At a glance
- Value car parks
- $17 a day drive-up in Value North and Value South; $119 for 7 days; free shuttle bus every 15 minutes
- Terminal car parks
- First 15 minutes $0; $18 for 15 to 59 minutes; $34 for 1 to 2 hours; $54 for 3 to 23 hours; $62 a day
- Premium
- $94 a day; Melbourne Airport Valet $104 a day; Qantas Valet $108 a day
- Wait Zone
- Free for up to 60 minutes, near the Tullamarine Freeway; $4 for 1 to 2 hours
- Rates effective
- 1 July 2026, per the airport’s drive-up rates PDF
- Online booking
- Cheaper than drive-up per the airport; 2-hour grace before and after bookings over 4 hours; free changes up to 2 hours before arrival
- Car park enquiries
- +61 3 9297 1318
Without a booking, parking at Melbourne Airport costs $17 a day in the Value car parks and $62 a day in the Terminal car parks, according to the airport’s drive-up rates effective 1 July 2026. The Terminal car parks give the first 15 minutes free, and the Wait Zone near the Tullamarine Freeway is free for up to 60 minutes if you are collecting someone.
The airport says booking online is cheaper than turning up, but it does not publish the online prices on its drive-up page, so this guide gives only the drive-up rates. The figures below come from the airport’s drive-up rates page and the rates PDF it links to, checked on 23 October 2026.
What are the car park options?
The airport’s parking page sets out the choices and the travel time from each to the terminal:
| Car park | Travel time to terminal | Terminals |
|---|---|---|
| Value Car Parks (North and South) | 4 to 25 minutes by shuttle bus every 15 minutes | T1, T2, T3, T4 |
| Terminal Car Parks (T123 and T4) | 2 to 10 minutes, walking | T1, T2, T3, T4 |
| Premium Car Parks (T123 and T4) | 2 to 10 minutes, walking | T1, T2, T3, T4 |
| Valet Parking | 2 to 5 minutes, walking | T1, T2, T3 |
An airport blog post adds some detail. The Value car parks are two open-air car parks with accessible parking and a free bus to the terminals. Value North has several bus stops, including at Terminal 1 and Terminal 4, and Value South has one stop at each end, running directly to Terminal 4 only. The T123 Terminal Car Park is directly opposite Terminals 1, 2 and 3, and the T4 Terminal Car Park is 100 metres from Terminal 4. Premium bays are undercover, in both the T123 and T4 car parks, and closest to the check-in counters.
How much is the Value car park?
The Value North and Value South car parks charge the same flat rates. Any stay up to 23 hours costs $17 and each extra day adds $17.
| Stay | Drive-up price |
|---|---|
| Up to 1 day | $17 |
| 2 days | $34 |
| 3 days | $51 |
| 5 days | $85 |
| 7 days | $119 |
| 10 days | $170 |
| 14 days | $238 |
How much is the Terminal car park?
The T123 and T4 Terminal car parks charge the same rates. The first 15 minutes are free, then the price steps up by duration:
| Stay | Drive-up price |
|---|---|
| 0 to 15 minutes | $0 |
| 15 to 59 minutes | $18 |
| 1 to 2 hours | $34 |
| 2 to 3 hours | $49 |
| 3 to 23 hours | $54 |
| 1 day | $62 |
| 2 days | $124 |
| 3 days | $186 |
| 7 days | $434 |
| 14 days | $868 |
Each extra day is $62. The airport says parking rates are calculated on a 24-hour basis from the time your booking starts, except for Qantas Valet, which is charged by calendar day.
