Travelling from London to Melbourne: what you need to know
London has plenty of airports where you can start your journey. Check out your departure options from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and London Gatwick Airport (LGW) when planning your flight from London to Melbourne. Stansted Airport (STN), London Luton Airport (LTN) and London City Airport (LCY) are the other main bases in the city.
Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL) is where you'll be landing in Melbourne.
Melbourne's timezone is UTC+11, making Melbourne 11 hours ahead of London.
For stress-free travel, arrive at the airport two hours ahead of international flights and an hour before domestic departures. This will give you plenty of time to catch your London to Melbourne flight.
During popular months like July, it's a good idea to get to the airport well in advance. Arrive two hours before a domestic departure and four hours ahead of an international flight when you travel during a peak period in general.
How to find the cheapest flights from London to Melbourne
Booking in advance is often the key to finding a cheap London to Melbourne flight. Flight prices rise as demand increases, so the nearer your departure date, the more you'll likely spend.
Finding cheap plane tickets from London to Melbourne is easy if you can be flexible with your dates. Try using the 'Whole month' search function to see the best prices across each month and walk away with a fantastic deal.
Save time searching for cheap flights from London to Melbourne by creating a Price Alert. We'll send you an email or push notification on the app when a new discounted fare appears.
Tailor your trip using filters. Pick your arrival and departure times, airlines and total journey duration. You can also sort your results by 'Best,' 'Cheapest' or 'Fastest' London to Melbourne flights.
Flying from London
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
Consider adding a stopover to possibly find a cheaper London to Melbourne flight. Just deselect 'Direct flights only' when browsing departures from London Heathrow Airport. Break up the journey at one of these popular airports:
Dubai Airport (DXB)
Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK)
Hamad International Airport (DOH)
The journey from central London to LHR takes about 1 hour on public transport. If you drive, ride-share or get a cab, you'll cover the 26 kilometres in 55 minutes or so, depending on traffic conditions.
In search of a handy hotel near London Heathrow Airport? If you're catching an early flight from London to Melbourne, these stays will have you moments from check-in:
When it comes to London Heathrow Airport's on-time performance, 68.18% of flights stick to their scheduled arrival time.
London Gatwick Airport (LGW)
Get more out of your holiday with a stopover on your London to Melbourne flight. Visit family or friends or tick a new city off your list. Whatever you'd like to do, here's where you can stop between London Gatwick Airport and Melbourne:
Dubai Airport (DXB)
Changi International Airport (SIN)
Hamad International Airport (DOH)
On public transport, you can travel from central London to LGW in around 30 minutes. The terminal is roughly 40 kilometres away. Driving will take you about 1 hour 20 minutes.
Get a head start on your holiday with an extra night away from home. Before your flight from London to Melbourne, stay in one of these hotels close to London Gatwick Airport:
69% of flights taking off from London Gatwick Airport meet their expected arrival time.
Stansted Airport (STN)
When reserving your ticket from London to Melbourne out of Stansted Airport (STN), you can choose from a few stopover options. Make a pit stop at Dubai Airport (DXB), one of the busiest connection points on this route.
STN is roughly 48 kilometres from central London. The drive from the city centre to the airport takes about 1 hour. If you're planning to use public transport, you can expect a journey of around 1 hour 25 minutes.
Relax in bed for a little longer and still make your London to Melbourne flight with plenty of time to spare. These hotels near Stansted Airport make getting to the terminal a breeze if you're setting off early:
Flights that leave from STN touch down at their destination as scheduled 64.73% of the time.
Arriving in Melbourne
Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL)
Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL) is approximately 19 kilometres from central Melbourne. If you're catching a cab or a ride-share, the drive takes roughly 30 minutes.
When travelling on public transport, expect a journey time of around 40 minutes.
Consider booking a hotel near MEL if you're coming in on a late flight from London to Melbourne. Settle into one of these accommodation options and skip the long transfer:
Pick up a Melbourne Tullamarine Airport rental car and discover Melbourne and beyond with your own wheels. Bargain Car Rentals, East Coast and Sixt are top providers to choose from here.
Lock in the best rate by booking your ride from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport around four weeks ahead of your departure.
Avalon Airport (AVV)
Once your flight from London to Melbourne has hit the tarmac, you can reach the city centre in about 50 minutes by car. Central Melbourne is roughly 48 kilometres from Avalon Airport (AVV).
You can expect the trip to take approximately 2 hours 5 minutes on public transport.
Sixt, Kangaroo Rental and yesaway car hire make collecting an Avalon Airport rental car simple. These providers are located around or in the terminal and will have you on the road before long.
Get what you want, not just what's left over. Reserving your ride from AVV three weeks in advance often means lower prices and a greater range of vehicles.
Essendon Airport (MEB)
Essendon Airport (MEB) is about 11 kilometres from the centre of Melbourne. It'll take you about 25 minutes to reach the city centre by car once you've stepped off your flight from London to Melbourne.
The journey will take you about 1 hour 15 minutes if you use public transport.
Begin your journey without worrying about how to get to where you're going with an Essendon Airport rental car. Find your perfect set of wheels with trusted companies here like East Coast, Ace Rental Cars and Goldcar.
Rental agencies sometimes offer promotions on early bookings, so secure your ride from MEB well ahead of your flight from London to Melbourne. A little prep work can make a big difference in cost.
Best time to go to Melbourne
It's time to plan your travel dates for your flight from London to Melbourne. January is the busiest month to visit Melbourne. If you prefer a more peaceful vibe, go in April.
Lock in a London to Melbourne ticket departing in January if you want to experience the city during its warmest month. You can expect temperatures in Melbourne to range from 12ºC (54ºF) to 29ºC (84ºF).
July sees average temperatures of between 4ºC (39ºF) and 13ºC (55ºF). Search for cheap flights from London to Melbourne around that time if you want to travel when it's cooler.
More about Melbourne
Once you've booked your flight from London to Melbourne, decide where you'll be dropping your bags. Make one of these accommodation options your base for exploring Melbourne:
Federation Square and National Gallery of Victoria are a couple of top-rated attractions to add to your Melbourne itinerary. Keep the adventure rolling by checking out Eureka Skydeck 88.
Explore more of Australia
Canberra is just one of the many cities in Australia waiting to be explored once you've seen Melbourne. Around 467 kilometres to the north-east, check out popular attractions including Australian War Memorial, National Gallery of Australia and Parliament House.
Geelong is another favourite destination in Australia and is around 64 kilometres south-west of Melbourne. No trip is complete without a visit to Ford Motor Company, Roraima Nursery and RTC Resource Centre.
