If you are flying out of Melbourne Airport in February, your journey may be affected by a combination of overnight closures on the Tullamarine Freeway and ongoing roadworks around the terminal precinct. With major upgrades underway to create new elevated roads and expanded pick up and drop off areas, access routes are changing and traffic can be unpredictable, particularly late at night. Careful planning will be essential to avoid missed flights and stressful last minute dashes to the gate.
Key Tullamarine Freeway closures to know about in February
The most significant disruption for February will be a series of overnight closures on the Tullamarine Freeway to allow for the installation of new overhead road signage and related works near the airport. From Tuesday 17 February to Friday 20 February 2026, different sections of the freeway will be closed during night-time hours, with traffic diverted via alternate routes.
On the night of Tuesday 17 February into Wednesday 18 February, the Tullamarine Freeway is scheduled to close in both directions between Mickleham Road and Sunbury Road from 10 pm until 5 am. During this window, all traffic will be directed off the freeway and on to local roads, including Sharps Road and Airport Drive, before rejoining the main route closer to the airport or the city. Airport-bound and city-bound travellers alike will be affected, and delays are highly likely.
A further closure is due on the night of Thursday 19 February into Friday 20 February, when the freeway will close in the airport-bound direction at the Mickleham Road bridge between 9 pm and 5 am. In this case, city-bound lanes will remain open, but drivers heading towards the terminals will again be diverted via the Mickleham Road on-ramp and off-ramp and surrounding arterials. Work crews will use these shutdowns to install large gantries and signage linked to the new elevated road network and pick up and drop off zones.
In addition to these full closures, temporary lane closures and reduced speed limits will be in place on sections of the Tullamarine Freeway near the airport before, between and after the main overnight works. Drivers should expect slower traffic and merging conditions across much of February, particularly in the airport approach zone between APAC Drive and Mickleham Road.
Ongoing lane closures and speed reductions near the airport
Even outside the specific overnight shutdowns, the Tullamarine Freeway and surrounding roads are operating under construction conditions that are likely to add time to your airport journey. As part of long-term works associated with the Naarm Way elevated road project and new terminal access routes, key lanes on the freeway close to the airport remain shut and speeds are reduced.
City-bound fast lanes between APAC Drive and Mickleham Road are currently closed, limiting passing opportunities and compressing traffic into fewer lanes. On the airport-bound side, lanes are closed between Mickleham Road and Mercer Drive, where approaches feed into the main terminal and parking precinct. These lane losses are scheduled to continue at least until March 2026, meaning February travellers should not expect normal freeway capacity or free-flowing peak-hour conditions.
With these restrictions in place, even relatively minor incidents or breakdowns can cause rapid congestion. Travel times from the CBD, northern suburbs and key regional corridors such as the Hume Freeway can vary considerably, especially in the morning and evening peaks and in the busy late afternoon window when many domestic departures cluster. Allowing a generous buffer above standard travel estimates is strongly recommended.
Speed reductions are also in force through several work zones near the airport. Drivers will encounter lowered limits designed to protect construction workers and accommodate narrower lanes and temporary barriers. Enforcing these limits is a priority for authorities, and mobile speed cameras and patrols are common in the precinct. Rushing through to make up lost time is likely to be both unsafe and expensive.
Wider roadworks around the Melbourne Airport precinct
Closures on the Tullamarine Freeway form only part of a much larger web of roadworks shaping access to Melbourne Airport in early 2026. Within the terminal precinct itself, the airport is in the midst of major changes to its forecourt, internal roads and parking layout as it builds towards a new elevated road network and expanded pick up and drop off facilities.
Arrivals Drive, the main inbound surface road that brings traffic up to the terminal forecourt, has been reduced to three lanes and will remain constrained until at least the end of February. Departure Drive near the Terminal 1 end is also operating with a single lane closure that further tightens capacity during busy departure peaks. These changes apply throughout the day and night, so even travellers outside the overnight closure times should expect slower movements once they leave the freeway.
