Picking someone up from Melbourne Airport is about to look very different.
From Tuesday, 6 October 2026, private passenger pick-up and drop-off for Terminals 1, 2 and 3 will move away from the existing terminal forecourt and departures ramp to the new T123 Transport Hub.
The change affects passengers travelling with Qantas from Terminal 1, international airlines from Terminal 2 and Virgin Australia from Terminal 3.
Drivers will also need to change the way they approach the airport, using the new Exit 19, Naarm Way, from the Tullamarine Freeway.
The new arrangement is intended to reduce congestion and provide additional road capacity as Melbourne Airport prepares for a major expansion of its international terminal.
But the change has already attracted plenty of attention from travellers, particularly over the additional distance passengers will need to walk with luggage.
What's changing at Melbourne Airport?
For decades, passengers have been dropped off on the elevated departures ramp immediately outside Melbourne Airport's main terminals.
That arrangement ends on Monday night.
From 4am on Tuesday, private vehicles dropping off passengers for Terminals 1, 2 and 3 will instead use Level 3 of the new T123 Transport Hub.
Private passenger pick-up will move to Level 2.
For drivers approaching via the Tullamarine Freeway, Melbourne Airport says they should take Exit 19 for Naarm Way and follow signs for the appropriate T123 pick-up or drop-off area.
The new facility is part of the $500 million Naarm Way project and will provide substantially more vehicle capacity than the existing arrangements.
Melbourne Airport says the drop-off area will have 74 spaces, while the pick-up area will have 115 spaces.
Which passengers are affected?
The new T123 arrangement applies to passengers using:
- Terminal 1: Qantas
- Terminal 2: International airlines
- Terminal 3: Virgin Australia
Terminal 4 arrangements aren't changing.
Passengers travelling with Jetstar or Rex will continue to use the existing T4 Transport Hub, with pick-up on Level 1 and drop-off on Level 2.
How far will passengers have to walk?
This has become one of the more controversial parts of the change.
Melbourne Airport says the new drop-off zone is approximately 170 metres from the terminals, while the pick-up zone is approximately 285 metres away.
However, individual journeys can be longer depending on the terminal and where a passenger starts or finishes.
Instructional videos showing passengers travelling between the terminals and new transport hub have attracted hundreds of comments online, with some travellers concerned about managing the distance with children, heavy luggage or limited mobility.
Others have questioned the absence of travelators along the route.
Melbourne Airport has said moving walkways may be considered as part of a future stage of the international terminal expansion.
For most able-bodied passengers, a few hundred metres may not sound particularly significant.
Add several suitcases, a tired toddler after a long flight or someone who has difficulty walking, though, and the experience can look quite different.
Free mobility assistance is available
Melbourne Airport is expanding its free Melbourne Airport Assist service alongside the change.
From October 6, the service will operate from 3am until 1am, seven days a week, providing assistance between areas including car parks, baggage halls, check-in and the new passenger pick-up and drop-off zones.
The airport says additional buggies and powered wheelchairs are being provided to support travellers.
Assistance can be booked at least 24 hours in advance, requested by phone on the day of travel, or arranged at one of the airport's mobility hubs.
After-hours assistance can also be arranged when booked at least 24 hours ahead.
Melbourne Airport Assist and pick-up/drop-off information
Picking someone up? Don't arrive until they're ready
There's another important change for anyone collecting family or friends.
The new T123 passenger pick-up zone will allow five minutes of free standing time.
Melbourne Airport is therefore recommending that drivers wait until their passenger has collected their luggage and reached the designated pick-up area before entering the zone.
If you arrive early, the airport's Wait Zone on Mercer Drive provides up to 60 minutes free.
That could be particularly useful for international arrivals, where immigration, customs and baggage collection can make arrival times difficult to predict.
The airport's terminal car parks are another option if you want to park and meet someone rather than coordinating a quick collection.
What about Uber, taxis and SkyBus?
This is where the changes can become slightly confusing because not everyone is moving to the new passenger pick-up zone.
Taxi, Uber and other rideshare pick-up will remain on the ground-level forecourt outside Terminals 1, 2 and 3.
SkyBus will also continue to use the existing terminal forecourt.
Taxi and rideshare drop-off, however, will move to Level 3 of the new T123 Transport Hub.
So if you're arriving at Melbourne Airport and ordering an Uber, you won't need to make your way to the same Level 2 area used for private passenger collection.
Why is Melbourne Airport making the change?
The airport says its existing road network simply isn't designed to handle the number of passengers now passing through Melbourne.
The new transport hub provides a dedicated connection from the Tullamarine Freeway and separates much of the private vehicle traffic from the terminal forecourt.
It also clears the existing departures ramp and forecourt area to allow work to begin on the expansion of Terminal 2.
Melbourne Airport says it now regularly handles more than 120,000 passengers a day and expects annual passenger numbers to reach 75 million by 2047.
The change is therefore about considerably more than moving the airport's pick-up point.
It's part of a much larger redevelopment designed to accommodate Melbourne's future passenger growth.
Allow extra time from October 6
Even travellers who have used Melbourne Airport countless times may need a little adjustment.
The airport says additional staff will be on hand during the opening period to help passengers and drivers navigate the new system and is encouraging people to allow extra time while everyone becomes familiar with the layout.
For anyone flying from Melbourne, arriving to meet family or organising a lift home after a trip, the most important thing to remember is simple:
If you're using Terminals 1, 2 or 3 and travelling by private car, don't automatically head for the old terminal pick-up or departures ramp.
From October 6, you'll be heading for the T123 Transport Hub instead.
And if someone's collecting you after a long international flight, it might be worth waiting until you've actually reached the new pick-up zone before sending the traditional “I'm out, where are you?” text.
