Traveling from Seattle to Melbourne: what you need to know
Seattle is home to two main airports where you can start your adventure. Check out your options for booking a flight from Seattle to Melbourne flying out of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) or Lake Union Sea Plane Base Airport (LKE).
Hop off the plane at Melbourne's primary gateway, Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL).
Melbourne's timezone is UTC+11, making Melbourne 18 hours ahead of Seattle.
For stress-free travel, arrive at the airport two hours ahead of international flights and an hour before domestic departures. This will give you enough time to board your Seattle to Melbourne flight.
Be prepared for bigger queues during popular months like July. Arriving up to four hours ahead of international flights and two hours for domestic departures will give you plenty of time for security and boarding.
How to find the cheapest flights from Seattle to Melbourne
Booking early is often the key to locking in a cheap Seattle to Melbourne flight. Flight prices rise as demand increases, so the nearer your departure date, the more you'll likely spend.
The 'Whole month' search tool shows you the cheapest plane tickets from Seattle to Melbourne throughout the month. It's a good way to snap up a bargain if your dates are flexible.
There's no need to check back in every day to find out if fares have dropped when you create a Price Alert. We'll update you as soon as a better deal comes up on cheap flights from Seattle to Melbourne.
Tailor your flights using filters. Pick your ideal arrival and departure times, total journey duration and airlines. You can also sort the results by 'Best,' 'Cheapest' or 'Fastest' Seattle to Melbourne flights.
Flying from Seattle
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Think about adding a stopover to potentially save on your Seattle to Melbourne flight. Simply uncheck 'Direct flights only' when browsing departures from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Take a pause at one of these popular options:
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
SEA is about 11 miles from central Seattle. If you're driving, ride-sharing or catching a cab from the center, it'll take 20 minutes or so to get there, depending on traffic. If you're planning to take public transport, expect the travel time to be around 55 minutes.
Want a convenient hotel near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport? If you're boarding an early flight from Seattle to Melbourne, these accommodation options will put you moments from your departure lounge:
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport gets high marks for on-time performance. 81.27% of flights that take off from SEA arrive at their destination as scheduled.
Arriving in Melbourne
Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL)
Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL) to central Melbourne takes about 30 minutes by car. The center is roughly 12 miles away.
If you're using public transport, expect a journey time of around 40 minutes.
If you're arriving on a late flight from Seattle to Melbourne, few things beat the convenience of staying near the terminal. Collect your bags from the carousel and then be showered and relaxing soon after at one of these hotels near MEL:
Travel at your own pace with a Melbourne Tullamarine Airport rental car. Pick up a set of wheels from Bargain Car Rentals, East Coast or Sixt and find adventure across Melbourne and beyond.
Reserving your vehicle from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport around four weeks ahead gives you the best shot at securing a great deal.
Avalon Airport (AVV)
Avalon Airport (AVV) is about 30 miles from central Melbourne. Once you've disembarked your flight from Seattle to Melbourne, it takes approximately 50 minutes to get to the heart of the city in a ride-share or cab.
You can expect the journey to take approximately 2 hours 5 minutes on public transport.
Forget about inconvenient public transport timetables or waiting forever for a cab. Pick up an Avalon Airport rental car and let your trip unfold on your terms. Compare availability and rates from Sixt, Kangaroo Rental and yesaway car rental.
Get the pick of the lot. Securing your ride from AVV three weeks in advance often means more savings and a bigger choice of vehicles.
Essendon Airport (MEB)
Essendon Airport (MEB) is roughly 7 miles from central Melbourne. It takes about 25 minutes to get to the city center by cab or ride-share once you've hopped off your flight from Seattle to Melbourne.
If you use public transport, expect a journey of about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Be in control of the next leg of your trip by picking up an Essendon Airport rental car. East Coast, Ace Rental Cars and Goldcar make getting on the road smooth sailing.
Booking a couple of weeks ahead of your flight from Seattle to Melbourne is always a good idea. As well as better deals, you'll get a better selection of vehicle makes and models at MEB.
Best time to go to Melbourne
It's time to work out your dates for your flight from Seattle to Melbourne. January is the most popular month for a trip to Melbourne. If you prefer a quieter atmosphere, go in April.
Lock in a Seattle to Melbourne ticket departing in January if you want to visit the city during its warmest month. Expect temperatures in Melbourne to range from 54ºF to 84ºF.
July has average temperatures of between 39ºF and 55ºF. Search for cheap flights from Seattle to Melbourne around that time if you want to travel in cooler conditions.
More about Melbourne
After booking your flight from Seattle to Melbourne, choose a hotel that puts you where you want to be. Make one of these options your base for exploring Melbourne:
Federation Square and National Gallery of Victoria are a couple of popular attractions to put on your Melbourne travel itinerary. Keep the sightseeing going at Eureka Skydeck 88.
Explore more of Australia
Melbourne is easy to fall in love with, but there are so many other corners of Australia you'll want to see. Around 290 miles north-east of Melbourne, a visit to Canberra will keep you busy. Start with leading sights like Australian War Memorial, National Gallery of Australia and Parliament House.
If you're looking to explore another corner of Australia, head for Geelong, roughly 40 miles south-west of Melbourne. Ford Motor Company, Roraima Nursery and RTC Resource Centre are among its highlights.
