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SMO to MEL: distance & flight time
Santa Monica (Santa Monica Municipal Airport) → Melbourne (Melbourne International Airport)
7,928 mi
12,759 km · 6,889 nm
16h 1m
estimated nonstop flight time
+17h
time difference · heading southwest
See live SMO→MEL fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
7,928 miles nonstop takes roughly 16h 1m gate to gate, flying southwest. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 17-hour time gain when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- SMO — Santa Monica Municipal Airport · Santa Monica, United States
- MEL — Melbourne International Airport · Melbourne, Australia
Distances are great-circle ("as the crow flies") — the same basis airlines use for frequent-flyer miles.
Alternate airports can cut this fare
Flying from or into a nearby airport is the #1 trick our agents use to beat online prices. Call and we'll compare every combination on one call.
Near SMO
- LAX · Los Angeles International Airport6 mi away
- HHR · Jack Northrop Field Hawthorne Municipal Airport9 mi away
- BUR · Bob Hope Airport14 mi away
- VNY · Van Nuys Airport14 mi away
Near MEL
- MEB · Melbourne Essendon Airport5 mi away
- MBW · Melbourne Moorabbin Airport25 mi away
- AVV · Avalon Airport32 mi away
- GEX · Geelong Airport47 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is SMO from MEL?
The flight distance from Santa Monica (SMO) to Melbourne (MEL) is 7,928 miles (12,759 km, 6,889 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from SMO to MEL?
A nonstop flight takes about 16h 1m gate to gate. Actual time varies with winds, routing and season — eastbound transatlantic flights, for example, are usually faster than the return.
What is the time difference between Santa Monica and Melbourne?
Melbourne is 17 hours ahead of Santa Monica.
What is the cheapest way to fly from SMO to MEL?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on SMO–MEL that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.