Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport
Sydney, AustraliaSYD / YSSY
International hub · 50 direct destinations · 3 runways · longest runway 12,999 ft
61 °F · CloudySource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
Route
Sydney → Melbourne
SYD
SydneySydney Kingsford Smith International Airport
SydneySydney Kingsford Smith International AirportMELMelbourneMelbourne Airport
MelbourneMelbourne Airport- Distance
- 439 mi
- Estimated flight time
- ~1h 25m
Same local time in Sydney and Melbourne.
Observed nonstop
How often does this route fly?
Frequency
Throughout the day
On average around 71.25 flights a day, observed from October 2025 to September 2026.
- 71.3
- flights per day
- 78
- busiest month · Oct
- 62
- quietest month · Dec
- 1 hr 12 min
- measured flight time
- 12 / 12
- months seen
Through the year
Per day, month by month
- 66Jan2026
- 76Feb
- 77Mar
- 72Apr
- 69May
- 71Jun
- 71Jul
- 68Aug
- 71.5Sep
- 78Oct2025
- 75.5Nov
- 62Dec
Airlines
Who flies it
Qantasall year
Virgin Australiaall year
Jetstar Airwaysall year
Northern Air Cargoall year
Toll Aviationall year
Cathay Pacificnow and then
Through the day
Departure times
Local time in Sydney. Most departures between 16:00 and 19:00.
- 00:00
- 01:00
- 02:00
- 03:00
- 04:00
- 05:00
- 06:00
- 07:00
- 08:00
- 09:00
- 10:00
- 11:00
- 12:00
- 13:00
- 14:00
- 15:00
- 16:00
- 17:00
- 18:00
- 19:00
- 20:00
- 21:00
- 22:00
- 23:00
Through the week
By weekday
- 74.5Mon
- 67.8Tue
- 69.5Wed
- 74.5Thu
- 68.7Fri
- 42.8Sat
- 73.3Sun
Fleet
Aircraft observed
- Boeing 737-800B73859%
- Airbus A320A32014%
- Airbus A321neoA21N8%
- Airbus A321A3215%
- Boeing 737 MAX 8B38M4%
All the numbers in a table
| Month | Per day | Seen | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | 66 | 1,896 |
|
| February 2026 | 76 | 1,995 |
|
| March 2026 | 77 | 2,209 |
|
| April 2026 | 72 | 2,012 |
|
| May 2026 | 69 | 1,848 |
|
| June 2026 | 71 | 1,973 |
|
| July 2026 | 71 | 2,099 |
|
| August 2026 | 68 | 1,944 |
|
| September 2026 | 71.5 | 2,078 |
|
| October 2025 | 78 | 2,284 |
|
| November 2025 | 75.5 | 2,136 |
|
| December 2025 | 62 | 1,841 |
|
Airlines observed on this route
From observed callsign routes on SYD-MEL - not a booking guarantee.
About this route
- Domestic route: both airports are in the same country.
- The opposite direction has also been observed as a direct connection.
- Direct destinations observed from Sydney: 50.
- Direct destinations observed from Melbourne: 44.
The airports on this route
Melbourne Airport
Melbourne, AustraliaMEL / YMML
International hub · 44 direct destinations · 2 runways · longest runway 11,998 ft
50 °F · ClearSource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
Alternative airports for this journey
Same journey, a different airport nearby - with an observed direct connection.
About the route from Sydney to Melbourne
The observed direct connection between Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) and Melbourne Airport (MEL) covers approximately 439 mi. The estimated flight time is around 1h 25m. Cathay Pacific, Jetstar Airways, Northern Air Cargo, Qantas, Qantas, Toll Aviation and Virgin Australia have been observed on this connection in the available route data.
Frequently asked questions about this route
- How far is Sydney from Melbourne by air?
- The great-circle distance between Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport and Melbourne Airport is approximately 439 mi.
- How long is the flight from Sydney to Melbourne?
- Based on the distance, the estimated flight time is about 1h 25m. This is an estimate, not a schedule.
- Is there a direct connection from Sydney to Melbourne?
- Yes, a direct connection between SYD and MEL has been observed in our route data.
- Which airlines have been observed on this route?
- In the available route data: Cathay Pacific, Jetstar Airways, Northern Air Cargo, Qantas, Qantas, Toll Aviation and Virgin Australia.
- How often is there a flight from Sydney to Melbourne?
- On average around 71.25 flights a day, measured over twelve months (October 2025 to September 2026) in the flight archive, with 24,315 observed flights. Mainly Qantas, Virgin Australia, Jetstar Airways. That is an observation, not a timetable.
- What is the current time difference between Sydney and Melbourne?
- Same local time in Sydney and Melbourne.
Where this data comes from
The route data comes from the flight archive (ADS-B, adsb.lol): which connections actually flew over the last twelve full months and who flew them, combined with our own airport, runway, and airline datasets. It is reference data about observed routes - not a current timetable and no claim about bookability.
The frequency and aircraft on this page come from the flight archive (ADS-B, 12 months, October 2025 to September 2026), summarized per route per month. We do not see every flight, so it is a floor, not a count.
Route data updated on October 11, 2026.