Heightened sanitation
Daily cleaning, installation of cabin HEPA filters on flights from Melbourne to Canberra
Low season |
April | Best time to beat the crowds (21% less expensive on average) |
---|---|---|
High season |
June | Most popular time to fly (25% more expensive on average) |
Average price round-trip |
$292 | (avg. price over the last 2 weeks) |
Good deal round-trip |
$169 | or less |
Good deal one-way |
$101 | or less |
Qantas Airways, Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia have all waived their change and cancellation fees on flights from Melbourne to Canberra. Confirm policies on booking site.
Etihad Airways does not allow booking a middle seat on flights from Melbourne to Canberra.
The average direct flight takes 1h 05m, covering a distance of 470 km.
There are 252 (direct) flights between Melbourne and Canberra per week, averaging 36 per day.
In the past 3 days, the cheapest one-way tickets were found on Virgin Australia ($160) and Multiple Airlines ($236), and the lowest round-trip tickets have been found on Virgin Australia ($260).
Qantas Airways (10 times daily), Air New Zealand (10 times daily), Etihad Airways (4 times daily) are the most frequent flyers on this route.
From Melbourne to Canberra, Monday is the cheapest day to fly on average and Friday is the most expensive. Flying from Canberra back to Melbourne , the best deals are generally found on Friday, with Monday being the most expensive.
When flying out of Melbourne you will be using Melbourne, often referred to as Melbourne Airport. You will be landing at Canberra, also known as Canberra Airport.
There is a long list of different airport restaurants located around the terminal at Melbourne Airport. Included in the options are Ali Baba, Bar Pulpo, Billie Chu, Boost Juice, Crown Lager Bar, Hungry Jack’s, McDonald’s, Nooodles, Salsa’s Fresh Mex and many more – whether you’re searching for a quick snack or a full meal, you’re bound to find something.
There are a few different car parks at varying price points if you need to leave your car at Melbourne Airport. Airport parking starts at approximately $40 per day for economy long-term parking, with other options costing more. Melbourne Airport features an online car park booking system, which can be more cost-effective than booking on-site.
The car hire kiosks at Canberra Airport are located on the lower level of the arrivals area outside the terminal. There are several different car hire agencies operating here, including Thrifty, Hertz, Redspot, Avis, Europcar and Budget Rent A Car. Availability can vary, so be sure to book early for the best price and a guaranteed vehicle.
The designated rideshare pick-up area at Canberra Airport is located at the GREEN indoor car park on the ground floor, which is just a short walk from the arrivals area. The rideshare companies operating in Canberra are GoCatch, OLA, Uber and Glide taxi, so to save time be sure to download the corresponding apps before your flight departs.
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 Canberra.
KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Canberra from Melbourne is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.
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 Canberra with an airline and back to Melbourne with another airline.
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 Canberra from Melbourne up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.
Scores according to KAYAK customer reviews
Pros: "Everything, I was upgraded to the upper cabin, crews are wonderfully friendly and warm."
Cons: "First aid kit, in case of sudden nose bleed caused by dry air. Other than that, perfect!"
Pros: "Friendly crew and good service"
Cons: "Outdated seat and plane. No privacy in business class. Seat and biz class layout not competitive (2-2-2)"
Pros: "The business class attention, and the quietness of an A380"
Cons: "Old style ‘ pod’ business seats.They are hard to sit , and not private like newer versions Silly extendable pop up tv screens with poor resolution"
Pros: "Snacks provided were very nice. Flight was shorter than expected."
Cons: "Nothing we didn't like, all was good!"
Pros: "Once we boarded the experience was positive."
Cons: "The flight was late causing me to be late for a meeting"
Pros: "crew were the best part being proactive asking if needed anything or getting a pillow. Boarding, I was one of the stragglers so got on easy"
Cons: "Leg room is awful, food for breakfast is a bit soggy with baked beans making hash brown soggy"
Pros: "The Qantas staff in both LAX and MEL were polite, helpful, and professional. No problems checking in, online or at the airport. Flights were punctual and aside from major delays, went as planned. The kindness and responsiveness of the crew made the flight more bearable. What can I say? Everything went very smoothly. To me, a sign of competent management and good work ethic among Qantas employees. Very impressed. Good job Aussies!"
