MEL - JNB

$836 Find Cheap Flights from Melbourne to Johannesburg

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 OR Tambo departing on 15/10. 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.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Melbourne to Johannesburg.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Melbourne to Johannesburg.
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Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Melbourne to Johannesburg (MEL-JNB)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for return flights from Melbourne to Johannesburg 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.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent return flight deals from Melbourne to OR Tambo

Thu, 9 Oct - Sat, 25 Oct
Etihad Airways Logo
18:10 - 08:20MEL-JNB
23h 10m1 stop
Etihad Airways Logo
09:50 - 16:35JNB-MEL
21h 45m1 stop
$1,362Etihad Airways
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Sun, 19 Oct - Tue, 4 Nov
Etihad Airways Logo
18:10 - 08:20MEL-JNB
23h 10m1 stop
Etihad Airways Logo
09:50 - 17:00JNB-MEL
22h 10m1 stop
$1,412Etihad Airways
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Mon, 23 Feb - Fri, 13 Mar
Singapore Airlines Logo
07:00 - 18:35MEL-JNB
20h 35m1 stop
Singapore Airlines Logo
19:50 - 05:45JNB-MEL
24h 55m1 stop
$1,428Singapore Airlines
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Sun, 22 Feb - Fri, 13 Mar
Singapore Airlines Logo
00:35 - 18:35MEL-JNB
27h 00m1 stop
Singapore Airlines Logo
19:50 - 05:45JNB-MEL
24h 55m1 stop
$1,446Singapore Airlines
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Mon, 10 Nov - Sun, 23 Nov
Qatar Airways Logo
23:40 - 15:35MEL-JNB
24h 55m1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
09:25 - 17:50JNB-MEL
23h 25m1 stop
$1,470Qatar Airways
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Mon, 27 Oct - Mon, 3 Nov
 Logo
18:20 - 08:20MEL-JNB
23h 00m1 stop
 Logo
11:05 - 12:30JNB-MEL
40h 25m1 stop
$1,509
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Sun, 26 Oct - Sun, 2 Nov
 Logo
18:20 - 08:20MEL-JNB
23h 00m1 stop
 Logo
11:05 - 23:00JNB-MEL
26h 55m1 stop
$1,538
Find Deal
Mon, 27 Oct - Sun, 9 Nov
Qatar Airways Logo
23:40 - 15:35MEL-JNB
24h 55m1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
13:45 - 06:20JNB-MEL
31h 35m2 stops
$1,551Qatar Airways
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Sun, 9 Nov - Sun, 23 Nov
Cathay Pacific Logo
00:45 - 07:40MEL-JNB
39h 55m1 stop
Cathay Pacific Logo
11:05 - 23:00JNB-MEL
26h 55m1 stop
$1,723Cathay Pacific
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Sun, 26 Oct - Mon, 3 Nov
Cathay Pacific Logo
00:45 - 07:40MEL-JNB
39h 55m1 stop
Cathay Pacific Logo
11:05 - 23:00JNB-MEL
26h 55m1 stop
$1,760Cathay Pacific
Find Deal

Everything you should know

Top airlines
Etihad Airways
Cheapest • from $1,362 (return)
Emirates
Best reviews • 8.1 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
When to book
10 weeks
in advance
Our data shows that travellers who book at least 10 weeks in advance save around 11% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
May
Cheapest • 14% price drop
December
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Cheapest return fare
$1,362
Typical prices: $1,347-1911
Etihad Airways
Thu 9/10Sat 25/10
MEL - JNB • 1 stop
Cheapest one-way flight
$836
Typical prices: $840-1383
Multi-carrier
Wed 15/10
MEL - JNB • 3 stops
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KAYAK searches hundreds of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
We hope you love your trip to OR Tambo!
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Melbourne to OR Tambo flights

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

How much is a return flight from Melbourne Airport to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport?

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Melbourne to Johannesburg?

The average price of all round-trip flights from Melbourne Airport to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

If you are looking for a flight deal from Melbourne to Johannesburg, look for departures on Wednesdays and avoid leaving on a Thursday, as it's usually the priciest day. When flying back from Johannesburg, Tuesday is the cheapest day to fly and Saturday is the most expensive.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Melbourne Airport to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Melbourne Airport to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport, 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 Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport is May, where tickets cost $1,545 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and July, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $2,404 and $1,965 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Melbourne Airport to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport?

