Flights and other transport to Northern Territory
Getting to the Northern Territory is easy. The vibrant capital city of Darwin is closer to Asia than any other capital city in Australia and, in the centre, Alice Springs only a 3-4 hour plane ride from most Australian capital cities.
Flights to the Northern Territory
Qantas
Qantas is widely regarded as the world's leading long distance airline and one of the strongest brands in Australia. Qantas operates regular flights into Alice Springs and Darwin from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and Cairns. Qantas also operates direct flights from Canberra to Darwin. There are also a number of direct flights to Yulara from Sydney, Perth and Cairns. In addition Qantas offers daily flights within the Northern Territory, connecting Darwin, Alice Springs and Yulara.
Airnorth
Airnorth is the major regional airline operating in Northern Australia. Airnorth offers numerous flights into Darwin from regional areas including Elcho Island, Broome, Kununurra, Gove, Groote Eylandt, Milingimbi, Maningrida and McArthur River.
Airnorth also services interstate and international routes to Mt Isa and the Gold Coast in Queensland, Perth in Western Australia and Dili in Timor-Leste.
Related Links
Cheapflights.com Compare the prices of cheap flights to the Northern Territory.
Jetstar
Qantas’s budget airline, Jetstar, operates low-cost services direct to Darwin from Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Cairns.
Jetstar also has services between Darwin and Denpasar (Bali), Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore.
Virgin Australia
Virgin Australia is a budget airline providing services to Darwin from Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. The company flies to all Australian States and Territories, New Zealand and selected Pacific islands.
Virgin Australia operates direct flights from Sydney to Uluru from 2 August 2010.
Skywest
Skywest is the major regional airline in Western Australia, providing an essential link for regional communities, tourists and businesses.
Skywest operate three flights a week from Perth to Darwin via Broome.
From Overseas
Darwin is increasingly popular as a traveller’s gateway between Australia and Asia. Our visitors are now choosing to fly to Singapore and catch the short flight down to Darwin. If you fly from the Americas and enter another Australian city, just jump on a domestic airline to Darwin, Alice Springs or Yulara, the location of Uluru/Ayers Rock. Either way, the Northern Territory is an easy destination to get to and a great place to visit.
By Rail
The Ghan train journey traverses the country from south to north over 2979 kilometres. Travellers can commence the journey in Adelaide and disembark in Darwin, or vice versa, with passengers able to stop over in Alice Springs and Katherine en route.
By Road
From South Australia
Driving north from South Australia you’ll take the Explorer’s Way (Stuart Highway) from Adelaide through Coober Pedy into the Northern Territory. In the NT, you’ll drive through the major centres of Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine before arriving in Darwin.
From Western Australia
There are a few access points from Western Australia, including the Savannah Way (Victoria Highway) and Butine Highway in the north and the Tanami Road that runs across the Tanami Desert in the south.
From Queensland
When driving west from Queensland, the most easily accessible route is the fully-sealed Overlander’s Way (Barkly Highway) from Mt Isa. Alternatively travellers can drive the unsealed portion of the Savannah Way from Cairns.
By Sea
Cruising has increased in popularity in the Northern Territory and the schedules for several international cruises include a day stopover in Darwin. Expedition cruise ships touring the northern coast of Australia are becoming a popular way to visit remote Aboriginal art communities in Arnhem Land and Groote Eylandt.
Airlines
