Flying from Melbourne to Sydney and confused about which airline to choose? Here’s a guide including all the options on the MEL to SYD route including the airlines, service offers, and plane types.
Melbourne to Sydney Flights
There are regular daily flights from MEL (Tullamarine) to SYD (Sydney Domestic Airport) with a flight duration of 1h 25m duration. Flights are offered by
Comparing Airlines on the MEL to SYD route
| Airline | Plane | Seating options | Baggage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jetstar | Airbus A320 | Seats all same size, can option for upfront seats, and seats with more leg room | 7kg carry-on (can buy extra) |
| Qantas | Boeing 737-800 | Economy: 3 per row Business: 2 per row. All seats have laptop power and inflight entertainment | 14kg carry-on and 23kg checked-in |
| Qantas | Airbus A330-300 | Economy: 2 seats window row, 4 seats middle row, 2 seats window row Business: 2 seats per row – All seats have laptop power and inflight entertainment | 14kg carry-on and 23kg checked-in |
| Virgin Australia | Boeing 737-800 (73H) | Economy: 3 per row Business: 2 per row. | 7kg carry-on and 23kg checked-in |
| Virgin Australia | Airbus A330-200 (332) | Economy: 2 seats window row, 4 seats middle row, 2 seats window row Business: 2 seats per row. All seats have laptop power and inflight entertainment | 7kg carry-on and 23kg checked-in |
*Guide only – check your booking for the specific airline being used and seat offerings.
Getting to Melbourne Airport (MEL)
The easiest way to get to Melbourne Airport from the city is via Skybus which runs express from Southern Cross Station in the Melbourne CBD – Journey time: 35-45 mins Cost: $19.75 Adult. More transfer options.
Getting From Sydney Airport (SYD) to CBD
The easiest way to the CBD is via Airport Link, a train service that runs between the city and the airport. It has a station at the domestic terminal. Airport to Circular Quay/City: $17.38 Journey Time: 20 min. More transfer options
FAQ’s about the Melbourne <> Sydney Flight Route
- Average flight time is 1h 35m
- Melbourne to Sydney is the second busiest domestic route in the world
- 150 flights each day – or about 54,000 flights each year.
- Qantas has the largest market share on the route (Qantas: 44%, Virgin Australia: 33%, Tigerair Australia: 12%, Jetstar: 11%).
- The across the carriers, the route has 72.2% On Time Performance
- During the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic in early 2020, flights fell from 150 a day to only 4 per day with Qantas being the only operator. Flight prices rose from an average $100 to over $1000 return.
- As air travels re-opens “post-iso” mid-2020, initial promotion flight prices of $19 have been touted by Qantas
*stats from online sources and those compiled in 2019 by OAG.com’s Busiest Routes Report [PDF]