster. I'll just leave it at that.

Much better than I expected for such a long flight.

We paid for business class seats for the comfort that comes with that but couldn’t use the bathroom as it was full all the time.

Flight was cancelled about 1.5 hours before departure. Replacement flight provided scheduled 1 hour later. Late boarding, late departure and arrived Melbourne nearly 2 hours after originally scheduled.

Good - better than other airlines in terms of food and seat comfort.

Flight is overpriced. Quality of service is poor. Constant delays. This flight again was multiple times delayed. The relaxed and careless attitude of staff is appalling. People are busy and it does matter if we do things more efficiently than chilled out. Once the flight was ready to depart we had more delays due to the careless approach of boarding passengers. Food is highly processed with limited options and super unhealthy. Leg room is shockingly bad. Even the biz class is pretty bad. Coupled with the horrendous prices Qantas only benefits given Australia is their home market. Otherwise they are not competitive at all.

Virgin has always provided a smooth and comfortable flight. This one was no different. Seats are comfortable. Staff are great. This is my favourite airline.

Virgin changed the flight to an Alliance flight. Smaller plane, tea coffee and water the only refreshments available and not sure what happened to the extra money I paid to sit in a selected seat with extra leg room. This is obviously a regular switch as it happened on our flight there and back. Do not recommend.

Late boarding, late departure due to weather and slow boarding, packed 5+hour flight, only 2 toilets for main cabin, tight leg room, no free food except tea, coffee, and water, arrived 75 minutes late.

Cramped, crowded flight, with no complimentary food except coffee, tea, or water.

Check-in was good and efficient, Boarding was quick and easy. Didn't like the entertainment side of things requiring your phone to connect for a screen, my eyes are bad enough to use my phone more than I already do. Trip was comfortable and baggage claim was good. If coffee and tea were free, then why not a soda or juice as well, its not like its an alcoholic drink.

Check-in was good and efficient, Boarding was quick and easy. Didn't like the entertainment side of things requiring your phone to connect for a screen, my eyes are bad enough to use my phone more than I already do. Trip was comfortable and baggage claim was good.

The flight was delayed by 45 minutes, but boarding, actual flight, and crew were great. However, there was Zero free food and only water, tea, or coffee to drink. Everything else was for sale. No onboard entertainment but it was a short flight.

Boarding was smooth after a 25 min delay. Notification of delay could be more efficient and change in boarding gate was not notified on the flights board or app.

I did not use the in flight entertainment, but the selection appeared to be decent. Take off was delayed, but otherwise the process was uneventful.

Great flight - on time, lovely staff. I’ll always have the same complaint and essentially it’s the limited food options for people who are celiac. But that’s all airlines !

The crew were great. The seat was older than an old Holden with a big metal bar sticking right into my back. The passenger next to me complained that hers was the same. The pre purchase system for food was disappointing as the pie/quiche took 20 mins to warm up, arrived too hot and with no utensils. It was one of the most uncomfortable flights I've ever been on.

Not very good, no food and not drink ( caffe or tea). Never ever fly with jet star.

Fabulous I have no issues with JetStar great service always use them to fly

Flight was as expected - we got what we paid for which was a base fare

Hardly we had overweight and we were asked to pay $75. We were checked by a female and weight was alright

Unaware of charge for carry on until i got to gate

I got what I paid for - flight was clean, staff were friendly

I like that fare is cheap but because there's no amenities whatsoever. You get what you paid for.

There's a reason why fare is cheap, no amenities.

It is what it is - nothing more, nothing less. No entertainment onboard but one kinda knows that when buying a ticket on a no frills airline. I choose Jetstar only because of price.

Book cheap flights from Melbourne to Darwin

Recent one-way flight deals

 
Only flying one-way? Below are some of the best one-way flight deals from Melbourne to Darwin found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.
20/12Fri
directJetstar
4h 20mMEL-DRW
$165
15/3Sat
directJetstar
4h 20mMEL-DRW
$182
26/1Sun
directVirgin Australia
4h 35mMEL-DRW
$220
26/2Wed
directVirgin Australia
4h 35mMEL-DRW
$238
13/12Fri
2 stops
51h 10mMEL-DRW
$415
20/1Mon
2 stops
27h 10mMEL-DRW
$424
29/12Sun
1 stopQantas Airways
6h 45mMEL-DRW
$480
29/12Sun
1 stopQantas Airways
8h 00mMEL-DRW
$575
14/3Fri
1 stopSingapore Airlines
15h 55mMEL-DRW
$1,065
28/12Sat
1 stopSingapore Airlines
15h 55mMEL-DRW
$2,133

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Last minute flights from Melbourne to Darwin

Last minute flight, train and bus deals

 
These last-minute flight deals are the cheapest flights found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours for flights from Melbourne to Darwin that are departing in the next 10 days.
7/12Sat
directJetstar
4h 20mMEL-DRW
8/1Wed
directJetstar
4h 15mDRW-MEL
$439
7/12Sat
directJetstar
4h 20mMEL-DRW
8/1Wed
multi-stopJetstar
8h 15mDRW-MEL
$582
7/12Sat
direct
4h 20mMEL-DRW
9/1Thu
multi-stop
9h 25mDRW-MEL
$649
7/12Sat
directJetstar
4h 20mMEL-DRW
8/1Wed
multi-stopJetstar
21h 05mDRW-MEL
$669
7/12Sat
directJetstar
4h 20mMEL-DRW
13/12Fri
directJetstar
4h 15mDRW-MEL
$787
8/12Sun
directJetstar
4h 20mMEL-DRW
13/12Fri
directJetstar
4h 15mDRW-MEL
$807
7/12Sat
direct
4h 20mMEL-DRW
14/12Sat
multi-stop
21h 40mDRW-MEL
$815
7/12Sat
multi-stopVirgin Australia
6h 55mMEL-DRW
9/1Thu
multi-stopVirgin Australia
9h 25mDRW-MEL
$857
7/12Sat
multi-stopJetstar
29h 50mMEL-DRW
8/1Wed
multi-stopJetstar
8h 15mDRW-MEL
$876
8/12Sun
multi-stopQantas Airways
8h 00mMEL-DRW
14/12Sat
multi-stopQantas Airways
21h 40mDRW-MEL
$1,039

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Everything you need to know for your flight from Melbourne to Darwin

Information on your arrival and departure airports

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