List of airports in the Melbourne area
List of airports in the Melbourne area provides a list of airports serving Melbourne, the capital of the Australian state of Victoria. Melbourne is served by several airports that support a range of aviation activities including international and domestic commercial flights, general aviation, pilot training, air charter services, and military operations.
The primary gateway to the city is Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine), the second-busiest airport in Australia by passenger traffic and the main international airport serving Victoria.[1] Additional airports in the metropolitan region include Avalon Airport, which handles domestic passenger services and freight operations,[2] and Essendon Fields Airport and Moorabbin Airport, both of which are major centers for general aviation and flight training.[3][4] The region also includes smaller airports and airfields used for recreational flying, aviation training, and emergency services.
Historically, aviation in Melbourne developed around Essendon Airport, which served as the city’s main commercial airport until the opening of Melbourne Airport in 1970. Today the broader Melbourne area maintains a network of airports that collectively support commercial aviation, general aviation, and military aviation needs.
Main airports
The following are the four airports that offer regularly scheduled passenger flights.
- Melbourne Airport (IATA: MEL, ICAO: YMML) is located in Tullamarine to the north-west of the city. It is Melbourne's major international airport. It is by far the busiest airport serving the city with domestic flights to every state and territory of Australia, as well as Africa, Europe, Asia, Oceania, North America and South America. The airport is a major hub for both Qantas and Virgin Australia, and home base for Jetstar and cargo airlines Qantas Freight and Team Global Express.[5][6]
- Avalon Airport (IATA: AVV, ICAO: YMAV) is located to the south-west, outside the city of Geelong, and is the next most prominent airport with Jetstar.[7]
- Essendon Airport (IATA: MEB, ICAO: YMEN) is located in the middle north-west of the city and was formerly the primary airport for Melbourne. It is now limited to a handful of passenger airlines and is primarily used for general aviation and cargo flights.[8]
- Moorabbin Airport (IATA: MBW, ICAO: YMMB) is located in the middle southern suburbs and offers a limited number of passenger flights but is the primary general aviation airport in the city.[9][10]
Other airports
- Coldstream Airport (ICAO: YCEM) located in Melbourne's scenic Yarra Valley. The airport is a part of Coldstream and was established in 1962 on the Doake Family property and is a centre for pilot and aviation engineering training and aviation social activities. It provides charter and scenic flights throughout the state and is a base for aerial fire-fighting services.[11]
- Lilydale Airport (ICAO: YLIL) is located in the Yarra Valley near Yarra Glen. In operation since 1968, Lilydale caters for a large number of pilot training flights, 'joyflights', and passenger flights to various parts of the Alpine region.[12]
- RAAF Point Cook (ICAO: YMPC) is located at Point Cook, (formerly known as RAAF Williams) and is the spiritual home of the Royal Australian Air Force. It serves as the oldest continuously operating military airfield in the world, and is currently utilised by Training schools, clubs and the RAAF Museum.[13]
List
| Community | Airport name | Type | ICAO | IATA | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avalon | Avalon Airport | Public | YMAV | AVV | 38°02′22″S 144°28′10″E / 38.03944°S 144.46944°E |
| Coldstream | Coldstream Airport | Private | YCEM | 37°43′42″S 145°24′30″E / 37.72833°S 145.40833°E | |
| Essendon | Essendon Airport | Public | YMEN | MEB | 37°43′41″S 144°54′07″E / 37.72806°S 144.90194°E |
| Lilydale | Lilydale Airport | Private | YLIL | 37°41′30″S 145°22′00″E / 37.69167°S 145.36667°E | |
| Moorabbin | Moorabbin Airport | Public | YMMB | MBW | 37°58′33″S 145°06′08″E / 37.97583°S 145.10222°E |
| Point Cook | RAAF Point Cook | Military | YMPC | 37°55′54″S 144°45′12″E / 37.93167°S 144.75333°E | |
| Melbourne Airport | Melbourne Airport | Public | YMML | MEL | 37°40′24″S 144°50′36″E / 37.67333°S 144.84333°E |
See also
References
- ^ "Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine)". Government of Victoria. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Flying into Melbourne: Avalon Airport". Government of Victoria. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Essendon Fields Airport". Essendon Fields Airport. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Moorabbin Airport". Moorabbin Airport Corporation. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Melbourne Airport terminal fire under investigation after evacuation of Qantas domestic terminal". ABC News. 28 November 2025. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Virgin plane collides with tug vehicle at Melbourne Airport". ABC News. 27 July 2025. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ Hedgman, Andrew (10 November 2025). "Avalon Airport reveals plans for new Bali flights and terminal upgrade". news.com.au. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Essendon plane crash: black box failed to record, investigators say". The Guardian. 29 March 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ Aldridge, Ashlee (9 June 2021). "Pilot training schools on the brink as border closures dry up flow of international students". ABC News. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Concerns raised over pilot training after deadly crash". ABC News. 27 August 2008. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Coldstream Airport". Coldstream Airport. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Lilydale Airport". Lilydale Airport. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
- ^ "Point Cook (RAAF Base)". Government of Victoria. Retrieved 6 March 2026.