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 Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport, 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 Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport, you should book around 10 weeks before departure, which saves you about 11% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 24 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonFebruary
Cheapest flight$836
Best time to beat the crowds (7% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (33% more expensive on average)
Flight from Melbourne to Johannesburg

When to book flights from Melbourne to OR Tambo

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Melbourne to OR Tambo 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 to Johannesburg flights

  • Are there banking and currency exchange services at OR Tambo Airport?

    Cash machines and ATMs at OR Tambo Airport are open 24h. However, it would be wise to notify your bank ahead of your trip as withdrawal limits and bank fees may apply. Travellers can find full banking services at Terminal A, Arrivals. Exchange services can also be found in the Arrivals Area.

  • Is there public transport from OR Tambo to downtown Johannesburg?

    OR Tambo is the main airport in South Africa. The main transfer options from the airport to various destinations in Johannesburg include a train network and taxis. A taxi ride from the airport to the city centre takes around 40min and costs approximately R 658.43 (A$ 59.35). Travelling from the airport to downtown Johannesburg using the metro system takes roughly 20min, and a one-way ticket costs around R 181.99 (A$ 16.41).

  • What is the cheapest flight from Melbourne Airport to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Melbourne Airport to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport was $556 for a one-way ticket and $906 for a return.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Melbourne to Johannesburg?

    When flying out of Melbourne you will be using Melbourne. You will be landing at Johannesburg, also known as Johannesburg OR Tambo.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Melbourne to Johannesburg?

    We unfortunately don’t have that data for this specific route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Melbourne to Johannesburg?

    Star Alliance, and oneworld are the airline alliances operating flights between Melbourne and Johannesburg, with oneworld being the most commonly used for this route.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Melbourne to Johannesburg, Singapore Airlines or Emirates?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Melbourne to Johannesburg are Singapore Airlines and Emirates. With an average price for the route of $1,471 and an overall rating of 8.1, Singapore Airlines is the most popular choice. Emirates is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $1,967 and an overall rating of 8.1.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Melbourne to Johannesburg?

    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 to Johannesburg.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Melbourne to Johannesburg?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Johannesburg from Melbourne 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 to Johannesburg?

    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 Johannesburg with an airline and back to Melbourne with another airline.

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

    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 Johannesburg from Melbourne up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from Melbourne Airport to Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport

  • Freshen up with a shower before taking a flight from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL). There are free shower facilities in Terminal 2, Departure Level, just beyond the Duty-Free area. However, bring your toiletries and towel with you or purchase a kit near the security checkpoint.
  • Mobile charging stations are available throughout Melbourne Airport. Charging areas in Terminal 3 are located after the security checkpoint, between Gate 7 and Gate 9. Passengers using Terminal 4 can charge their devices after security, near the main food court.
  • There are no direct flights from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport to OR Tambo Airport (JNB). However, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways operate one-stop, and some multi-stop, flights to OR Tambo from Melbourne Airport via Doha, Abu Dhabi and Cairo.
  • The Aspire Lounge in OR Tambo International Airport is open to all passengers, including arriving passengers, regardless of their airline and flight ticket. A wide variety of beverages and food are available at this lounge; it is the perfect place to unwind after a long, tiresome flight from Melbourne.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines flying from Melbourne to OR Tambo

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Melbourne to Johannesburg. 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 OR Tambo? 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.
8.1
EmiratesOverall score based on 3334 reviews
8.2Entertainment
8.0Comfort
8.3Crew
7.9Food
8.1Boarding
Airline reviews

Hospitality is good. Should improve on buggage handling because l lost a suitcase. Layover in Dubai was too long , 6 hours

6.0 GoodKudakwashe, Sept 2025DXB - MAN
Read more Emirates reviews

Hospitality is good. Should improve on buggage handling because l lost a suitcase. Layover in Dubai was too long , 6 hours

I lost my lock from my luggage, I don’t know someone took something from my bag.

