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 13–19 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; Malaysia Airlines (MH108, daily, late-evening arrival); SriLankan via Colombo; Emirates via Dubai; Air India non-stop to Delhi then a domestic flight | 13–17 h via Singapore; 13–18 h via Colombo; 19–25 h via Delhi |
| Sydney | Singapore Airlines; Malaysia Airlines; Qantas to Bengaluru then a short IndiGo flight on the same ticket; Emirates via Dubai; Air India via Delhi | 13–18 h via Singapore; 15–20 h via Bengaluru |
SriLankan's flight from Colombo to Kochi takes about an hour, which is why it's popular with Kerala families flying from Melbourne. From Sydney, SriLankan sells fares to Colombo, and we check how the flights route on your dates before you book.
About the airport
Cochin International Airport (COK) is at Nedumbassery, near Aluva and Angamaly, about 30 km north of Ernakulam. International flights use Terminal 3 and domestic flights use Terminal 1. It's known as the first airport in the world to run fully on solar power.
- Getting there by road: allow about 1–1.5 hours to Thrissur and 2–2.5 hours to Kottayam or Alappuzha. Munnar is a long, slow drive into the hills, so ask us about breaking the trip after a late arrival.
- Late arrivals: many Asian and Gulf flights land late in the evening or overnight, so pre-book a car, especially for elderly parents.
- Arrival forms: see our e-Arrival Card guide.
Nearby cities this airport serves
Kochi is the main airport for central Kerala: Ernakulam, Aluva, Angamaly, Thrissur, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and Idukki, including Munnar.
Kerala has two other international airports worth comparing:
- Thiruvananthapuram (TRV) for southern Kerala. Malaysia Airlines flies there daily from Kuala Lumpur (since December 2025) and Scoot sells flights from Singapore; we check other options for your dates.
- Kozhikode (CCJ) for the Malabar region. Its international flights are mainly to the Gulf, so from Australia it usually means connecting in Doha or another Gulf hub.
Busy seasons and festivals
- Christmas and New Year: the busiest period for Kerala flights from Australia, on top of the summer school holidays. Book early.
- Sabarimala pilgrimage season: mid-November to mid-January, which adds domestic traffic through Kochi.
- Easter: 28 March 2027.
- Vishu: 14 April 2027.
- Onam: Thiruvonam is 12 September 2027, close to the Australian spring school holidays in some states.
- South-west monsoon: roughly June to September. Heavy rain can delay flights and slow travel, but fares are often lower.
Tips from our team
- Singapore Airlines is the simple choice. It flies all the way to Kochi on one airline from Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
- Compare Colombo from Melbourne. SriLankan's short final hop and fares can make it the best value, but check the baggage on the fare. Our baggage guide covers each airline.
- December seats go first. If you're travelling for Christmas, start looking well before the September school holidays.
- For Trivandrum or Malabar, ask us to price both airports. A slightly longer flight can save a four-hour drive.
- Arriving on MH108? Malaysia Airlines' Kuala Lumpur–Kochi flight lands late in the evening, so plan the drive home or book a night near the airport if you're heading to Kottayam or the hills.
Talk to a real person about flights to Kochi
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.
