Melbourne – known for being (one of) the most livable city in the world, the sporting capital of the world& its coffee culture.
It is also Australia's cultural hub and the capital of Victoria – Australia's second-most populated state (behind New South Wales – the state of Sydney).
Whenever I go to Australia, I stay in Melbourne because I love it here.
… but also because my boyfriend lives here 😜.
But there should be no excuse not to visit Melbourne when visiting Australia (and Sydney for that matter), especially with relatively low ticket prices between the two countries (but not European-level low).
Writing a list of all the cool things to do in Melbourne would require another blog post (or a dedicated Melbourne blog), so I will save you from that because you want to know what SIM card and eSIM options are available at the airport.
You can get a Telstra, Optus, Vodafone Australia & Boost Mobile Australia SIM card or eSIM for 10 AUD to 300 AUD at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport (MEL).
That is quite a spread – what gives?
It is mostly because you can get a starter pack lasting a full year – useful for Working Holiday Makers.
But you can also get a seven-day SIM card for only 10 AUD if that is all you need.
So let's review all your options and see if getting a SIM card at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport is even worth it.
Original publication: 27th of February 2023. Last updated: 15th of January 2024.
Table of Contents
Mobile Operators in Australia
Before I tell you about the SIM card and eSIM options you have at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport, you first need to know about all the mobile operators in Australia.
Australia has three mobile operators and 14 Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) offering prepaid services easily accessible to travelers:
- Telstra
- Optus
- Vodafone Australia (TPG Telecom)
- ALDImobile (Telstra MVNO)
- Amaysim (Optus MVNO)
- Australia Post Mobile (Optus MVNO)
- Belong Mobile (Telstra MVNO)
- Boost Mobile Australia (Telstra MVNO)
- Coles Mobile (Optus MVNO)
- Gomo Australia (Optus MVNO)
- Gotalk Australia (Vodafone Australia (TPG Telecom) MVNO)
- JB Hi-Fi Mobile (Telstra MVNO)
- Hello Mobile Australia (Vodafone Australia (TPG Telecom) MVNO)
- Lebara Australia (Vodafone Australia (TPG Telecom) MVNO)
- Lycamobile Australia (Telstra MVNO)
- Telsim Australia (Telstra MVNO)
- Woolworths Mobile (Telstra MVNO)
That is quite a list, huh? (Un)fortunately, you cannot get most of them at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport.
For more information about Australian SIM cards, check out my Australia SIM card buying guide.
Alright, back to what Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport has to offer to us.
Where to Buy a SIM Card (or eSIM) at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport?
Several booths and stores at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport sell SIM cards (and eSIMs) from four Australian mobile operators: Telstra, Optus, Vodafone Australia & Boost Mobile Australia.
Unlike some Australian airports (Brisbane Airport and Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport), the arrival hall(s) of the four terminals at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport are connected.
Meaning you do not have to walk for up to 45 minutes (!) to transfer between the international and the domestic terminal if necessary.
If you are reading this, you will most likely be an international arriver, so I will write this guide from that angle.
But those arriving from another international airport and taking a domestic flight to Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport (arrivals from Adelaide, Cairns, Darwin, Perth, or Sydney) can still use this guide due to the interconnected arrivals hall at the airport.
Anyway, you will most likely arrive in terminal 2, where Optus and Vodafone Australia have dedicated booths on your right side.
As of 2023, the Welcome Center by OZLOOK opened, a Telstra partner, which now sells Telstra and Boost Mobile Australia SIM cards.
Apparently, OZLOOK has been in business since 2012, but I had not seen its store (open) in the many times I visited this airport since late-2019… anyway, its store is there now.
Finally, there is a Telstra-branded vending machine, by the same company that owns the Welcome Center, selling Telstra, Optus & Boost Mobile Australia starter packs.
Let's go through each mobile operator to see what they have to offer us at the airport.
What SIM Cards & Plans does Telstra Sell at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport (+Prices)?
Telstra sells regular SIM cards, through a reseller, at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport, costing 30 AUD, 40 AUD, or 300 AUD.
I will list all the prices in AUD (Australian Dollar).
To convert AUD to your currency (let's say NZD – New Zealand Dollar) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Telstra is the largest mobile operator in Australia.
It is also the recommended SIM card for those visiting rural areas or The Outback because it is the only mobile operator with coverage in many areas.