Cons: "Terrible procedures in Sidney and Los-Angeles with uncertainty, broken schedule , chaos and wasting passengers' time."
Pros: "The flight attendants we're really fun and the food is great!"
Cons: "Boarding was delayed and there wasn't a lot of communication about it."
Pros: "Smooth flight"
Cons: "Hostess did not allow 2 ounce drink every other time traveled by qantas 10 times in last 5 yrs had no issue This time qantas made us take our baggage to terminal 2 west jet check in counter which head office should know is a far distance should have arranged to do so like other times in the past"
Pros: "Everything."
Pros: "Boarding was easy. Crew is great and helpful!"
Cons: "Delay was long. Instructions on re-booking was dodgy. Luggage took for ever to come up and it caused alot of anxiety for many people. Some customers got "Express Passes" due to tight connections and some didn't. General confusion among Quantas' ground staff."
Pros: "Awesome service!"
Pros: "On time efficient service"
Cons: "Food."
Cons: "They did not have vegetarian food in spite of my request."
Pros: "Fiona's attention to. Ustomer service was outstanding!"
Cons: "Nothing"
Pros: "Dinner on a 1 hr flight! Unheard of in US in coach."
Cons: "Small seats (but same as our 13hr United flight from SYdney to Sam Francisco). Tolerable on 1hr flight."
Pros: "Food"
Cons: "Cramped in economy, little space. So few staff members for economy. Had business on way over and obviously had so much attention"
Cons: "I was right by the toilets"
Pros: "lovely stewards and stewardesses, most needed warm soft blankets"
Cons: "vegan food was awful and poor nutrition, cold, huge plane with light panels so high up in the ceiling that when and if you turned them on to read, it was bothersome and intrusive to others, poor choices of movies, few currents ones, seats, though leather, had been used too many times before me and were not comfortable, had to put my seat up so person behind me could eat aisles so small I could not walk and stretch if carts would being used, aisle handles don't raise so when my companions had to go to the bathroom, I had to ask the person in front of me to raise their seat!!?? Insufficient leg room better trip on my return mostly because of the plane, it was smaller and better seats..it was a 380"
Pros: "The crew was very friendly and accommodating. It's a lot big flight from DFW to Sydney and they do everything they can to make you comfortable. Plenty of movies to watch. Seats are comfortable. The food is pretty good. Plus you get a menu so you know exactly what meal choices are. They go above and beyond to ensure a great flight."
Cons: "The headphone jacks are on the side of the armrest. It's is a very inconvenient location especially for people who are slightly wider than the average jo. It shout be on top the arm rest or in a much more comfortable location"
Pros: "Excellent"
Pros: "The in-flight crew were just fantastic. Couldn't fault the service. Nothing seemed to hard. Thanks to all!!"
Cons: "20 minute delay in take-off."
Pros: "The service on flight was excellent. Attendants were very helpful and professional. I was pleasantly surprised with the food, especially for an international flight. They were also very helpful with seating when it came to putting me and my partner next to each other and in seats with extra legroom (we did pay for it so I guess it was expected)"
Cons: "Customer service over the phone was HORRIBLE! I waited almost 2 hours on the phone and got NOTHING accomplished! Purchased my seats online, then got a notification saying it didn't go through. Called to fix the issue, but the man on the phone put me on hold for almost an hour! Only to accidentally put my partner and I in different rows. When I complained at the lack of professionalism from him over the phone, he offered some sort of compensation. When I agreed, he transferred me to his supervisor who said they do not compensate in any form! So why offer it then?! I then called the reservation department like I was told to, and they said they would look into the issue and call me back. This was about a month or two before my flight, and even though it's been a week after my flight, I have yet to get that call I was promised (nor the compensation). WORST PHONE CUSTOMER SERVICE I HAVE EVER RECEIVED! As for the flight, my only complaints are the messy boarding process and the uncomfortable seats in economy. Although you can't really expect more from old planes such as these."
Pros: "registration was easy and well organized. Kosher food was perfect and served timely. Crew was polite and helping immediately. Everything was comfortable, except the quality of earphones ."
Cons: "That the flight was delayed and we are already getting there late to begin with."
