Two good ways to get from Tullamarine to the Golden Temple. Here is how to pick the one that suits your family.
Quick answer: one-stop into Amritsar, or fly to Delhi first?
Flights Melbourne to Amritsar start from AUD $803 per person (checked 7 October 2026, prices change daily). A one-stop flight through a Gulf or Asian hub lands you straight in Amritsar with your bags checked through. It suits families with children, elderly parents or lots of luggage. Flying to Delhi (from AUD $493.13) and continuing by domestic flight, train or road can cost less and gives you more dates to choose from, but adds most of a day. Call us and we will price both.
Two ways to reach Amritsar from Melbourne
There is no non-stop flight between Melbourne and Amritsar at the time of writing. So every Punjabi family in Melbourne faces the same choice: fly one-stop straight into Amritsar, or fly into Delhi and make your own way up to Punjab.
Both work. We book both every week. The right answer depends on who is travelling and how much you are carrying.
| Option A: one-stop into Amritsar | Option B: via Delhi |
Legs | Melbourne to a Gulf or Southeast Asian hub, then hub to Amritsar. One ticket, one check-in. | Melbourne to Delhi (usually one stop), then a domestic flight, train or car to Amritsar. Often two separate bookings. |
Typical time | Roughly 17 to 24 hours door to door, depending on the layover. | Melbourne to Delhi is similar, then add about one hour in the air, around six hours by express train, or seven to nine hours by road, plus transfer time. |
Pros | Bags checked through to Amritsar. No Delhi transfer. Family picks you up at the airport you booked to. | More airlines and more dates. Often a lower fare. Easy to stop in Delhi to visit relatives. |
Cons | Fewer flights per week. Some dates have long layovers. Fare can be higher in peak season. | Collect and re-check bags in Delhi. Fog delays in winter can break the connection. Tiring for elderly travellers and small children. |
Who it suits | Families with kids, elderly parents, wedding luggage, anyone who wants it simple. | Students, solo travellers, anyone with a Delhi stop planned or a tight budget. |
What the fares look like right now
These are the from-fares shown on our website on 7 October 2026. Prices change daily, so check live fares before you decide.
Route | From fare (AUD, per person) | Use it for |
Melbourne to Amritsar | from $803 | Option A, straight into Punjab |
Perth to Amritsar | from $807 | Option A from WA |
Adelaide to Amritsar | from $1,453 | Option A from SA (fewer options, worth comparing with Delhi) |
Melbourne to Delhi | from $493.13 | Option B, then onward to Amritsar |
Sydney or Brisbane to Amritsar | Quoted on request | Call 1300 754 002 for live pricing |
All fares are return, per person, in AUD, checked 7 October 2026. Prices change daily. Domestic flights, trains and taxis in India are extra on Option B.
Melbourne to Delhi is around AUD $310 less than Melbourne to Amritsar on today’s fares. Add a domestic flight, taxis and maybe a night in Delhi, and the saving shrinks. For one student it can still be worth it. For a family of five with 10 bags, it usually is not.
Arriving at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport
Amritsar’s airport is small, calm and easy. Immigration and baggage are usually quicker than Delhi. The Golden Temple area is roughly half an hour away by taxi, depending on traffic.
Most of our families are picked up by relatives. If nobody is coming, use the pre-paid taxi counter inside the terminal.
Heading further into Punjab? As a rough guide, Jalandhar is about one and a half to two hours by road, and Ludhiana around three hours. Tell us where you are going and we can suggest an arrival time so you are not driving the Grand Trunk Road at midnight.
The winter fog question
Between mid December and late January, Delhi and the Punjab plains often wake up under thick fog. Morning flights into and out of Delhi can be delayed or cancelled. Amritsar gets fog too.
This matters more for Option B. If your Delhi arrival is delayed and your 7 am domestic flight to Amritsar is a separate ticket, you can miss it with no protection. In winter, choose an afternoon domestic flight or stay the night in Delhi.
On Option A the airline owns the whole journey. If the Amritsar leg is delayed, they rebook you. That is why many families pay a little more for the one-stop ticket in winter.
6 tips for Punjabi families booking Melbourne to Amritsar flights
1. Put the whole family on one booking
Grandparents, parents, kids, all together. Seats stay together, meals and wheelchairs are requested once, and if plans change you fix one booking instead of four.
2. Ask for wheelchair assistance when you book, not at the airport
We request it on the booking so it is waiting at Melbourne, at the hub and at Amritsar. Parents who manage short walks but struggle with long terminals should still take it. Hub airports are big.
3. Choose a hub with a short, kind layover
Two hours is ideal with children. Twelve is not. If the only cheap fare has a long layover, ask us about a lounge or hotel so Dadi and Dada can rest.
4. Check baggage allowance before you shop for gifts
Allowances vary by airline and fare type. Check your fare before you buy the extra suitcase of chocolate for the cousins. Our December packing guide covers what to carry and what to buy there.
5. Students and education staff: join MannPass
Verified Australian students and education staff can join MannPass for free. It takes an extra AUD $25 off eligible return flights to India. Each pass is valid 30 days and can be renewed. It cannot be combined with other promotions.
6. Lock the fare in now with PayLite
If the dates look right but the full fare is not in the account yet, PayLite lets you secure selected refundable fares with a low deposit and spread the rest over up to 26 weekly instalments. Afterpay is accepted too.
Travelling with elderly parents and young children
Most of our Amritsar bookings are families, often three generations. A few things make it easier:
- Seat the slow walker on the aisle near the toilets, and the child by the window.
- Carry medicines in hand luggage with a copy of the prescription.
- Order special meals early. Vegetarian and Jain meals must be requested before departure.
- Visa and documents. Australian passport holders need an Indian visa or OCI card. Apply through the official Indian visa website well before you fly.
- Flying for Gurpurab? Guru Nanak Jayanti is 24 November 2026. Amritsar fills early that week, so book ahead.
Why book Melbourne to Amritsar flights with Mann Travel?
Since 2007, Mann Travel has been taking Punjabi families from Australia home. Our Melbourne team speaks Hindi, Punjabi and English, knows every hub on the way to Amritsar, and is on call 24/7 if a flight is delayed at two in the morning. We are group and family specialists. A booking of eight is a normal day.
Let’s take you home to Amritsar.
Search live fares at manntravel.com.au/flights or call our Melbourne team on 1300 754 002. We will price both routes for your dates.
frequently asked questions
Is there a direct flight from Melbourne to Amritsar?
No. At the time of writing there is no non-stop flight. The simplest option is a one-stop flight through a Gulf or Asian hub, with bags checked through to Amritsar.
How long does it take to fly from Melbourne to Amritsar?
Roughly 17 to 24 hours door to door on a one-stop ticket, depending on the hub and layover. Via Delhi, allow most of a day longer.
Is it cheaper to fly to Delhi and then go to Amritsar?
Often the international fare is lower. Melbourne to Delhi was from AUD $493.13 and Melbourne to Amritsar from AUD $803 when we checked on 7 October 2026. Add the domestic leg, taxis and possibly a hotel night, and the saving narrows.
Can my elderly parents get wheelchair help on the way to Amritsar?
Yes. Tell us when you book and we request it for every airport on the journey, including the hub. It is free on most airlines.
Can I pay for Amritsar flights in instalments?
Yes. With Mann Travel’s PayLite you pay a low deposit and spread the rest over up to 26 weekly instalments on selected refundable fares. Afterpay is also accepted. Contact us to talk it through.
Fares and availability change daily and depend on the airline, date and fare type. Journey times are approximate. Always check live prices and the latest advice before booking.
