Frequently Asked Questions

Early works activities ahead of construction began in August 2025, with planes expected to be landing on the runway by 2031. 

The new runway will be 3,000m long and will be constructed 1.3 kilometres to the west of the current north-south runway. The existing east-west runway is currently 2,286 metres long and, as part of construction, it will be shortened by 346 metres from the western end. However, as part of noise-sharing measures, the eastern end of the runway will later be extended by the same amount. 

In August 2025 we started early works, which includes site preparations, geotechnical investigations and upgrades to Sunbury Road, among other activities. 

Main construction works will begin in 2026. This includes the major earthworks required to level the site for the runway and taxiways. The runway is expected to open in 2031, following extensive testing and certification. 

You can read more about construction activities online here. 

The majority of construction works will take place on Melbourne Airport land. There may be some disruptions to people using roads around the airport due to construction trucks or the upgrade works along Sunbury Road to the north of the airport. Disruption information can be found online. 

The third runway will cost $3 billion to build. The project will be funded privately. 

Once constructed, the runway will contribute almost $6 billion to the Victorian economy each year and support an additional 37,000 jobs in Victoria by 2046.   

Melbourne Airport is one of the largest employment precincts in Victoria, and the majority of people who work within the precinct live in the seven municipalities that surround the airport. Building the new runway and expanding the airport’s capacity will create around 10,700 direct and indirect jobs during construction, 650 of which are expected to be created in the Melbourne Airport local area each year. 

In addition, the expanded airport is forecast to add $5.9 billion to the state economy every year and support 37,000 additional jobs by 2046. 

The third runway was approved by the Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government on 10 September 2024. This was after a lengthy community consultation period and robust assessment of the project’s environmental and social impacts. 

In February 2022, Melbourne Airport’s draft Third Runway Major Development Plan went on public exhibition. Over a 104-day period, we held more than 50 engagement sessions (both face-to-face and online) and gathered more than 2,100 submissions. Four newsletter editions were distributed to almost 1 million households surrounding the airport and its flight paths. 

Following the end of the public exhibition period and submission of the Major Development Plan, Melbourne Airport has continued to engage with stakeholders to provide updates about progress and answer questions. There will be ongoing consultation and engagement as we work on the conditions applied to the project, including the Noise Amelioration Plan, the Community Health Study and the Noise Sharing Plan. 

Airports by nature are busy, noisy places that can impact neighbouring communities. When the new runway is operational, residents close to the approach and departure flight paths will notice more aircraft flying overhead. Suburbs very close to the airport, such as Keilor and Bulla, will experience the most noticeable changes. Melbourne Airport is preparing a Noise Sharing Plan that will outline how the airport will share and lessen aircraft noise for nearby neighbours. 

The Major Development Plan for the third runway, which was approved by the Federal Government in September 2024, included concept design flight paths for when the airport begins operations with three runways. These can be seen in our Flight Path and Noise Map, available online.  

Independent consultants are developing the Noise Sharing Plan, which will guide how the airport will share aircraft noise across nearby communities. As part of this work, there will be further refinement of the flight paths outlined in the Major Development Plan. 

Following approval of the Noise Sharing Plan by the Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Airservices Australia will conduct detailed design, which involves safety assessments and operational validation on the flight paths. Changes at this time will only be made where a safety issue is identified. 

To avoid conflicts with the new third runway, the existing east-west runway will be shortened by 346 metres at the western end. However, in response to community feedback, a condition of approval for the runway is that the length of the runway will be restored at the eastern end. This allows for the sharing of aircraft noise across communities surrounding the airport, when demand and weather conditions allow. You can read more about the Noise Sharing Plan and the engagement process.  

We are currently developing a draft Major Development Plan for this project, called the Eastern Extension Project, which will be on public exhibition in 2026. More information will be online when available. 

We are currently developing a Noise Amelioration Plan and Program in consultation with key stakeholders. This could include improvements like double-glazing windows, upgraded seals and acoustic insulation for eligible homes, schools, childcare and healthcare facilities. The boundaries of the plan will be defined by noise forecasts, which will be available in 2026.  

Consultation on the plan’s scope began in mid-2025, and we’ll submit the final plan to the Federal Government in 2026. Once approved, eligible property owners will be contacted directly. 

As part of delivering the third runway, independent health experts will carry out a study into the health impacts of aircraft noise on communities surrounding Melbourne Airport.   

While Melbourne Airport undertook analysis of potential health impacts of the third runway as part of the approval process, this is the first large-scale community health study undertaken by any major Australian airport. It will collect data before the runway opens and for 20 years after the new runway begins operations.   

Independent health experts from Deakin and Liverpool universities have developed the draft terms of reference for the Community Health Study, and these were submitted to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development in September 2025 for approval. More information about the Community Health Study is available online. 

We know that local communities value and enjoy having a viewing area to observe the airfield. As part of the runway development, we are looking at options to provide a permanent viewing platform. Stay tuned! 

The short answer is: Victoria needs both projects. 

The third runway and the airport rail link serve different but equally important purposes.  

The runway is about keeping planes moving efficiently. Without it, we’ll face more delays, fewer flight options and higher airfares as Melbourne grows. By 2042, we expect more than 76 million passengers a year – double today’s numbers. 

The rail link, on the other hand, is about helping people get to and from the airport. We’ve long supported this project and are working with the Victorian and Federal Governments to help move it forward. You can read more about Melbourne Airport Rail on the Victorian Government’s Big Build website. 

While extensive efforts have been made to reduce environmental impacts, construction of the third runway will affect several ecologically significant areas. As part of the project, and in accordance with government approvals, there will be vegetation clearance within the airport precinct.  

To compensate for this loss, Melbourne Airport is acquiring environmental offsets. This means we have committed to securing land and managing it in perpetuity (or, in simpler terms, forever) to replace the significant environmental values that will be lost by the removal of these habitats. The offset program includes two onsite offset areas and a number of offset locations within Victoria. You can read more about this in our flora and fauna fact sheet. 

Although Melbourne Airport’s third runway will be an important contributor to the Victorian economy and community throughout the construction and operational phases, we recognise that sustainability impacts need to be actively monitored, managed and reported.    

A greenhouse gas emissions inventory was prepared for all phases of construction and operation of Melbourne Airport’s third runway, and assessments were made on all material sources of greenhouse gases. This provided a picture of the likely impacts regarding greenhouse gas emissions related to the third runway. Melbourne Airport estimates that:   

• More than 1,162 kilotonnes of CO2-e total emissions will be produced annually with the third runway operating  

• This compares to 814 kilotonnes of CO2-e total emissions that would otherwise be produced annually without a third runway  

Melbourne Airport is committed to reducing both third runway construction emissions and operational emissions (within our control i.e., Scopes 1 & 2) by 10 per cent each below business-as-usual.   

Melbourne Airport has limited ability to implement measures to reduce landing and take-off related emissions, but will continue working with airlines to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Airlines are also investing in initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as investing in more fuel-efficient aircraft and in developing sustainable aviation fuel. 

You can read more in the greenhouse gas emissions fact sheet. 

We would love to hear from you. We have a variety of materials about the third runway, including fact sheets, videos and the Flight Path and Noise Tool.   

We hold regular community pop-ups, and these are listed online. You can also email our Community Engagement team at newrunway@melair.com.au or call them on 03 9297 1597.