$310 Find Cheap Flights from Melbourne to South Island

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 South Island departing on 19/1. 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, 0 bags

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to South Island

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Melbourne to South Island, 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 South Island, as well as popular online travel agencies
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Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Melbourne to South Island

Cheapest return prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours
Queenstown
Queenstowndirect$499
Christchurch
Christchurchdirect$434
Nelson
Nelson2 stops$765
Dunedin
Dunedin2 stops$633
Invercargill
Invercargill1 stop$861
Blenheim
Blenheim1 stop$832
Queenstown
Queenstowndirect$499
Christchurch
Christchurchdirect$434
Nelson
Nelson2 stops$765
Dunedin
Dunedin2 stops$633
Invercargill
Invercargill1 stop$861
Blenheim
Blenheim1 stop$832

Book Cheap Melbourne to South Island Plane Tickets

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for return flights from Melbourne to South Island 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 South Island

Wed, 28 Jan - Wed, 4 Feb
Jetstar Logo
12:05 - 17:20
MEL
-
CHC
3h 15mdirect
Jetstar Logo
09:15 - 11:00
CHC
-
MEL
3h 45mdirect
$434Jetstar
Thu, 11 Jun - Sat, 13 Jun
Jetstar Logo
11:05 - 16:20
MEL
-
CHC
3h 15mdirect
Jetstar Logo
08:20 - 10:05
CHC
-
MEL
3h 45mdirect
$440Jetstar
Mon, 26 Jan - Tue, 3 Feb
Jetstar Logo
12:05 - 17:20
MEL
-
CHC
3h 15mdirect
Jetstar Logo
09:15 - 11:00
CHC
-
MEL
3h 45mdirect
$460Jetstar
Fri, 13 Mar - Sat, 28 Mar
Multiple Airlines Logo
14:50 - 20:00
MEL
-
ZQN
3h 10mdirect
Multiple Airlines Logo
14:00 - 15:35
ZQN
-
MEL
3h 35mdirect
$562Multiple Airlines
Sun, 15 Mar - Mon, 30 Mar
Multiple Airlines Logo
14:50 - 20:00
MEL
-
ZQN
3h 10mdirect
Multiple Airlines Logo
17:40 - 19:10
ZQN
-
MEL
3h 30mdirect
$566Multiple Airlines
Fri, 13 Mar - Sat, 28 Mar
Virgin Australia Logo
21:00 - 14:15
MEL
-
ZQN
15h 15m1 stop
Virgin Australia Logo
14:00 - 15:35
ZQN
-
MEL
3h 35mdirect
$587Virgin Australia
Thu, 29 Jan - Thu, 5 Feb
Air New Zealand Logo
18:50 - 10:10
MEL
-
NSN
13h 20m2 stops
Air New Zealand Logo
19:00 - 07:55
NSN
-
MEL
14h 55m1 stop
$765Air New Zealand
Thu, 29 Jan - Thu, 5 Feb
Air New Zealand Logo
18:50 - 10:35
MEL
-
NSN
13h 45m1 stop
Air New Zealand Logo
19:00 - 07:55
NSN
-
MEL
14h 55m1 stop
$775Air New Zealand
Sat, 23 May - Wed, 27 May
Qantas Airways Logo
09:15 - 18:35
MEL
-
DUD
7h 20m1 stop
Qantas Airways Logo
19:05 - 08:10
DUD
-
MEL
15h 05m1 stop
$802Qantas Airways
Sat, 23 May - Wed, 27 May
Qantas Airways Logo
09:15 - 18:35
MEL
-
DUD
7h 20m1 stop
Qantas Airways Logo
19:05 - 08:10
DUD
-
MEL
15h 05m1 stop
$823Qantas Airways
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Melbourne to South Island flights

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

What is the cheapest Melbourne Airport to South Island flight route?

Data is based on round-trip flight searches on KAYAK over the past month.

The cheapest ticket to South Island from Melbourne Airport found in the last 72 hours was to Christchurch, at $293 return. The most popular route is from Melbourne Airport (MEL) to Christchurch (CHC), and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was $293.