The staff on board were excellent. Kind, thoughtful, helpful - not just with me but with others around that I observed. Wonderful service.

They cancelled our flight, rebooked, cancelled that one. We are now flying New Zealand Air and need a refund please. How do we get it?

Wifi was not operational for the whole trip. Other than this, flight was well received .

Premium Economy was not up to my expectation relaxation wise. The chair doesn’t extend enough. It is not economy but not spacious enough to relax and sleep. Food and services were excellent but I am not very keen about food in general.

Food no so good. Extra charge to much for front seats cost me £163 then other people sat near me for nothing 🤬

The best ever, friendly and attentive cabin crew, amazing captains who utilised their expertise for less turbulence, just overall amazing

First time and very memorable, the finest flying experience ive ever had

It was great, a little more leg room would have been better particularly since we were in premium economy

I was in a middle seat where I felt a bit too cramped otherwise the trip was good

Lounge a access was excellent as was the attentiveness and service from the crew as always. The food and drink supplied were of good quality. The entertainment system had a good selection and I liked the mapping system supplied. However the screen wild have been bigger and the operation a little smoother to navigate. The seats were barely comfortable, but adequate.

Headwind delayed our flight which wasn’t the airlines fault

Food from Surabaya was below average but from Singapore is much better

Good service and food. For buying items on flight should be preordered as they don’t keep much stock on board.

We were not given option for meals since they ran out of the other option but good thing the remaining options tasted great.

Horrendous. We upgraded and they took the money but cancelled one of our tickets. The recline action didn’t work on the seats for the flight from Singapore to London, pre booked meals but they seemed to have disappeared as well.. Phone customer service was horrendous. Took 5 phone calls and no fix. Craig at the airport was the only one who seemed to be able to get the ticket back.

Food could have been better. Too many passengers getting up and down all the time.

Delayed 1hour due to storm still didn't get window seat for third flight despite paying £240 extra to book them

Everything was great keep up the good work 😁, can't ask for more.

The food options were beef or veg, No alternatives for Hindus, that don't eat beef...

Flight was on time Seats ( business class) are terrible- you keep on slipping down as it doesn’t lie flat Food service is like economy class. Meals ( still wrapped in plastic) are just dropped in front of you

On time flight; otherwise not impressed by the check- in- purchased business class and the aircraft was downgraded; no refund given for the difference. Told I could access the lounge due to the above and was questioned by the lounge check- in person who was not friendly

Flight was cancelled with no notification until I reached the check-in desk at the airport. I also got downgraded and they lost my luggage.

Very bad. Linda the hostess was very rude all the time

Very bad, Linda the hostess was very rude all the time

The flight SA227 on 2nd March Sao Paulo to Cape Town was delayed by 3 hours. All other flights leaving Sao Paulo left on time. We were told that we were waiting for push back and a routing from Air traffic control. I don't believe this, what was the real reason for the flight delay?

I think more immigration officers at Or Tambo- I spent 90 mins in a queue before I can assisted and most people missed their appointments and meetings

Not sure it was a basic airline so nothing much to like but what was annoying was they delayed so much we missed our connecting flight and we had to almost fight to be out on the next flight and also even get food

Everything the crew werr nice and helpful plus the food was good

by the time they got to our row, they were out of some of the food options. games and movies were great but maybe more game options like tetris or pac man would be great

A few more inches of legroom is all i ask

Great as usual, some delays but well communicated and made up for in the air

Business class points redemption - good value for points paid, dubious value if out of your own pocket, domestic class business product okay for this length of flight. The flight left and arrived on time, crew were good, aircraft was a bit old and tired, but still miles ahead of their competitors in Virgin and Jetstar.

Airline running better than post Covid, proper boarding process now implemented, some aircraft feeling a bit old and tired, crew fine, online experience better.

We were upgraded and after just a short delay in attending to a safety check we were on our way. Would definately fly Qantas International on their Dreamliner again.

Five hour flight instead of four hours due to westerly headwinds which wasn’t the fault of Qantas !

