What are the geodetic coordinates of Melbourne International Airport (MEL)?

Melbourne International Airport (MEL / ICAO: YMML) is located at geodetic coordinates 37.6733°S, 144.8430°E in Melbourne, AU. It sits at an airfield elevation of 434 ft (132 m) MSL with 2 runways (16/34 (3,657 m / 12,000 ft), 09/27 (2,286 m / 7,500 ft)).

What direct Great Circle routes originate from MEL?

MEL connects to major global flight corridors including Los Angeles (LAX). Calculate exact spherical distances, true bearings, and window seat solar recommendations on Orb Vector.

How do Great Circle routes from MEL compare to flat map lines?

Flights departing MEL follow spherical geodesics (Great Circle arcs), which represent the shortest three-dimensional atmospheric distance over Earth's curved surface rather than constant-compass Rhumb lines. At MEL's latitude, Earth's axial rotation imparts a tangential velocity of 1,325 km/h.

Melbourne International Airport (MEL) 3D Flight Route Map, Direct Destinations & Geodetic Profile

AIRPORT HUB INTELLIGENCE & GEODETIC PROFILE

Melbourne International Airport (MEL) Hub Guide & 3D Flight Map

Geodetic Coordinates: 37.673°S, 144.843°E • Country: AU • Standard Timezone: UTCGMT+10 (Local: 13:44) • Solar Angle: +61.0° Elev, 305° Azim (Daylight)

Melbourne International Airport (MEL) serves as a vital junction in global commercial aviation. Situated in the northwestern suburb of Tullamarine on the volcanic basalt plains of Port Phillip, 23 km (14 mi) northwest of Melbourne Central Business District. Hover over or select radiating Great Circle spokes on the 3D globe to examine direct geodesic flight corridors, true departure bearings, nautical mile distances, and overflight paths radiating across the world.

ICAO / IATA & ELEVATIONYMML / MELElevation: 434 ft (132 m) MSL

PRIMARY RUNWAY COMPLEX2 Runways16/34 (3,657 m / 12,000 ft) · 09/27 (2,286 m / 7,500 ft)

EARTH ROTATIONAL SPEED1,325 km/hMid-Latitude Temperate Zone (Southern Hemisphere) (1.08 Mach tangential)

HUB REACHABILITY (Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental)30 / 49 Global HubsWithin 14,815 km non-stop range

Direct Outbound Flight Corridors from MEL — Top Direct Routes

MEL → LAX65° True (ENE)

Los Angeles (US)

12,758 km (7,927 mi)•12h 47m

MEL → SIN306° True (NW)

Singapore (SG)

6,033 km (3,749 mi)•8h 0m

MEL → DXB291° True (WNW)

Dubai (AE)

11,645 km (7,236 mi)•15h 19m

MEL → HND356° True (N)

Tokyo (JP)

8,159 km (5,070 mi)•9h 32m

MEL → SFO60° True (ENE)

San Francisco (US)

12,654 km (7,863 mi)•12h 45m

MEL → SYD56° True (NE)

Sydney (AU)

705 km (438 mi)•1h 11m

MEL → HKG329° True (NNW)

Hong Kong (HK)

7,413 km (4,606 mi)•9h 18m

MEL → BOM296° True (WNW)

Mumbai (IN)

9,806 km (6,093 mi)•12h 54m

MEL → DOH289° True (WNW)

Doha (QA)

11,956 km (7,429 mi)•15h 45m

MEL → ICN345° True (NNW)

Seoul (KR)

8,566 km (5,323 mi)•10h 15m

Popular Route Vectors & Geodesic Azimuth Telemetry from MEL

Route Corridor	Initial Bearing	Arrival Bearing	Great Circle Distance	Rhumb Divergence	Est. Flight Time
MEL → LAXLos Angeles (Ultra-Long-Haul Geodesic)	065° TRU (ENE)	060° TRU	12,758 km (6,889 NM)	+46 km (+0.4%)	12h 47m
MEL → SINSingapore (Cross-Equatorial Intercontinental)	306° TRU (NW)	320° TRU	6,033 km (3,258 NM)	+15 km (+0.2%)	8h 0m
MEL → DXBDubai (Cross-Equatorial Intercontinental)	291° TRU (WNW)	305° TRU	11,645 km (6,288 NM)	+47 km (+0.4%)	15h 19m
MEL → HNDTokyo (Cross-Equatorial Intercontinental)	356° TRU (N)	356° TRU	8,159 km (4,406 NM)	identical path	9h 32m
MEL → SFOSan Francisco (Ultra-Long-Haul Geodesic)	060° TRU (ENE)	060° TRU	12,654 km (6,833 NM)	+43 km (+0.3%)	12h 45m
MEL → SYDSydney (Domestic / Regional Shuttle)	056° TRU (NE)	052° TRU	705 km (381 NM)	+1 km (+<0.1%)	1h 11m
MEL → HKGHong Kong (Cross-Equatorial Intercontinental)	329° TRU (NNW)	334° TRU	7,413 km (4,003 NM)	+3 km (+<0.1%)	9h 18m
MEL → BOMMumbai (Cross-Equatorial Intercontinental)	296° TRU (WNW)	311° TRU	9,806 km (5,295 NM)	+34 km (+0.3%)	12h 54m
MEL → DOHDoha (Cross-Equatorial Intercontinental)	289° TRU (WNW)	304° TRU	11,956 km (6,456 NM)	+54 km (+0.4%)	15h 45m
MEL → ICNSeoul (Cross-Equatorial Intercontinental)	345° TRU (NNW)	345° TRU	8,566 km (4,625 NM)	+1 km (+<0.1%)	10h 15m