What do Premium and Valet parking cost?
| Stay | Premium (T123 and T4) | Melbourne Airport Valet | Qantas Valet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 15 minutes | $28 | $49 | $44 |
| 1 to 2 hours | $57 | $69 | $64 |
| 2 to 3 hours | $86 | $89 | $74 |
| 6 to 23 hours | $86 | $99 | $104 |
| 1 day | $94 | $104 | $108 |
| 7 days | $658 | $728 | $554 |
| 14 days | $1,316 | $1,456 | $590 |
Melbourne Airport Valet is on Level 1 of the T123 Car Park: you drop off your car and the airport parks it, with optional car washing. Qantas Valet is on Level 1 of the T1 T2 T3 Terminal car park, with undercover parking, car cleaning options and Frequent Flyer points, and the airport says it is open to all travellers. The airport’s table lists Qantas Valet at $559 for 8 days rising to $590 for 14 days, about $5 more per day, while its extra day row says $31. Premium and Melbourne Airport Valet extra days are $94 and $104.
Where is the free Wait Zone?
The Wait Zone is near the Tullamarine Freeway and is free for up to 60 minutes. The airport describes it as a place to wait if you arrive too early to collect someone. The drive-up price stays at $0 for 0 to 59 minutes, then moves to $4 for 1 to 2 hours, $49 for 2 to 3 hours and $54 for 3 to 23 hours.
The airport says its new free Pick Up and Drop Off zones for Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are open in the T123 Transport Hub, and that there are no changes to access for the T123 car park, car rental return, buses, shuttles or coaches, or to pick-up for Uber, taxi and rideshare. Our Melbourne Airport to the city guide covers the pick-up zones and the SkyBus.
What happens if I stay longer than I booked?
The airport lists overstay rates that apply after the grace period ends. Online bookings over 4 hours get a 2-hour grace period, and online bookings under 4 hours get a 1-hour grace period.
| Overstay | Value | Terminal | Premium | Valet | Qantas Valet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 15 minutes | $17 | $0 | $28 | $49 | $44 |
| 15 to 60 minutes | $17 | $18 | $29 | $49 | $44 |
| 1 to 2 hours | $17 | $34 | $57 | $69 | $64 |
| 2 to 3 hours | $17 | $49 | $86 | $89 | $74 |
| 3 to 4 hours | $17 | $54 | $86 | $89 | $104 |
| 4 to 23 hours | $17 | $54 | $86 | $99 | $104 |
| Each additional 24 hours | $17 | $62 | $94 | $104 | $108 |
What does booking online change?
The airport’s parking page lists these benefits of booking online: free amendments and cancellation up to 2 hours before arrival, a 2-hour grace period before and after your booked entry and exit for bookings longer than 4 hours, no booking or credit card fees for online bookings, and faster entry and exit with QR codes. Its drive-up page adds that short-term rates are available for stays under 6 hours. A banner on the page advertises parking from $15 a day, and a footnote applies, so check the booking screen for the price and conditions on your dates.
Is there accessible parking?
The airport’s blog says there are dedicated accessible bays in every onsite car park, as close as possible to the terminal entrances, lifts and bus stops. To use them, display a valid Disability Parking Permit; a clearly visible photocopy is accepted if you need the original while travelling. The drive-up overstay table also lists a T123 Accessible Car Park, at the same rates as the Terminal car parks.
Quick plan
- Cheapest drive-up for several days: Value car park at $17 a day with a free shuttle every 15 minutes.
- Quick drop-off or short stay: Terminal car park, free for the first 15 minutes.
- Collecting someone: the Wait Zone, free for up to 60 minutes.
- A week away, drive-up (effective 1 July 2026): Value $119 / Terminal $434 / Premium $658.
- Before you go: check the booking screen for online prices, because the airport says they are lower than drive-up.
Sources
- Melbourne Airport — Drive up rates (checked 23 October 2026), and its Drive Up Parking Rates PDF (effective 1 July 2026)
- Melbourne Airport — Parking and transport (checked 23 October 2026)
- Melbourne Airport — blog post on short-term and long-term parking (undated)
Featured image: Terminal 4 exterior and car park, Melbourne Airport, 2018 (photo: Philip Mallis / CC BY-SA 2.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Melbourne Airport or Australia Pacific Airports Corporation. Parking rates and conditions can change; check the official pages above and the signs at the car park.