I tried to check in online but was unable to do so. I stood in line for nearly two hours to check in. American Airlines was understaffed. When I finally got to the kiosk to check in, I was still unable to check in. No AA staff was available to help. Finally one of the airport security agents who was helping passengers became of lack of AA Staff told me: “I think the reason you can’t check in is that you are starting your name with an upper case letter when you write it. Just write it with all lower case letters.” That did allow me to check in. HOW COULD ANYONE POSSIBLY KNOW THAT IF THEY USE AN INITIAL UPPER CASE LETTER TO SPELL THEIR OWN NAME, AA WOULD NOT ALLOW THEM TO CHECK IN?????? Then I had to wait in line over half an hour again to drop off my baggage. Although I arrived at the airport 3 hours early, by the time I got to the gate, they had already started boarding.

One of the oldest most uncomfortable "lay down" seats I've ever experienced. Old plane and old seats that don't lay flat. The seat back does not even recline - at all. Instead the legrest awkwardly extends to fill the gap between a small cubby into which you must insert your feet/legs. I am 5' 11" and could not lay straight but had to tuck my knees. Ticket was also very expensive. Would not recommend flying business/first on Finair from Melbourne to Bangkok and will not do so again myself.

The wifi was out. Otherwise it was great flight. Richard, as CSM, was excellent.

The check-in has been the very best so far I didn't get to use my priority access which made me feel like a paid a higher price with no benefit for that I loved the food Very tasty and hot The staff friendliness, empathy could be better as it was not linear amongst the whole crew Otherwise, no complaints. I'd still fly again via Etihad Great prices despite the long 6h of waiting time

Surprised at the lower quality of seats on the Boeing 777 in Business Class. Seats are tight and the whole Business class section is jam packed with seats. It doesn’t feel like Business Class at all. Also the way the tray tables are placed with a huge bulky solid metal hinge at knee level makes it so uncomfortable and always anxious that one will accidentally bang their knee on it. Quality of amenities has also declined. Over priced tickets with diminished quality of the entire experience.

The food could be better. Toilets were smelly all along

second leg was more comfortable. Customer service in Abu Dhabi is okay.

Crew Check-In – Kolkata (CCU) The crew handling check-in in Kolkata was outstanding—efficient, courteous, and highly organized. Flight Segment – CCU to Abu Dhabi (AUH) A standard flight overall. Notably, only one in-flight meal option—a vegetarian curry—was available, which seemed unsuitable for a red-eye journey. The crew offered no alternatives, which was unexpected. Flight Segment – Abu Dhabi to Rome (AUH-FCO) Comfort improved on this leg, but service quality was average, falling short of Etihad’s premium standards. Crew attention was heavily absorbed by a difficult couple in Row 15 (port side), resulting in disproportionate focus. It was concerning that a steward had to personally return to apologize, a task better suited for supervisory staff. This highlights a development opportunity for supervisors Anna and Quashim in managing guest escalation professionally.

Horrible. After paying for seats, I was cramped, my daughters legs kept hitting the seat in front, I had no overhead bin space and no help from stewards on board, the food was served cold, when asked for snacks was told to wait and never received any, the flight was cold with no temperature controls. Entertainment was outdated. I booked this through partnership with American Airlines but will avoid in the future.

Extremely bad food, they never gave our bags in time, the online check-in did not let us check in because we had Indian OCI not sure why we were given the option to check in then, because we couldn’t check in online we had to go in person and we were not able to change our seats and sit with our family

The staff were wonderful but the seats weren't very comfortable for a bigger guy like me.

we were delayed from Athens to Abu Dhabi by an hour and a half, so I had trouble connecting the flight from there to Bali. It could have been done had they waited even 15 mins. There was another lady who was in the same boat. By the time we were half way across the terminal, they have actually already issued different flights for us to go Jakarta then to Bali. Not to mention the inconvenience of waiting over 4 hrs at the airport and the subsequent inconvenience, we did not arrive to Bali till after 800pm the next day, which means I paid for the hotel for nothing when I could have been there before noon the next day! There was little explanation. It was just as well I needed some assistance getting around, otherwise the 2 of us would have been completely lost! Not going to fly with them again!

This flight was a dreamliner so I think the space was ok for the legs, but the option for food was again limited and the crew was same.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Melbourne to OR Tambo

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