Overview
For what seems like forever, locals and visitors alike have asked themselves: why doesn't Melbourne Airport have a rail link? Having been promised and walked back over, and over, and over again since the 1960s, this lack of convenience hasn't gone unnoticed, at least according to a just-released study from travel comparison website iSelect.
Based on a specially created index, Melbourne Airport is now officially considered Australia's least convenient airport, with its high transport costs and long distance from the city to blame. To arrive at their conclusion, the stats boffins at iSelect ranked our major airports on the average cost of airport parking, transport and taxi costs, as well as distance from the city's CBD, number of daily passengers and time spent queuing.
Now, before anyone from the Harbour City leans too far into intercity rivalries, Sydney Airport placed second to last on the index. It lost marks for having the highest average weekly parking costs at $343. Unsurprisingly, it also receives the most daily passengers, at more than 113,000. At the same time, the airport offers flights to 99 destinations around the globe, making sure departing and arriving tend to be more than a little congested.
As for the airports that make heading away on a holiday a breeze, Townsville and Canberra shared top honours. Travellers can expect cheaper weekly parking costs at $178 and $190, respectively. Meanwhile, Canberra Airport had the most affordable transport costs to get to the airport. At just 7.4 kilometres from the CBD, a taxi journey should cost around $28. Both airports also scored four out of five stars for queueing times, as ranked by travellers.
But with these smaller centres having a bit of an advantage, you might wonder which major capital airport performed best in terms of convenience. The answer would be Adelaide, landing fourth on the list behind Darwin and just pipping Perth. Featuring some of the cheapest average public transport and taxi costs at $15.48, the airport's distance from the city centre is third-best at 6.8 kilometres.
While the convenience of your nearest airport might not change your travel plans, the journey to reach the runway could dampen your holiday vibes before they've even begun. And for those Melburnians hanging out for an airport rail link, the good news is that plans are moving ahead. Yet with no publicly announced timeline or completion date, don't expect Melbourne Airport to climb the convenience rankings any time soon.
Head to iSelect to read the full report on Australia's best and worst airports for convenience.