When is the best time to fly to Melbourne?
Peak season:
You’ll find it difficult to find cheap flights to Melbourne during both the summer and winter seasons. There are several different events which all account for this, such as the Australian Open which takes place for the last two weeks of January. There is also the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in March, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival from the end of March into April, and the International Film Festival starting around the middle of July. You’ll need to secure your flight tickets as early as you possibly can to avoid paying over the odds for flights to Melbourne. October through to March is also the cricket season so expect the prices to fluctuate as tourists and locals flock for the big matches.
Off season:
You’ll find the cheapest flights to Melbourne during the spring and autumn, although even they can sometimes be hit and miss due to the year-round popularity of Melbourne. Spring is a fantastic time to visit as the temperatures increase and all of the gardens start to bloom and come to life. Temperatures decline in August, yet the foliage is beautiful as it starts to wilt and turn golden brown.
When is the best time to book a flight to Melbourne?
You’ll usually find the cheapest flights to Melbourne from late September to early December, with October and November generally the cheapest months of the year. Regardless of when you are planning to visit, it’s best to book your flight tickets three or four months earlier where possible, or even sooner if you can. To find the cheapest flights to Melbourne for October, aim to secure your tickets around late June or early July. Being flexible with your dates will help you find the best deals on flight tickets, however you might have to sacrifice certain events or weather conditions. Generally, there isn’t much of a view, but if you can sit on the left hand side of the plane, then you’ll be guaranteed a great view if weather conditions work in your favour and wind allows you. It also depends on the direction of your approach, so don’t worry too much about claiming the left side.
How long is the flight to Melbourne?
Flights from London to Melbourne: 23 hours 10 minutes.
Flights from Manchester to Melbourne: 23 hours 35 minutes.
Flights from Birmingham to Melbourne: 23 hours 05 minutes.
Flights from Glasgow to Melbourne: 22 hours 50 minutes.
Which airlines operate flights to Melbourne?
There are many airlines that offer relatively cheap flights to Melbourne (well cheap considering it’s on the other side of the world). The main ones however tend to be Virgin Atlantic, Etihad, Qantas, British Airways and Qatar Airways. Due to the competitiveness over the route, you’ll find cheap flights to Melbourne aren’t as hard to find as they once were, so you’ll usually be choosing your airline based on preference. If you are enrolled in some sort of loyalty scheme with one of the airlines then it would make sense to fly with them, either to redeem any points you have already which will no doubt get you the cheapest flights to Melbourne, or to collect more points. If you aren’t already a member who can collect points, now would be the perfect time to become one. Make sure you enroll before you book your flights to Melbourne to earn a good amount of points in return. Other than that you’ll go on the price; however there won’t be much fluctuation in the price of the flight tickets overall.
How to get from the airport to the city centre?
One of the easiest ways to get to the city from the airport is to jump on the very reliable Skybus express. It’s a bus service which runs every 10 minutes, 24 hours a day and goes direct from the airport to the city centre. You can either purchase your tickets once you land, or you can do it online before you travel. There are also many other buses you can get which run less frequently, however they are cheaper than the Skybus. You’ll want to find the 478, 479, 482 or the 901. Once you land you can enquire about which bus line would be best for you. Failing the bus, you could decide to get a taxi however don’t expect this to be a cheap journey. Make sure you agree on the fare before you get in and you might want to try and negotiate slightly. Expect to pay something in the region of AUD$60 for a taxi.