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

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 $801, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Melbourne Airport to South Island?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Melbourne Airport to South Island, 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 South Island is May, when tickets cost $461 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and January, when the average cost of return tickets is $636 and $562 respectively.

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

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

If your flying dates are flexible, you should consider flying to South Island on a Sunday, as we generally find the cheapest rates on that day for this route. On the other hand, Saturday is the most expensive day to fly from Melbourne to South Island. For your return ticket, we recommend flying on a Saturday and avoiding Wednesdays for the best deals.

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

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 South Island, 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 a flight from Melbourne Airport to South Island, you should book around 5 weeks before departure, which saves you about 10% compared to booking last-minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 23 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonMay
Cheapest flight$310
Best time to beat the crowds (12% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (21% more expensive on average)
Flight from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to Christchurch

FAQs - booking South Island flights

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

    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 South Island.

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

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

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional return ticket. You could then fly from Melbourne to South Island with an airline and back with another airline.

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

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

  • What is the cheapest time of day to fly to South Island?

    The cheapest time of day to fly to South Island is generally in the evening, when retur flights cost $267 on average. Morning departures are around 109% more expensive than evening flights, on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to South Island is generally in the morning, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $558.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines flying from Melbourne to South Island

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Melbourne to South Island. 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 South Island? 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 3440 reviews
8.3Crew
8.0Comfort
8.2Entertainment
7.9Food
8.1Boarding
Airline reviews

Emirates A380s are always wonderful to fly on. Their crews, food and service are always excellent. They are typically on time and the only thing I would change (maybe newer or upgraded aircraft have this) is bluetooth so I can pair my noise cancelling headphones without a cable.

10.0 ExcellentPaul, Dec 2025
CHC - SYD
Read more Emirates reviews

Emirates A380s are always wonderful to fly on. Their crews, food and service are always excellent. They are typically on time and the only thing I would change (maybe newer or upgraded aircraft have this) is bluetooth so I can pair my noise cancelling headphones without a cable.

Warm staff, very responsive service. Well furnished cabin and comfortable seat and amenities. Excellent onboard wifi connection and very large comfortable restrooms.

It was delayed for 2 hrs. Flight attendants were not attentive.

We boarded but due to a technical issue we spent 4.5hrs on the ground waiting for the issue to be resolved

No kids provided. Instead we were told to have contacted the airline that we have kids and require kids meals. We were not the only ones who inquired about kids meals. It’s odd. Emirates and other airlines give kids meals as standard and before the adult food comes out. The rice in our meals was gluggy and under cooked. The chicken was also raw. Sadly not the best experience with Finn Air. The hostesses tried to compensate with the snacks and drinks but missed the mark by a long way. Especially when paying Emirates/Qantas prices

This was my first time flying with Emirates. Overall, the experience was very good. I thought the seats in economy would have been a bit more comfortable, but, they seem to be on par with other airlines. The food was excellent and very satisfying. If you can afford it, I would definitely suggest upgrading to at lest premium economy seats for long haul flights.

I had a good experience flying with Emirates. All of the flights were on time staff was very professional and kind. So I had a positive experience..

Three meals on a single flight is disgusting. Even if I reject them all, sleeping is impossible and all that food (especially wasted food) is just antithetical to a pleasant flight experience. People were chucking multiple abandoned trays on the floor in front of my seat.

Can’t complain Only downside was the Kiosk passport check and customs clearance at Melbourne. When will they improve that service🤔

Very pleasant.The crews are very helpful.Food are very good.

The food was not as good as Air New Zealand. The veg pasta was pass-able but the veg cibotta sandwich was dry, hard and not up to par. The coach staff were attentive and accommodating.

Air conditioning was turned to the wrong setting. Way too hot. The entertainment system kept resetting and didn’t work half the flight. Said something to the crew. They didn’t do anything to help. Plane had a mechanical problem that resulted in 2.5 hour delay. Boarded the plane, had to disembark and get back on.