Cons: "The food was terrible. By the time the meal cart came to ou row, all the got meals was out and we have no choice and was served with the cold ham salad that looks like left overs, both my son and I lost our appetite looking at it. The crew didn't apologize and gave the impression that we either take it or too bad. Won't be recommending this airline."
Pros: "it was nice to get an early phone call about flight delay and given a food credit for the delay, pleasant check-in, smooth flight, take off and landing."
Cons: "the poor boarding control and information. delayed boarding time and no-one from Qantas at gate until 45 minutes past the time scheduled on ticket and no communication of why nor when we would board. new passengers arriving were allowed to start getting in at gate before notifying us who had been waiting there to be told to get in or in what order. seat arm rest (between seat 58b and 58c) was wobbly. Entertainment movies need newer choices specially for people like me who can't sleep on long flights and have seen all this movies. where's the classical music?."
Pros: "Quantas is great, great food, staff, seats were pretty roomy. Entertainment options were very good."
Cons: "American Airlines. Tiny seats, bad customer services, no entertainment on board, so loud you can't even sleep."
Pros: "Crew was excellent! Food: tasty,noise: minimal"
Cons: "Space: legroom minimal, seats: not comfy"
Pros: "Luckily the flight was only 3 hours"
Cons: "Most uncomfortable seat (smallest, least leg room would not recline, no padding) that I can remember. Baby not just crying but screening in the seat behind me and crew did nothing."
Pros: "Nothing"
Cons: "Poor boarding procedure in Melbourne. Delay badly handled, missed important connection. Business class inflight entertainment dos not work!"
Cons: "All round excellent"
Pros: "Everything."
Cons: "can not think of any."
Pros: "It was on time"
Cons: "Movie choices are not as many as Qatar or Emirates business class."
Pros: "Quite transpatent on the issue before taking off, was appreciated :)"
Cons: "Some engine issue before take off ..."
Pros: "The food was very nice. Even though there was no choices given, I really enjoyed what was offered."
Cons: "There wasn't too much I didn't like. Staff could have been a bit more friendly perhaps, but overall a very enjoyable flight."
Pros: "cabin staff better"
Cons: "toilets appalling"
Pros: "Upgraded to busienss 5 of us together"
Pros: "Entertainment fine"
Cons: "Seats crowded Got sick after one of the meals"
Pros: "Boarding was quick, efficient and orderly. Crew was great, friendly and helpful. A short flight so food consisted of a cookie that was not great. Read a book so did not pay attention to entertainment options."
Cons: "The cookie"
Pros: "A380 is obviously a wonderful jet to fly; it's very quiet and is usually equipped with state-of-the-art entertainment, so it's great for long haul flights. If you are lucky enough to get a couple of seats free next to you, you can even lie down and sleep."
Cons: "The cost cutting at QANTAS has become painfully clear though, with the in-flight experience. The food was terrible, the staff gave me a plastic water bottle which I was then to keep and refill at the water station myself (no fresh bottled water), they didn't come to collect rubbish, except after meals, throughout an entire 14 hour flight, and the seat pockets were very small, meaning I ended up with a lot of stuff poking into my knees - not very comfortable."
Pros: "Crew"
Cons: "Malfunctioning video. Old tiny screens."
Cons: "Poor seating, a critical issue on long flights. I was one of two people on the entire jumbo jet that was seated in the middle seat of a full row. Other rows were empty."
Pros: "Crew was AMAZING. Food great. Both much better than the flight over."
Cons: "Biggest plane in the world and still no room for a 5'4" woman."
Pros: "I really liked the costant food, snacks and water being offered through out the flight. I also appreciated the customer support when Quantas was forced to change my flight plans."
Pros: "The entertainment..."
