Townsville to Melbourne (TSV–MEL) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

TSV Airport Page →
1,278 mi airlines 11/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 3 flights Verified 2h ago
Nonstop 1-Stop 2-Stop Hide separate tickets Hide overnight
  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
QF1987
QF Qant
E90
6:30 AM
AEST
10:40 AM
AEDT
3h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
JQ917
JQ Jetstar
320
8:42 PM
AEST
12:45 AM
AEDT
3h 3m
M T W T F S S
Prices
JQ916
JQ Jetstar
320
4:15 PM
AEDT T4
6:15 PM
AEST
3h
M T W T F S S
Prices

No flights match your filters.

No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.

1-STOP
2-STOP Loading...
Townsville to Melbourne
2 carriers, 11 flights/week nonstop.
2 Airlines 11 Flights/wk 1,278 mi 3h 3m nonstop +1h ahead 3 1-stop hubs

TSV–MEL is served by 2 airlines with nonstop service. Jetstar and Qantas lead the route. The flight covers 1,278 miles in approximately 3h 3m. Beyond nonstop, 3 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop TSV–MEL service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
JQ Jetstar 7 320 3h03
QF Qantas 4 E90 3h10 Oneworld
Aircraft on this route
320 Airbus A320 – JQ
E90 Embraer 190 – QF
Alliance coverage
Unaffiliated: JQ (7 flights/wk, 64%)
Oneworld: QF (4 flights/wk, 36%)
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.

Weekly Schedule Pattern

Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, TSV to MEL direction.
Mon
2
flights
Tue
1
flight
Wed
1
flight
Thu
2
flights
Fri
2
flights
Sat
1
flight
Sun
2
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
2
Nonstop flights
11
Outbound / wk
7
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for TSV to MEL.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
3
Hubs
~18h
Fastest
~21h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
106
Candidates
Two-stop connections loaded in the connections tab above.
Connections computed from published schedules with minimum connection time verification. Use the interactive explorer above the fold to filter by airline, tier, and layover time.

Other ways to reach Melbourne from Townsville

Nearby airports with service to Melbourne Airport.
Metric TSV→MEL PPP→MEL HTI→MEL
Distance from TSV 144 mi 161 mi
Nonstop airlines 2 2 1
Weekly flights 11 14 5
Flight time 3h 3m 2h 55m 3h 5m
Airports within 200 miles of TSV with service to Melbourne Airport.

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
+1h
Melbourne is 1 hour ahead of Townsville.
TSV: AEST · MEL: AEDT

When it's 6:00 PM in Townsville, it's 7:00 PM in Melbourne.
Distance & Flight Time
1,278 mi / 2,056 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 3h 3m to 3h 10m.
Getting from MEL

SkyBus runs to Southern Cross Station in 30–40 minutes (AUD $22–24), operating 24/7. Tickets can be bought on the bus, app, or counter in arrivals. Suburban stops are available on selected services.Taxis from the rank cost AUD $55–75 to the CBD (30–40 min, more in traffic). Uber: AUD $35–55. Rental car desks are in the terminal; the off-airport option (cheaper) requires a shuttle. No suburban train exists yet; the airport is not on Melbourne's rail network. Myki transit cards do not cover MEL.

Melbourne Climate

Melbourne's weather is famously variable. "Four seasons in one day" is a local cliché with real operational meaning. The city sits on Port Phillip Bay in a temperate zone. Summer (December–February) averages 25–30°C but can spike above 40°C during northerly heat events. These extreme heat days occasionally cause ground crew restrictions.

Winter (June–August) is cool at 7–14°C with rain and low cloud. Fog-related delays are occasional but not severe. Thunderstorms are most common October through March. Pack layers year-round. The weather changes rapidly. Disruption risk is low by global standards.

TSV–MEL Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Townsville to Melbourne route.
Route details
Distance1,278 mi / 2,056 km
Flight time3h 3m to 3h 10m
Time difference+1 hour
Airlines (nonstop)2
Weekly flights11 out / 7 return
1-stop connections3 hubs
Origin: TSV
IATA / ICAOTSV / YBTL
TimezoneAustralia/Lindeman
Elevation18 ft / 5 m
Destination: MEL
IATA / ICAOMEL / YMML
TimezoneAustralia/Melbourne
Passengers/yr35.0M
Elevation434 ft / 132 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about TSV to MEL flights.
Nonstop flights from Townsville Airport / RAAF Base Townsville to Melbourne Airport take approximately 3h 3m to 3h 10m. The route covers 1,278 miles.
2 airlines operate nonstop service: Jetstar and Qantas.
There are approximately 11 nonstop flights per week from TSV to MEL. The return direction has about 7 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through BNE, SYD and CNS. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Melbourne is 1 hour ahead of Townsville.
Yes, return flights from MEL to TSV are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Nearby alternatives include PPP, HTI and CNS. See the Alternatives section for a full comparison.
Click the 'Search Flights' button to check availability and prices on Google Flights. You can also compare airlines and schedules on this page to find the best option.
Route data is updated regularly from official airline schedules. On-time performance data comes from recent airport delay snapshots.

Flights from TSV to MEL

Townsville Airport / RAAF Base Townsville (TSV) and Melbourne Airport (MEL) are connected by nonstop service from Jetstar and Qantas. With 11 weekly departures, this is a regularly served route.

TSV to MEL Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from TSV to MEL ranges from 3 hours 3 minutes to 3 hours 10 minutes. The route covers a distance of 1,278 miles (2,056 km). There are approximately 11 weekly flights outbound and 7 return, totaling 18 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

3 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 18 hours via BNE. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include Proserpine (PPP), Hamilton Island (HTI) and Cairns (CNS).