Spring is starting in Melbourne while London packs away the summer.
Flat whites, rooftop bars and footy finals, 17,000km away. Air China flies London to Melbourne via Beijing, and return fares start at £461.
✈️ The deal
- From: London, United Kingdom
- To: Melbourne, Australia
- Airline: Air China
- Stops: 1 stop (Beijing)
- Price: £461–£499 return
- When: September 2026
Example dates:
09/09/2026 – 27/09/2026
14/09/2026 – 27/09/2026
16/09/2026 – 27/09/2026
Check dates on Kiwi
💰 How far does your money go
Melbourne is not a cheap city, but the pound stretches further than you would think. A flat white in a laneway café is about £2.80, cheaper than most of London. A pint of craft beer runs to £6, roughly what you would pay in a Zone 1 pub. A plate of pasta at a mid-range spot in Carlton is around £14. Watch for the 10 to 15 percent surcharge on Sundays and public holidays.
☀️ The weather
September is early spring in Melbourne, and the city is famous for changing its mind. Days sit around 16°C, climbing towards 19°C by early October. Nights drop to 7°C. Expect roughly 10 rainy days across the month and six hours of sun a day. Pack layers and a jacket you can fold away.
🏨 Where to stay
Most visitors base themselves in the CBD, within walking distance of the laneways and Flinders Street.
Pensione Hotel Melbourne — 8.6/10 · From £95/night Compact, well-run rooms near the Flagstaff Gardens end of town, with trams outside the door.
QT Melbourne — 8.8/10 · From £165/night Design hotel on Russell Street with a rooftop bar and one of the better hotel restaurants in the city.
Park Hyatt Melbourne — 9.0/10 · From £320/night Quiet luxury overlooking Fitzroy Gardens and St Patrick's Cathedral, a short walk from the MCG.
🎯 What to do
Melbourne rewards wandering more than ticking off sights.
The laneways and arcades — Street art in Hosier Lane, coffee on Degraves Street, hidden bars behind unmarked doors. Start at Flinders Street and get lost.
Queen Victoria Market — 140 years old, half fresh produce and half everything else. Go early for breakfast, stay for the deli hall.
The Great Ocean Road — The Twelve Apostles and the surf coast, about four hours west. Long as a day trip, better over two.
AFL at the MCG — September is finals month. A game at the 100,000-seat MCG is the loudest afternoon you will have in Australia.
🗺️ Where to go from here
Melbourne is a base as much as a destination. The rest of the south-east is close.
Tasmania — Hobart, MONA and the Freycinet coast. Under an hour by air. Search flights
Sydney — The harbour, the beaches, the obvious rival. 90 minutes by plane or an overnight train. Search flights
Adelaide — Wine country on the doorstep: Barossa, McLaren Vale, the Adelaide Hills. 80 minutes by air. Search flights
Wilsons Promontory — The southernmost tip of mainland Australia, all granite and wombats. Three hours by car.
One stop, under £500, and Melbourne in spring. September seats at this price will not sit around. Check your dates.
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