Cons: "The cargo door got stuck and I luggage was not delivered in time for me to catch my next flight. Then there was only two people at the counter to book passengers on another flight and one of the booking agent was tied up trying to find another flight for two children that had missed their connecting flight. Later more agents appeared. Nevertheless, the supervisor was asking one of her subordinates on how to input certain data into the system in order to change my flight. I feel that the agent should have been able to input the data without having to rely on other employees. American airlines was not very helpful in trying to expedite the booking process. I tried to use my express pass and was told by an American airline agent that I had enough time to stand in line. When it was my turn to book my flight to Charlotte, I was informed that I would not have enough time to make the flight. Then I was sent to the customer service line and had to wait another 30 to 40 minutes to resolve this matter. In the process I miss my appointment with my attorneys and Charlotte and this special meeting had to be rescheduled for next Saturday. Thereby, requiring me to drive from South Carolina to North Carolina which is about five hours or more round trip. I was so tired that once I arrive to Charlotte I had to stay in a motel for the evening because I was to exhausted to drive home. I had saved for this trip over a three-year periodI saved and this Esperance was the worst customer service that I have ever received. In closing, thank you for giving me an opportunity to express my oppinion regarding the customer service that I would provide it on this trip."
Pros: "Movies good Boarding and luggage retrieval good"
Cons: "Arrived an hour late Was another passengers fault tho but annoying"
Cons: "Flight was delayed an hour and boarding was slow due to only using one aircraft door."
Pros: "Flight attendants were friendly and responsive."
Cons: "1. Better seats than mine flew empty, while I sat wedged in a full row, behind a wailing infant and ahead of a kicking toddler. 2. The meal choice was between a rice bowl and a salad, both served bereft of any sides, bread, or dessert. 3. We were late again, although not so badly as last time."
Cons: "Virgin app did not authorise my boarding credentials"
Pros: "fast boarding"
Cons: "better movies"
Pros: "I did not like anything at all"
Cons: "They have problem finding my ticket because they say delta rebooked my ticket and they don’t have the information. I almost missed my flight for that reason. I don’t think I will ever book with Virgin Australia again"
Pros: "The flight was 45 minutes because they put on the burner"
Cons: "The fact that 8.30 flight is delayed 2.5 hours and they had no other aircraft available to schedule ."
Pros: "Staff were polite"
Cons: "No entertainment if you didn’t have their app installed. Food was average. No room near our seats for our bags in the overhead bins because crew & other passengers further down the plane had already used them. Had to wait outside in the cold to board. One of my bags was broken on this leg! Tight seating! Not impressed."
Pros: "Good flight, punctual, on time."
Cons: "Food a tiny chocalate bar. If VA advertises that it serves food on domestic flights, it should be proper food!"
Pros: "I didn’t die"
Cons: "Where’s the coffee? What about a proper snack? Why are the stewardesses so grumpy?"
Cons: "In spite of the instructions I was served meat ."
Pros: "The boarding process, on board entertainment, and the flight condition were good."
Cons: "I ordered Muslim meal for myself and Asian vegetarian meals for my daughter. While going to Australia they provided Asian vegetarian meals for my daughter and said they forgot to get the Muslim meal. The air hostess said she will look into this so that it would not repeat. During my return from Australia they did not provide Asian vegetarian for my daughter and no Muslim meal for me. And the air host said they would look into this and see that it does not happen during my return. I said this is the return trip. They provided some vegetarian food that not good. And during the return there was no vegetarian choices for the breakfast. The air host didn't even bother to ask my daughter about the food. Very sad."
Pros: "Attendants were pleasant enough"
Pros: "Quick and efficient loading process"
Pros: "On time flight."
Cons: "Minimal amenities"
Pros: "Great flight, easy-no delays."
Pros: "This was an excellent flight with a top notch crew."
Cons: "No complaints."
Cons: "Food"
Cons: "Difficultly making pre flight seating arrangements and checking in. Food was terrible compared to other airline food standards. Service was not friendly compared to prior virgin flights."
Pros: "Friendly crew, landed on time"
Cons: "Atrocious food"
Pros: "The staff was extremely friendly!"
Cons: "I wish there was entertainment, but it's understandable that it does not exist on domestic flights."
Pros: "Very quick flight - after all the other hours spent in the air this was most welcome."
Cons: "There was no entertainment."
Pros: "liked the seats they were big an comfy"
Cons: "food is NON-EDIBLE"
Pros: "Rebooked on earlier flight and it was early!"
Pros: "The crew, the food, the overall experience was positive and pleasurable - especially since it was a 14 hour flight. Thank you!"
Cons: "The seats cushions - not the width of the seats or arm rests, but the cushions themselves could use some additional padding. I used a few blankets and pillow for extra comfort but that's the only negative I can think of. Again it was a 14 hour flight. Thanks! :-)"
Pros: "Every thing was smooth from check in to boarding. Flight on time. Crew were attentive."
