Ways to get there from Australia
Times are our estimates and include a typical connection.
| From | Usual routings | Typical journey time |
|---|---|---|
| Adelaide | Singapore Airlines via Singapore; Malaysia Airlines via Kuala Lumpur; Emirates via Dubai | About 14–19 h via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur (estimate) |
| Brisbane | Singapore Airlines via Singapore; Malaysia Airlines via Kuala Lumpur; Emirates via Dubai | About 14–19 h via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur (estimate) |
| Melbourne | Singapore Airlines (Scoot also flies via Singapore); Malaysia Airlines; SriLankan via Colombo; Thai Airways via Bangkok; Air India non-stop to Delhi then a domestic flight | 13–17 h via Singapore; 14–19 h via Colombo; 18–24 h via Delhi |
| Sydney | Singapore Airlines or Scoot via Singapore; Malaysia Airlines; Qantas to Bengaluru with an IndiGo connection on the same ticket; Thai Airways via Bangkok; Air India via Delhi | 13–18 h via Singapore; 15–19 h via Bengaluru |
From Adelaide and Brisbane, Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines both fly to Chennai from their home hubs, so a one-ticket journey with bags checked through is easy to arrange. Thai Airways is lifting Bangkok–Chennai to 11 flights a week from 25 October 2026.
About the airport
Chennai International Airport (MAA) is at Meenambakkam, about 20 km south-west of the city centre. International flights use Terminal 2, the newer integrated terminal. Domestic flights use a different terminal depending on the airline, so check the boarding pass for any onward flight.
- Metro: Chennai Metro has a station at the airport, connected to the terminals, and the city centre is roughly 30–45 minutes away. The Tirusulam suburban railway station sits across the road.
- Taxis and app cabs are available outside arrivals at all hours.
- Arrival forms: see our e-Arrival Card guide.
Nearby cities this airport serves
- Chennai, Kanchipuram and Chengalpattu
- Vellore (about 130 km) and Puducherry (about 150 km), roughly 3–4 hours by road
- Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, by road
- A domestic connecting point for Madurai, Tiruchirappalli and Coimbatore
Families from Tiruchirappalli and Coimbatore can sometimes skip Chennai: Scoot sells flights from Singapore to both cities, and we check the days for your dates. We'll compare the options for your dates.
Busy seasons and festivals
- Pongal: 15 January 2027 (some calendars show 14 January). It falls in the Australian summer holidays, so early January is very busy.
- Tamil New Year (Puthandu): 14 April 2027.
- Deepavali: 8 November 2026 and 29 October 2027. See our Diwali guide.
- December music season: Chennai's Margazhi concert season runs through December, adding to the school-holiday demand.
- North-east monsoon: Chennai gets most of its rain between October and December. Heavy downpours can slow roads and occasionally disrupt flights.
Tips from our team
- Scoot is cheap until you add bags. Its base fares don't include checked baggage. Compare the total with Singapore Airlines once bags are added, using our baggage guide.
- Colombo is close. From Melbourne, SriLankan's short hop from Colombo to Chennai makes it a reasonable one-ticket option, often at a lower fare.
- Allow for the weather. In November and December, leave some slack in any onward domestic connection.
- Going to Tirupati or Vellore? Chennai is the usual gateway, but a late-night arrival followed by a three-hour drive is tiring. Many families stay the first night near the airport and travel the next morning.
- Parents flying to Australia on Indian passports should read our transit rules guide before choosing a hub.
Talk to a real person about flights to Chennai
Fares and schedules change every day, so we don't publish prices on this page. For live fares on your dates, call or WhatsApp the Travel Care team on 0421 882 733. We're a family-run agency at 222 Henley Beach Road, Torrensville, booking flights since 2010, and we speak English, Hindi and Punjabi. Seen a cheaper fare somewhere else? Send us the screenshot and we'll see what we can do.
Last checked: 20 October 2026 by the Travel Care team.
