Direct flights from Mumbai to Melbourne set to take off

Air India has established a new aviation route from Mumbai to Melbourne that will bring more visitors and students to the state, increase investment opportunities and create hundreds of local jobs.

The airline will commence non-stop flights from India’s second largest city to Melbourne from December 2023, operating 3 times per week and adding almost 40,000 seats per year into Victoria.

It’s the first time in more than 40 years an airline has provided a non-stop service between Mumbai and Australia. With the support of the Victorian Government and Melbourne Airport, the Air India flights will generate $55 million for the Victorian economy each year and create an estimated 264 jobs in our aviation and tourism sectors.

Air India is India’s national carrier and the new flight route will create more connections between Victoria and India, which is already a major tourism market for the state and a key study destination for Indian students, with around 53,000 international students enrolled in Victorian institutions in 2022.

Air India joins a growing list of international airlines the government has supported to increase flights to Melbourne including recent expansions by LATAM Airways, Cathay Pacific, Scoot, China Southern and Sichuan Airlines.