Tullamarine Airport
About MEL
Overview
Melbourne Airport, commonly known as Tullamarine, sits about 23 kilometres northwest of central Melbourne in the state of Victoria. It is the primary international gateway for southeastern Australia and the country's second-busiest airport. The facility opened in 1970, replacing the older Essendon Airport, which had become constrained by its suburban setting and shorter runways.
Terminals & runways
The airport operates four interconnected terminals: T1 for Qantas domestic services, T2 for international flights, T3 for Virgin Australia and other domestic carriers, and T4 serving low-cost domestic operators. Two intersecting runways handle traffic in north-south and east-west orientations. Tullamarine runs 24 hours a day with no curfew, a notable advantage over Sydney, and ongoing works include a planned third runway.
Airlines
Tullamarine functions as a major hub for Qantas and Jetstar, and as a key base for Virgin Australia. Rex Airlines and Bonza have also operated domestic services from here. International carriers include Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand, United, Delta, China Southern, and several other Asian and Middle Eastern airlines connecting Melbourne to the wider world.