Pedestrian access is also affected. Travellers walking from value parking facilities are being directed along temporary detours while construction continues on the elevated road structures and new pedestrian bridge linking car parks to the terminals. This can lengthen walking times and may involve stairs, ramps or unfamiliar pathways. For passengers with mobility concerns or heavy luggage, building extra time into the journey from car park or drop off point to the terminal is advised.
Beyond the immediate airport forecourt, intermittent lane closures are taking place on Airport Drive, Centre Road and other connecting routes as crews work on utilities, foundations and new road alignments. The pattern of day and night works can change week by week. Checking the latest road delays and disruptions information from Melbourne Airport shortly before you travel will give the most accurate picture of current impacts.
Impacts on regional travellers and Sunbury Road users
Travellers driving in from Melbourne’s north-west and regional centres such as Sunbury, Bendigo and the Macedon Ranges face an additional set of challenges in February. Sunbury Road, a key route feeding traffic towards the airport precinct and future third runway, is undergoing its own upgrade to create a new intersection for construction traffic and long-term airport access.
Throughout February, Sunbury Road is subject to multiple overnight closures between Wildwood Road and Oaklands Road, typically between 9 pm and 5 am. During these shutdowns, traffic is diverted via Wildwood Road, Somerton Road and Oaklands Road. Detour routes are longer and involve narrower rural roads and intersections not designed for sustained high volumes of airport traffic, so delays are likely, especially at the start and end of each closure period.
A reduced speed limit of 40 kilometres per hour has been in place along parts of Sunbury Road since last year and will continue while upgrade works progress. Drivers therefore need to build in additional time even on nights when the road is not fully closed. For those catching late evening or early morning flights, or picking up arriving passengers in these time windows, it is worth considering alternative approaches to the airport that rely more on the Tullamarine Freeway corridor, provided it is open and safe to use.
Melbourne Airport has cautioned that exact dates for Sunbury Road closures may shift depending on weather and construction progress. The best approach for regional travellers is to monitor local traffic advisories and the airport’s project updates in the days before departure, and to have a back-up route planned in case their usual road is shut on the night of travel.
How much extra time you should allow for your journey
With so many overlapping works around Tullamarine, the most important question for travellers is how early to leave home. Melbourne Airport itself is advising passengers to add at least 30 minutes to their typical journey time while Naarm Way Stage 2 and associated projects are underway. Given the February program of overnight freeway closures, many travellers may wish to add even more.
If you are driving from inner Melbourne or the CBD during off-peak times and your trip would normally take around 30 to 40 minutes, allowing a full extra 45 minutes to one hour is a sensible buffer on nights when the freeway is affected. This accounts for diversion via local roads, slower speeds through work zones and potential queues approaching detours or merge points. It also provides space for finding a parking bay in a busier-than-usual car park or navigating changed drop off arrangements.
From outer suburbs and regional towns, where baseline travel times are already longer and alternative routes fewer, an additional hour is prudent in February, particularly for departures around the closure windows of 9 pm to 5 am. If your flight is early in the morning, you may find yourself travelling during the tail end of a night closure when roads are reopening and traffic flows are recalibrating. Overnight freight and construction vehicles using detours can also slow progress.
Inside the airport precinct, plan for a further 15 to 30 minutes to move from your drop off point or car park into the terminal. Lane reductions on Arrivals and Departure Drives, temporary pedestrian detours and the need to follow revised wayfinding for the forecourt can all add friction. For families, passengers with limited mobility and anyone checking luggage, this extra margin is particularly important.
Parking, pick up and drop off changes you will notice
February’s traffic disruptions are closely tied to a broader reconfiguration of parking and pick up options at Melbourne Airport. To make way for the upcoming T123 Transport Hub and new pick up and drop off zones, up to 2,000 parking spaces have been taken out of service in the Value Car Park and T123 parking facility. Capacity is therefore tighter, especially in peak travel periods and around holiday weekends.