Good and appreciate the effort Air Zealand puts into using more environmentally friendly food containers and utensils. yay! One of the better airlines for this for sure. Still some bad stuff, but at least Air NZ is trying. :) Also really enjoyed the bluetooth option for personal headsets. :)

Kayak did not propagate my United miles account and I had to manually get credit.

Like: Aircraft was better than others I've flown in. Crew was great, food was very good. Air New Zealand is now my favorite airline. On our long flight from AKL to YVR there was enough room for those of us in Economy to stretch a bit. My sister is disabled and they took very good care of her and me. Best entertainment offering of all the other airlines. Not so much; Flight from AKL to YRV was delayed BUT they recovered really well so no complaints here. Pretty petty point to complain about. Only negative I have. I will recommend to friends.

Nice friendly staff and crew. Love the 787 flight. Get meals and lots of drinks!

Great entertainment options on the screen. uSB A and C chargers. Free WiFi! Crew were excellent.

Check in crew member was very helpful, nice and excellent service👍

Overall the plane was good and the crew great. The big disappointment was the skycouch. Maybe it would be good if you were a parent with 2 small kids travelling but as a couple it's hopeless. It's impossible for 2 adults to lie down so one ends up sitting. We split our time with one lying and the other sitting. We both got more sleep sitting upright. We will never book one again and don't recommend it to anyone.

Aircon set too high so VERY warm and VERY uncomfortable.

It was with Link Airways and the Saab 340 jet was noisy and little comfort.

They didn’t sent my luggage I got it 24 hours later

Plane was late and they wouldn’t check our bags through to Tokyo

Overall experience was good but what really impressed me the most was the care the flight attendants took of a sick passenger who was sitting in front of me. The flight attendants would come and check on her quite regularly providing her support and comfort. Brilliant service!

Only answered OK and poor as there was no entertainment and I didnt have any food

4.5 hr international flight. We got a glass of water. Ranks up there with Ryan Air, Easy Jet, Spirit and Frontier. Expected better.

Gluten free options less explicit on business class, but great service

Very good… seems the virgin staff particularly in the lounge and in flight exceeded expectations.

I liked everything about the experience but would have liked some free snacks!

Crew was great but flight was delayed almost three hours due to a technical issue and we had to go back to the terminal and wait for another one.

Flight was canceled. I was not alerted. It was only kayak that alerted me

Flight was 2.5 hours late leaving. We spent 50 minutes of that sitting on the plane with no explanation. They did reduce the time in the air so we arrived a little less late which was something. The cheese and crackers were okay but the wine was terrible.

Excellent as always, I won't fly to Australia, and back to the US on any other airline. The flight crew is always top notch, and have a way to make one feel extra special. Thank you for your service, I would rate Qantas Airways a 10+.

Basic airline, aircraft and service. AA gets you from point A to B. My flight was delayed by 2 hours too.

No internet on flight, which makes log travels really hard.

Not great. The inflight entertainment was all on an app, and I did not want to watch a film on my phone. Also, the range of options of films was limited.

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.

Jet star delayed both trips with poor communication. Passengers were made to change gates often and then left to stand with no seating. As someone getting over surgery this was very trying.

Delayed twice. Poor communication and people made to change gates too often.

Excellent help with Wife needing disability access at Brisbane airport

The flight was delayed by 2 hours but the Jetstar crew were fantastic.

Late leaving and desintuon board showed ‘gate closed’ when they hadn’t even commenced boarding!

Flight was delayed more than 1.5 hours. Gate changed multiple times

The good thing is that the flight got us from Darwin to Brisbane. However, it would have to be the most uncomfortable flight I have ever taken and if I can possibly avoid flying Jetstar again, I will.

I was treated poorly in Dunedin by check in crew, then my bag was lost in Auckland. Never again.

no announcement about why we where delayed which is very poor

It was better than I expected. Thought $5 for a small cup of tea was a bit much!

Everything you need to know for your flight to South Island

Information on your arrival and departure airports