Flights to Broome: Can I fly direct from Sydney and Melbourne?

Qantas runs seasonal flights to Broome from Sydney and Melbourne. But it’s just one day a week, and fares are expensive if you want to avoid travelling via Perth.

Broome in Western Australia is one of the most appealing resort towns in Australia, partly because it’s so startlingly different. The outback meets the Indian Ocean in Broome, but the town also has a surprisingly strong Asian heritage. The attractions are novel, too. You can see dinosaur footprints, ride a camel along Cable Beach, visit the Willie Creek Pearl Farm, the Pearl Luggers or Matsos Brewery and go on a hovercraft tour.

9 great Broome experiences to book today

1. Sunset camel ride – take in the changing colours of Cable Beach on camelback.
2. Horizontal Falls flight – see one of nature’s most extraordinary natural phenomena
3. Crocodile park visit – watch big crocs being fed up close.
4. Half hour helicopter ride – see the extraordinary red rock coastline from above
5. Dinosaur footprints adventure – including a wildlife spotting boat ride down Dampier Creek.
6. Sunset cruise – enjoy an Indian Ocean sunset with wine in hand
7. Windjana Gorge day trip – venture deeper into the rugged Kimberley.
8. Town tour – learn Broome’s fascinating history along the way.
9. Mud-crabbing experience – catch crabs in the mangroves then eat them after they’re cooked by a pro.

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Broome Cable Beach camel ride at sunset — Sunset camel rides along Cable Beach are a Broome tradition. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

But getting to Broome is tricky. There are regular flights to Broome Airport from Perth with Qantas and Virgin Australia. From other Australian cities, though, going via Perth represents a considerable detour and might well be off-putting.

Direct flights to Broome from Sydney and Melbourne

The good news is that there are flights to Broome from other Australian cities, which is quite surprising given the Broome population is less than 15,000. The bad news is that they don’t depart year-round. Qantas operates direct flights to Broome from Sydney and Melbourne, but only during the peak winter season.

Best 5 Broome day trips to book in advance

Horizontal Falls and Dampier Peninsula day tour – including speedboat ride and Buccaneer archipelago flight. (See other Horizontal Falls tour options here).
Dampier Peninsula 4WD tour – including Beagle Bay’s pearl shell church, Aboriginal communities & Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm.
Fixed wing air tour – including Cape Leveque, Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm & Horizontal Falls.
Windjana Gorge day tour – including the Tunnel Creek caves.
Epic full day combo – see Mitchell Falls, Horizontal Falls and the Dampier Peninsula in one trip.

The other slight snag is that there is just one flight a week. If you’re looking for flexibility to rock up and depart whenever you like, Broome is really not the destination for you.

The flights to Broome from Sydney depart on Saturdays and the flights to Broome from Melbourne depart on Sundays. This may change in future – if these flights prove to be an absolute gold mine for Qantas, then there’s ample space to increase frequently.

Seasonal Broome flights

The season for flights to Broome from Australia’s east coast cities generally starts at the beginning of April. Sometimes it might be the end of March, depending on how the dates fall. The Sydney to Broome and Melbourne to Broome direct flights stop at the end of September.

These Broome flights are neither short nor cheap. The flights from Sydney to Broome last five hours, and cost from $597 one way. The flights from Melbourne to Broome last four hours and 35 minutes, costing from $570 one way.

Broome accommodation recommendations

There are plenty of places to stay in Broome – mostly scarily expensive. These are the best accommodation choices if they’re available on your dates.

For the best pool scene: Cable Beach Club Resort and Spa.
For Cable Beach location, but considerably cheaper: RAC Cable Beach Holiday Park.
For a good value, fairly central aparthotel: Moonlight Bay Suites.
For character, heritage and charm: Pinctada McAlpine House.