Air India flies nonstop from Delhi to both Sydney (12 hours 45 minutes) and Melbourne (about 12 hours 25 minutes), and Qantas also flies Delhi-Melbourne nonstop - no Gulf or Southeast Asia detour needed. One-stop options through Singapore or Kuala Lumpur take around 16 hours total. Indians need an Australian visitor visa (subclass 600) before travel - see our visa guide. Australia runs 5.5 hours ahead of India in the Sydney summer (4.5 hours in winter), so the jet lag is real but manageable on an overnight departure.
At a glance
- Departure airport
- Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL)
- Nonstop flights
- Yes[1]
- Typical nonstop time
- 12 h 45 min[1]
- Typical best one-stop time
- 16 h[1]
- Time difference
- 5 h 30 min ahead of India[2]
- Arrival airports
- Indira Gandhi International, Delhi (Terminal 3 for international departures) (DEL)
Sydney Kingsford Smith, 8 km south of the city centre; Airport Link trains reach Central Station in about 13 minutes (SYD)
Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine), 23 km northwest of the centre; SkyBus coaches reach the city in about 30-45 minutes (MEL)[1]
Airlines on this route
| Airline | Route |
|---|---|
| Air India | Nonstop[1] · checked 30 Oct 2026 |
| Qantas | Nonstop[3] · checked 30 Oct 2026 |
We do not show fares, because we have no live prices. Ask the airline, or ask us: we book the flights together with the trip.
Layovers
The nonstop Air India flights are the obvious choice with children or seniors - 12-13 hours in one hop. If fares or dates push you to a connection, the pleasant one-stop routings run through Singapore (Singapore Airlines) or Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia) at roughly 16 hours total; both hubs are easy, well-signed transfers with Indian food everywhere. Gulf routings (Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi) add hours but sometimes win on price or on splitting the journey into two gentler legs.
When to book
Compare Air India and Qantas on Delhi-Melbourne - both fly it nonstop and fares move independently; Delhi-Sydney nonstop is Air India only. Australia's school holidays (late December-January, Easter, July) and the December wedding season in India push fares up - book 2-4 months ahead for those windows. Every family member needs the visitor visa (subclass 600) granted before check-in - see our Australia visa guide for documents, fees and processing times.
For parents and seniors
A long haul, so comfort planning matters: the nonstop flights leave Delhi late evening and land in Australia the next afternoon or evening - seniors usually prefer the single 13-hour hop over a 16-hour connection. Request wheelchair assistance at booking (both DEL and Australian airports handle it well), choose aisle seats near the toilets, and plan a light first day - the 4.5-5.5 hour time difference is gentler eastbound than it sounds when you sleep on the plane.
Our editorial view
Trips to Delhi to Australia
We have no open trip to Delhi to Australia right now. Tell us your dates and we will help you find one.
Quick questions
Sources
- FlightsFrom: DEL-SYD direct schedules · checked 30 Oct 2026
- timeanddate: Time zone in Sydney · checked 30 Oct 2026
- FlightsFrom: DEL-MEL direct schedules · checked 30 Oct 2026
- Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Australian visa requirement overview · checked 24 Oct 2026
- Australian Department of Home Affairs: Visitor application evidence and return-home reasons · checked 24 Oct 2026
- Australian Department of Home Affairs: Visitor600 tourist stream outside Australia · checked 24 Oct 2026