Pros: "Nothing"
Cons: "I was unable to check in online and arrived in Melbourne 3 hours in advance of my flight. I had to stand in line for over an hour just to check in for my flight. It was a complete mess at the check in desk. There were several issues with other passengers that caused two gate agents to be tied up for upper 30 minutes. Rather than taking them to customer service they continued to block the line. Then with Economy gates being down to only 3 (with my guess at over 100 people waiting to check in) one of the agents used the economy line to service business class pasangers, when there were already 3 agents serving the business class patrons. While I understand business entitles you to special priorities but to have your economy passengers (who are all paying over $1500 a ticket) to have to wait so long for business passages to all walk straight get up can waiting 5 minutes felt very wrong and made many people upset. My family was waiting to see me off and subsequently got charges $30 in parking due to the delay in check in. Also communication at the gate was very poor. Flight was delayed several times due to wind and no announcement came from ground staff, only way I knew was due to an email. I could tell a lot of guests were very distressed. Very disappointed from a company that prides itself on service."
Pros: "Nothing"
Cons: "Delayed flight Inaccurate baggage carousel information Lack of communication from Virgin"
Pros: "Alot"
Cons: "NOting"
Pros: "Good service, great flying, great experience."
Cons: "A larger variety of snacks would be nice (granola bars or pretzels for between meals)"
Pros: "Staff friendly"
Cons: "Entertainment old, seats uncomfortable"
Pros: "Easy flight and transfer to domestic."
Pros: "It was an uneventful flight, nothing to really complain about that paying more for a better seat couldn't cure; but that's really the decision of the passenger."
Pros: "Chair was comfy"
Cons: "crew were unorganized & rude Videos were very old & not updated for long time at least 3 yrs old"
Cons: "Waiting time on transfer Staff attitude"
Cons: "Flight was very bumpy, and the air inside the plane was stuffy. I felt nauseated all the way through from take off to landing"
Pros: "I didnt like anything because i didnt flight because of your shitty company that didnt tell me about my decline"
Cons: "Very old 737. No in-flight entertainment if you didn't have a tablet."
Cons: "After boarding twice, the flight was canceled. We were rebooked on a small charter flight that took 6 hours and a stop to get us to Perth. We arrived 7 hours later than anticipated."
Pros: "Nothing"
Cons: "Nothing, the flight cancelled and their rescheduling efforts were not any consolation."
Pros: "Had to pick up my luggage and check in again, almost missed my flight. Actual time on the plane was fine."
Cons: "The flight was cancelled the last minute and I called the carrier airlines and they say that nothing can be done and I asked to speak to someone from Kayak and I called a mobile number and had no answer , I will never book again"
Cons: "In flight entertainment. Need more documentaries"
Pros: "On time. Courteous employees."
Cons: "Travelled business class for a change expecting a meal. But there was not meal only nuts cheese and crackers. The red wine was excellent"
Pros: "The Virgin crew on this flight were amazing. So friendly and welcoming. Amazing!"
Cons: "The VA economy seats have USB charging but no electrical outlets. You need to be in 'premium economy' to have acces to an outlet. Also on the way back we were on a Delta plane which was older and very uncomfortable in economy"
Pros: "Fair price, luggage included, no problem with the entire flight."
Cons: "Have to pay for extra beverage, but it's not that much of a problem considering how much we paid."
Pros: "Quick, easy check in. Friendly, efficient, helpful staff. TSA very efficient and quick. Flight was on time. Luggage pick up was fast."
Pros: "The crew are so helpful."
Airlines flying from Melbourne to Canberra have enacted additional safety measures and adjusted policies to better accommodate travellers. Policies vary by airline.
Heightened sanitation
Daily cleaning, installation of cabin HEPA filters on flights from Melbourne to Canberra
Mandatory masks
Masks required on board, masks provided on flights from Melbourne to Canberra
Social distancing seating
Middle seats unavailable to book on flights from Melbourne to Canberra
Pre-flight testing
Testing for antibodies, testing for symptoms for flights from Melbourne to Canberra
Flexible cancellations
Waiving of change fees. Search flexible flights from Melbourne to Canberra