Travellers who plan to leave their car at the airport should book parking online as early as possible to secure a space at the best available rate. Turning up without a booking increases the risk of being directed to a more distant car park or finding your preferred facility temporarily full. Remember that walking routes from some car parks now involve detours due to construction activity, so distance from the terminal is not the only factor to consider when choosing where to park.
On the kerbside, existing forecourt areas in front of Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are gradually being reshaped in preparation for their future role as a zone reserved largely for commercial vehicles such as SkyBus, taxis and rideshare. In the meantime, day-time and overnight closures of certain public pickup lanes, taxi bays and bus stands are occurring on a rolling schedule while works proceed. Signs and traffic staff will guide drivers to alternate bays, but last-minute lane changes can generate confusion and congestion.
For smoother pick ups, Melbourne Airport is encouraging drivers to make more use of the Terminal 4 pick up area, which is currently less directly affected by construction and connected to the freeway via the already completed Stage 1 elevated road. If you are collecting passengers arriving at Terminals 1, 2 or 3, agree in advance whether they will meet you at their own terminal or walk across to Terminal 4, which may save both of you time in heavy traffic.
Practical strategies to minimise stress on departure day
While the construction program around Melbourne Airport is extensive, a little preparation goes a long way in reducing its impact on your trip. The first step is to check for the latest updates on road delays, disruptions and project works in the 24 hours before your flight. Conditions can change quickly, and schedules for overnight closures sometimes shift, so relying on information from a week or two earlier is risky.
Next, plan your route with contingencies. Even if you usually take the Tullamarine Freeway all the way to the airport, familiarise yourself with the main detours via Sharps Road, Airport Drive, Mickleham Road and surrounding arterials in case you encounter a closure or heavy congestion. For those travelling from the north-west, plot an alternative to Sunbury Road using regional highways and the freeway corridor wherever possible.
Consider transport options that are less sensitive to road closures. SkyBus and other commercial shuttle services are in close contact with airport operations and typically adjust schedules and routes around construction activity. Taxis and rideshare drivers are often familiar with back roads and detour options. While these services cannot escape traffic entirely, they can remove the stress of navigation and parking from your shoulders.
Finally, communicate with your airline if you anticipate significant delays en route to the airport, particularly on nights when the freeway is fully closed. Some carriers, especially low-cost airlines with tight turnarounds, emphasise strict check-in cut-offs. Having a record of road conditions and leaving early remain your best protections against missing a flight because of congestion caused by works outside your control.
Why the disruptions are happening and what comes next
Although the immediate effect of the Tullamarine Freeway closures and surrounding works is inconvenience for February travellers, they form part of a broader upgrade that will eventually simplify access to Melbourne Airport. The airport’s multistage Naarm Way project and the construction of a new elevated loop road aim to separate private vehicles from commercial traffic, cut journey times from the freeway and reduce congestion in the terminal forecourt.
Stage 1 of this plan, the elevated link known as Naarm Way, already provides a direct connection from the Tullamarine Freeway to the Terminal 4 transport hub, bypassing intersections and traffic lights. Stage 2, now under construction, will extend this network to new pick up and drop off zones for Terminals 1, 2 and 3 within the reconfigured T123 car park. When that work is complete, public cars will be able to reach all terminals via an intersection-free elevated route.
The signage works driving February’s overnight freeway closures are a visible sign of this transition. New gantries and overhead panels will guide drivers onto dedicated exits for the future T123 Transport Hub and refined approach roads. Alongside third runway works and the Sunbury Road upgrade, they reflect an airport preparing for significant long-term growth in passenger and vehicle volumes.
For now, though, the priority for any traveller heading to Melbourne Airport in February is to treat the journey as part of the trip, not an afterthought. By checking conditions, leaving early, planning detours and staying flexible, you can navigate the Tullamarine Freeway closures and construction zone with a minimum of stress and ensure that the disruptions outside never make it as far as your boarding gate.