T123 and T4 compared
Terminal car parks at Melbourne Airport
Two buildings, two walk times. Pick the one that matches your airline and skip the shuttle.
Step out of the car and into check-in
If your priority is stepping out of the car and into the terminal, terminal parking is the product to compare in Melbourne Airport parking. Melbourne Airport runs two separate options: T123 Terminal Car Park for Terminals 1, 2 and 3, and T4 Terminal Car Park for Terminal 4. They have separate entries and sit at different points in the precinct.
Choosing between them is mostly about your airline and how far you want to walk with a suitcase. Get that match right before you look at airport parking rates, because a cheaper bay at the wrong terminal costs you time at boarding.
Quick match
Qantas or Virgin domestic
T123 — inside
International from T2
T123 — direct link
Jetstar or Rex
T4 — 100m walk
Quick drop-off
15 min free
Check your booking confirmation for the terminal number, then book the matching deck. Parking Melbourne Airport travellers use most often is the one closest to their airline.
Two decks, one afternoon of light
Terminal parking sells convenience, and here convenience is measured in metres and doors. Neither T123 nor T4 uses a shuttle bus. That is the real difference from Value parking.
T123 access
Multi-level deck with direct access to Terminals 1, 2 and 3. Park, take a lift or stairs, and you are at check-in without crossing a road. Valet also operates from this deck.
T4 access
Separate building roughly 100m from the Terminal 4 entrance. A short outdoor walk with a wheeled bag. Do not treat T123 and T4 as interchangeable at boarding time.
Why it costs more
No bus, no wait, no transfer. For families with young kids, travellers with a mobility aid, or tight connections, that absence of a bus is the whole point.
Which terminal car park for which traveller
Flying Qantas or Virgin domestically? Choose T123 and you are inside in a couple of minutes. International from T2? T123 again. Jetstar or Rex from T4? Choose T4 with its 100m walk. If you are dropping someone off rather than parking for days, the same car parks give you 15 minutes free, which covers a brisk farewell.
Dropping off instead? See the Wait ZoneWalking distance, honestly
T123 gives you indoor access to three terminals. T4 gives you a 100m walk to one. Both keep you off the shuttle, which matters when every minute counts or when luggage and kids slow you down.
T123 to T1 / T3 domestic
Lift or stairs straight into the terminal complex.
Indoor link
T123 to T2 international
Same deck, every international departure.
Direct access
T4 to Terminal 4
Short outdoor path, manageable with a wheeled bag.
About 100m
T123 to T4 on foot
Separate precinct points. Not a quick switch with luggage.
Book the right one
Drive-up rates versus booking ahead
Drive-up rates at the terminal car parks start from $62 a day. That is the price if you arrive without a reservation and take a ticket at the barrier. Booking online before you travel usually costs less and issues a QR code for the boom gate, so entry and exit are scan-and-go. The drive-up rate exists for flexibility. The booking exists for price and speed, and most travellers planning more than a day ahead should book.
Drive up
Ticket at the barrier, pay on exit. From $62 a day.
Flexible
Book ahead
QR code for the gate. Lower price, faster entry.
Scan and go
First 15 minutes
Free in terminal car parks for quick pickups.
No charge
Valet at T123
Hand over keys at the valet entry, walk in.
Terminal side
Good to know
Valet, peaks and longer trips
Three calls that decide whether terminal parking is worth it for your dates.
Peak reminder
School holidays, Easter and December fill terminal decks first. If you fly at 6am in a peak window, hold a bay with a booking.
Valet parking
Valet runs from T123 Terminal Car Park. You drive to the valet entry, hand over the car, and walk into the terminal. On return, you collect it from the same point. It suits short business trips and anyone who would rather not hunt for a level and a bay after a long flight. Valet is a terminal-side product, so it is not available from the Value car parks or the Wait Zone.
Peak periods and getting a space
School holidays, Easter and the December rush put pressure on every car park at Melbourne Airport. Terminal car parks feel it first, because they are the ones people book for short trips. If your travel falls in a peak window, book early rather than gambling on a drive-up space at dawn. A reservation holds your bay; a drive-up ticket does not. That matters most for early departures when the decks fill before the first wave of flights.
When terminal parking is not the right call
Terminal parking is priced for convenience, so it stops making sense on longer trips. A three-week holiday at drive-up rates adds up fast, and the walk-in benefit matters less when you are away for a month. That is when Value South and its free shuttle, running every 15 minutes around the clock, becomes the better trade. Terminal parking is for short trips and tight schedules. Long-stay is a different product with a different job.
Compare with Value long-stayBooking act — hold your bay
Book the deck that matches your flight
Peak mornings fill fast. A booking costs less than driving up, keeps entry to a scan, and holds a space in the right building for your airline.
Before you tap book
Check the terminal on your ticket
T1, T2 or T3 means T123. T4 means T4. Do not cross between them with luggage.
Allow the 100m walk at T4
Short and outdoor. Fine with a wheeled bag, worth knowing in rain.
Need help choosing?
The parking team can confirm the deck, valet hours and grace period. Read booking help or contact the parking team.
Terminal parking questions
Straight answers for the mix-ups we see most at the barrier. Still unsure? The parking team at Level 2, Terminal 2 answers around the clock on +61 3 9297 1600.
Contact the parking teamAre T123 and T4 the same car park?
No. T123 Terminal Car Park serves Terminals 1, 2 and 3, including all international flights. T4 Terminal Car Park serves Terminal 4, about 100m away. Check your airline's terminal before booking.
Can I walk from T123 to T4?
They are separate locations within the precinct, and the walk between them is not a quick one with luggage. Book the car park that matches your terminal rather than planning to cross between them.
Do terminal car parks charge for the first 15 minutes?
No. The terminal car parks offer 15 minutes free, which suits quick pickups and drop-offs. Beyond that, normal parking charges apply.
Is valet available at T4?
Valet operates from T123 Terminal Car Park. If valet matters to your trip, that is the car park to book, and you will want to match it against your departure terminal.
What happens in school holidays and December?
Terminal decks fill first in peak windows. Book early, keep your QR code handy, and allow extra time for lifts and pedestrian crossings. A reservation holds your bay where a drive-up ticket cannot.