Geography, Airfield Operations & Notable Aviation Facts: MEL

PRIMARY HUB CARRIERSQantas · Virgin Australia · Jetstar · Singapore Airlines

EXACT GEODETIC ANTIPODE37.673°N, 035.157°W (Remote Oceanic Geodesic Point)

FURTHEST MAJOR HUBMadrid (MAD) — 17,285 km (10,740 mi)

01Opened in 1970 to replace Essendon Airport as Melbourne's primary international gateway, purpose-built to accommodate the Boeing 747 widebody era.
02Operates 24/7 without a nocturnal curfew (unlike Sydney Airport), making it Australia's premier gateway for overnight transpacific and Southeast Asian freight and passenger operations.
03The Melbourne-Sydney air corridor is historically one of the top five busiest passenger air corridors in the world by annual seat capacity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Melbourne International Airport (MEL) located and what are its coordinates?: Melbourne International Airport (MEL, ICAO: YMML) is located in Melbourne, AU at geodetic coordinates 37.673°S, 144.843°E (Latitude: -37.6733°, Longitude: 144.8430°). At this latitude (Mid-Latitude Temperate Zone (Southern Hemisphere)), Earth's rotation imparts a tangential velocity of 1,325 km/h.
What are the runway orientations and airfield elevation at MEL?: Melbourne International Airport (MEL) sits at an airfield elevation of 434 ft (132 m) above mean sea level and operates 2 runways, led by 16/34 (3,657 m / 12,000 ft), 09/27 (2,286 m / 7,500 ft).
What time zone and solar lighting conditions apply to MEL?: Melbourne International Airport operates on civil timezone UTCGMT+10 (approximate local clock time: 13:44). Based on real-time solar ephemeris calculations, the sun is at an altitude of +61.0°, placing the airport in daylight.
How many major outbound flight corridors radiate from MEL?: Orb Vector indexes 1 connected flight corridors and 10 popular outbound route vectors radiating from MEL. The longest featured corridor from MEL is MEL → LAX (Los Angeles), spanning 12,758 km (7,927 mi / 6,889 NM) along an initial bearing of 065° TRU (ENE).
What is the exact antipode and furthest global hub from MEL?: The exact geodetic antipode (diametrically opposite point on Earth) to MEL lies at 37.673°N, 035.157°W (Remote Oceanic Geodesic Point). Among the world's major aviation hubs, the furthest from MEL is Madrid Barajas International Airport (MAD) at a Great Circle distance of 17,285 km (10,740 mi).
What is a Great Circle?: A Great Circle is the intersection of a sphere and a plane that passes through the sphere's center. It represents the largest possible circle that can be drawn on a sphere and defines the shortest path between two points on the surface.
Why do flight paths look curved on 2D maps?: Most 2D maps use the Mercator projection, which distorts size and shape as you move away from the equator. A straight line on a Mercator map (a rhumb line) is actually a longer path than the curved Great Circle route. Pilots fly the Great Circle route to save fuel and time.
How accurate are the distances?: Orb Vector calculates distances using the Haversine formula, which accounts for the Earth's curvature. While the Earth is not a perfect sphere (it's an oblate spheroid), the error margin is negligible for general flight planning and visualization purposes, typically within 0.5%.
Can I measure multi-stop routes?: Yes! You can chain multiple airports together to create a complex itinerary. The tool will calculate the distance for each leg of the journey as well as the total cumulative distance.
How is flight time estimated?: Our flight time estimator uses a standard cruising speed of 900 km/h (approx 485 knots) and adds a 30-minute buffer for takeoff and landing per leg. Crucially, it also accounts for the Jet Stream: eastbound flights are calculated as ~15% faster due to tailwinds, while westbound flights are slower due to headwinds.
What are the "Discover Routes"?: We've curated a selection of extreme and interesting aviation routes, such as the world's longest flight (Singapore to JFK) and the "Island Hopper" across the Pacific. Use the "Discover Routes" menu to instantly visualize these famous trajectories.