Victoria
Melbourne
The considered capital — spring racing, laneway dining, and a business airfield fifteen minutes from the middle of it all.
MEB · 1h 25m from Sydney
Melbourne is a city that rewards timing. The Cup on the first Tuesday of November, the tennis in January, the Grand Prix in March — the calendar is fixed, the demand is not, and the difference between watching and attending often comes down to how you arrive. Beneath the event schedule sits the permanent city: laneway bars behind unmarked doors, a coffee culture that borders on doctrine, and a dining room on the fifty-fifth floor of the Rialto.
Private jet charter into Melbourne is unusually civilised because the city kept its original airfield. Essendon Fields sits fifteen minutes from the CBD, with dedicated FBO terminals and none of Tullamarine's queues; for international arrivals or late movements, the Melbourne Jet Base offers a curfew-free alternative with customs cleared inside the terminal. We arrange both, along with the cars, helicopters and tables that make the distance between wheels-down and the city feel theoretical.
Popular charter routes
Flying to Melbourne
Most domestic sectors land at Essendon Fields (MEB), the city's dedicated business aviation airport, whilst long-haul and late-night arrivals favour the Melbourne Jet Base at curfew-free Tullamarine (MEL).
The right aircraft
Sydney and Adelaide are light jet sectors — under ninety minutes airborne, where a Phenom 300E-class cabin does the work without excess. Brisbane sits comfortably in midsize territory, and Perth, at around four hours, is where a heavy jet earns its keep. Essendon's handlers accept aircraft up to 50,000 kilograms, so most long-range cabins land minutes from the city rather than across at Tullamarine.
Explore the aircraftWhen to go
October – March
Melbourne runs hottest from spring racing through the tennis — the Lexus Melbourne Cup is run at Flemington on the first Tuesday of November, 3 November in 2026, and the Australian Open holds Melbourne Park from 11 to 31 January 2027. Book early for Cup week; Essendon's parking and the city's better suites go first.
To see & do
The Melbourne you came for
Cup week at Flemington
The Birdcage, Flemington's marquee enclosure, rises each spring as a temporary city of private dining rooms. The course is a short drive from Essendon Fields — wheels-down mid-morning on the first Tuesday of November, home the same evening.
The Yarra Valley, by air
Microflite flies from its Essendon Fields base to the Chairman's Helipad at Levantine Hill, where the tasting gives way to a long lunch above the vines. Yering Station works equally well — either way, the valley sits roughly twenty-five minutes away by air.
Dinner on the fifty-fifth floor
Vue de Monde holds level 55 of the Rialto on Collins Street — Hugh Allen's tasting menu, kangaroo leather and local stone, the city arranged far below. Ask us to hold a table for the evening you land; dinner runs from 6pm, and the terminal is a fifteen-minute car away.
The arrival
Most private arrivals use Essendon Fields (MEB), where ExecuJet and the Platinum Business Aviation Centre operate dedicated terminals fifteen minutes from the CBD — cars meet the stairs, and the lounge is a courtesy rather than a wait. Note the curfew: jet movements at Essendon pause between 11pm and 6am, so late arrivals shift to the Melbourne Jet Base at curfew-free Tullamarine.
Good to know
Frequently asked
Which airport do private jets use in Melbourne?
Essendon Fields (MEB), ten kilometres from the CBD, handles most private flights through dedicated FBO terminals — ExecuJet and the Platinum Business Aviation Centre among them. For late-night movements or international arrivals, the Melbourne Jet Base at Tullamarine (MEL) operates around the clock with customs cleared in-terminal.
How much does a private jet from Sydney to Melbourne cost?
There is no tariff — each journey to Melbourne is priced against the aircraft, its positioning and your dates. A light or super-light jet such as a Phenom 300E is the considered choice for the Sydney sector, with a midsize cabin the step up for larger parties. We quote firm and all-inclusive before you commit, typically within the hour.
Is there a curfew for private jets in Melbourne?
At Essendon Fields, yes — jet movements are prohibited between 11pm and 6am under federal curfew regulations. Melbourne Tullamarine has no curfew and operates 24 hours, so late arrivals route to the Melbourne Jet Base there instead. We plan around both as a matter of course.
How long is the flight from Sydney to Melbourne by private jet?
Approximately 1h 25m gate to gate, with block times ranging from under an hour on faster cabins to around 1h 45m. Brisbane is approx. 2h 30m, Adelaide approx. 1h 5m and Perth approx. 4h. Landing at Essendon Fields puts you fifteen minutes from the CBD.
Fly privately to Melbourne
Tell us your dates and party, and we’ll return tailored aircraft options and an all-in price for the journey.
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