Telstra used to be state-owned, so it inherited towers in the most remote of the remotest areas the Australian government installed. For Telstra's competitors, it is not profitable to build towers there as well, which is why Telstra may be the only mobile operator in rural areas.
But if you are in urban areas, like metro Melbourne, you will be fine with most (although you will have the best performance with Telstra, as I explain in my Telstra review).
Unlike its main competitors, Optus and Vodafone Australia, Telstra has no dedicated store or booth at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport.
In fact, there are no Telstra stores at any Australian international airport, for some reason. 🤨.
Fortunately, as of December 2022, a Telstra Partner, OZLOOK, (re-)opened its store at the airport as the Welcome Center.
After picking up your luggage, this is probably the first store you will find the Welcome Center on the left side after walking through the door.
When it opened, it had a desk with International Students – Welcome Desk, so I assumed the store only targeted students.
Especially with that China Construction Bank advertisement being displayed on the left… I thought they targeted Chinese students somehow.
And as I said, this store kind of popped up out of nowhere. In early December 2022, I went to New Zealand from Melbourne – it was not there. When I came back after 1.5 weeks, it was suddenly there 🗿.
But anyone can walk in and get assistance and a SIM card there, so you are all good (the staff here also speak Chinese (Mandarin) and Vietnamese (not always available).
The Welcome Center has interesting opening hours: from 6:30 to 13:30, then from 17:30 to 23:30 before the last international arrival (0:30 at the time of writing), so you may be out of luck if you arrive late or are delayed.
There are about 5 to 10 international arrivals, depending on the day, in the three hours (13:30 – 16:30) the Welcome Center is closed, so you may also be out of luck if you are on one of them (but you can still get Telstra SIM cards elsewhere – more about that later).
Anyway, the Welcome Center has three Telstra starter packs you can choose from:
| Price | Data | Local Minutes | International Zone 1 Zone 1 | International Zone 2 Minutes 2 | International Zone 3 Minutes 3 | Local SMS | International SMS 4 | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 AUD | 30 GB | Unlimited | 300 minutes | 60 minutes | 5 minutes | Unlimited | 100 SMS | 28 days |
| 40 AUD | 40 GB | Unlimited | 500 minutes | 100 minutes | 10 minutes | Unlimited | 100 SMS | 28 days |
| 300 AUD | 200 GB | Unlimited | 6000 minutes | 800 minutes | 100 minutes | Unlimited | 100 SMS | 12 months |
1 to Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Germany, Guam, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Puerto Rico, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States & Vatican City
2 to Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brunei, Cambodia, the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, the Faroe Islands, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Macau, Malta, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, the Northern Mariana Islands, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Réunion, Russia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Venezuela & Vietnam
3 to any country – not restricted to zone 1 and 2 countries
If you wonder whether the Welcome Store overcharges you for these already generous allowances – it does not.
All international airports in Australia sell prepaid SIM cards at standard prices – no surcharges or hidden (registration) fees.
And I love that 😍.
From April/May 2022, all Telstra starter packs and plans had 5G NR access during the trial.
Previously, you had to spend 60 AUD on a starter pack or plan to experience Telstra's 5G NR speeds.
And they are fast… crazy fast – especially in Melbourne!
I will tell you all about it in my Telstra review (where I used my Sydney SIM card and eSIM in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Shepparton (regional Victoria – same state as Melbourne) & Sydney).
But this will change starting the 3rd of April 2023.
Until then, Telstra allowed for uncapped speeds for all its prepaid plans, even on 5G (which I tested extensively).
From then on, your 4G/LTE speeds will be capped @ 150 Mbps and @ 250 Mbps on 5G NR (except for the 60 AUD plan – you can still get crazy speeds, as shown above with that one).
Now, are 150 Mbps and 250 Mbps fast enough? Yes, it is.
ALDImobile Australia, a Telstra Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), already had to deal with these caps from the start, and I often hit those speeds when doing tests (and go over them routinely).
It is just unfortunate that Telstra decided to introduce caps to its own customers, as that used to be a selling point for Telstra: go with Telstra directly and pay a premium for faster speeds instead of going with a Telstra MVNO (like ALDImobile Australia, for example).
For now, Optus and Vodafone Australia have not mentioned anything about capping the 4G/LTE and 5G NR prepaid speeds… and I hope it stays that way.
Moving on – earlier, I mentioned that you can get Telstra SIM cards from a vending machine when the Welcome Center is closed.
