Sydney to Lorne via Avalon: flights to the coast

Avalon Airport (AVV) is the Geelong-side airport whose airlines page lists only Jetstar. Melbourne Airport (MEL) is Tullamarine, where Terminal 1 is Qantas and Terminal 3 is Virgin Australia. Lorne is a Great Ocean Road town with no airport. ⁠^{2, 8, 12}

Which airlines fly from Sydney to Avalon?

Jetstar is the only airline that flies from Sydney to Avalon. Jetstar’s own page lists Sydney (Kingsford Smith) to Melbourne (Avalon), and Avalon Airport’s airlines page lists only Jetstar. Check Jetstar for dates. The airport tells travellers to check airline websites for schedules. ⁠^{1, 2}

For example, Jetstar’s Sydney to Melbourne page places Sydney to Avalon beside Sydney to Tullamarine. It says to fly Jetstar to Melbourne (MEL) or to Avalon Airport (AVV) near Geelong. Avalon’s airlines page also names Adelaide, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Bali for Jetstar. It names no other airline. ⁠^{1, 2}

Avalon or Melbourne Airport: which is better from Sydney for Lorne?

It depends on the airline you want. Avalon suits Jetstar travellers: the airport lists only Jetstar, and it sits 20 km from Geelong CBD. Melbourne Airport is where Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia sell Sydney flights. Check the airline for direct services on your date. ⁠^{2, 4, 1, 7, 6}

Qantas sells flights from Sydney to Melbourne (Tullamarine). Virgin Australia sells Sydney to Melbourne flights and puts Melbourne CBD about 23 km from Melbourne Airport. Melbourne Airport lists Terminal 1 for Qantas and Terminal 3 for Virgin Australia. Avalon’s driving page puts the airport 55 km from the Melbourne CBD. ⁠^{7, 6, 8, 4}

How do you get from Avalon Airport to Lorne?

Hire a car, book MyBus, or use Route 18 and the coach. Visit Great Ocean Road calls Avalon the closest airport to the start of the Great Ocean Road. MyBus is door-to-door to the Surf Coast when booked at least two business days before you fly. Route 18 reaches Lara Station, then Geelong and the coach to Lorne. ⁠^{12, 3, 11}

Visit Great Ocean Road calls Avalon the closest airport to the start of the Great Ocean Road, with transport toward Geelong and car hire. Ground options, such as MyBus to the Surf Coast or Route 18 to Lara Station, are on Avalon’s bus page. McHarry’s runs the V/Line coach that stops in Lorne. SkyBus from Avalon runs to Melbourne CBD and Werribee, away from Lorne. The step-by-step connection is in the Avalon or Melbourne Airport guide. ⁠^{12, 3, 11}

How do you get from Melbourne Airport to Lorne?

Drive, or ride Gull and then the coach. Gull picks up opposite Terminal 3 and stops at Geelong Railway Station. McHarry’s runs the V/Line coach from that station, and the coach stops in Lorne. Use the bus guide for the coach connection, step by step. ⁠^{9, 10, 11}

Melbourne Airport’s bus page says Gull runs from Melbourne Airport to Geelong, with pick-up opposite Terminal 3. Gull’s pickup list includes Geelong Railway Station. From there, follow Melbourne to Lorne by bus for the coach. This guide does not repeat that walk-through. ⁠^{9, 10}

Can you hire a car at Avalon Airport?

Yes. Rental desks are in the Avalon arrivals hall. Staff are there only when you have booked online, and the counters are not staffed all the time. The airport’s site lists Budget, Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Turnbull’s Hire and Kangaroo Rentals. The company then directs you to the car. ⁠^{5, 3}

Avalon’s car hire page puts the companies in the arrivals hall and says your rental company directs you to the parking location. The brand list, Budget, Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Turnbull’s Hire and Kangaroo Rentals, is on the airport bus page. The wider choice of pickup, including Melbourne Airport and Geelong, is in the car hire guide. ⁠^{5, 3}

What we found checking the Sydney to Avalon route on 1 November 2026

We conducted checks on the 12 pages in Sources and repeat only what they state. Jetstar lists both Sydney to Tullamarine and Sydney to Avalon, and Avalon’s airlines page lists only Jetstar. Fare sites that rank for this route do not cover the trip on to Lorne. ⁠^{1, 2}

The same pass checked the onward pages for car hire, buses and the coach. To search Sydney to Melbourne Airport, use the flights page. That form keeps Melbourne Airport as the arrival. It does not search Avalon. Sydney to Avalon flights stay on Jetstar’s own page. ⁠^{1, 2}

From Sydney, pick Avalon when Jetstar is the airline you want and Geelong is a useful next stop. Pick Melbourne Airport when you want Qantas or Virgin Australia on the same city pair. Either way, Lorne starts after you land. ⁠

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