And that is correct – it is a Telstra-branded vending machine, actually (but it is owned by the company that owns the Welcome Center – OZLOOK).
If you face the Welcome Center, you have to walk to your right, where the Optus booth and Vodafone Australia store are.
Just like how the Welcome Center is new, this vending machine is new too.
Here, only the 30 AUD and 40 AUD Telstra starter packs are available (if we ignore the Ootus and Boost Mobile Australia SIM cards).
As a reminder, you get the following perks with the 30 AUD and 40 AUD SIM cards:
| Price | Data | Local Minutes | International Zone 1 Zone 1 | International Zone 2 Minutes 2 | International Zone 3 Minutes 3 | Local SMS | International SMS 4 | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 AUD | 30 GB | Unlimited | 300 minutes | 60 minutes | 5 minutes | Unlimited | 100 SMS | 28 days |
| 40 AUD | 40 GB | Unlimited | 500 minutes | 100 minutes | 10 minutes | Unlimited | 100 SMS | 28 days |
1 to Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Germany, Guam, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Puerto Rico, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States & Vatican City
2 to Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brunei, Cambodia, the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, the Faroe Islands, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Macau, Malta, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, the Northern Mariana Islands, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Réunion, Russia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Venezuela & Vietnam
3 to any country – not restricted to zone 1 and 2 countries
Just like how you would not pay a surcharge or service fee at the Welcome Center, the vending machine will not charge you anything extra.
If you really want the 300 AUD starter pack, or any other Telstra SIM card because it has seven, you have to go to Melbourne proper.
There, you can get Telstra SIM cards from Telstra stores and resellers like convenience stores, gas stations & grocery stores.
The main con of buying your Telstra SIM card from the vending machine or reseller is that you have to register your SIM card yourself, whereas the Welcome Center will do it on your behalf.
Luckily, registration is quick, but Australian SIM cards are not plug-and-play like some Oceanian countries, like New Zealand.
Moreover, if you want a Telstra eSIM, you do have to visit a Telstra store for it.
Or you can do it online.
Note: you cannot activate a Telstra, or any other Australian, eSIM before arriving in Australia because your status needs to be set to onshore for the Australian Document Verification Service (DVS)).
It will still be on offshore if you are abroad or did not pass passport/customs check yet, meaning the eSIM cannot be activated.
If you do not want to deal with Australia's SIM card registration requirements but still want to be connected here, consider a travel eSIM that can be used in the country.
Why does it matter? Optus had a large-scale hack where the identities of more than 10 million people were stolen in October 2022, including mine 🤯.
Luckily for me, only basic (and outdated) info was leaked.
In my boyfriend's case, his passport document number was also stolen… so that was nice 🫠.
And hacks like this happen all the time – apparently. 1.3 billion SIM card registration-related data was stolen in Indonesia around the same time 😒.
Anyway, I write about the best travel eSIMs for Australia in my Best Australia eSIM buying guide.
I even tried many of them extensively for my Australian eSIM review series.
What SIM Cards & Plans does Optus Sell at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport (+Prices)?
Optus only sells its tourist SIM cards and eSIMs at Melbourne-Tullaramine Airport, costing 30 AUD and 60 AUD. But you can get regular starter packs from a vending machine.
I will list all the prices in AUD (Australian Dollar).
To convert AUD to your currency (let's say NZD – New Zealand Dollar) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Optus is the second-largest mobile operator in Australia – launched and owned by Singtel from Singapore (the largest there).
At Melbourne-Tullaramine Airport, you can get your Optus SIM card from the Optus booth in the arrivals hall.
After picking up your luggage, you will find the Optus booth on the right side after walking through the door (which you will recognize by seeing the bright yellow Yes sign).
The booth is open from 6:30 until 23:30, before the last international arrival (0:30 at the time of writing), so you may be out of luck if you arrive late or are delayed.
The same counts for early arrivals. Some flights arrive as early as 4:00.
Luckily, there are many other places to get (Optus) SIM cards in Melbourne proper (at the same prices as at the airport), so worry not.
And that is another thing – the airport booth and the vending machine will not overcharge you for any (Optus) SIM card, which is cool.
Which is different from many other international airports worldwide 😒.
Moving on, you can actually only get one SIM card from the Optus booth: Optus Flex 4G Traveler Plan.
It costs 30 AUD and gives you 60 GB of data, unlimited local minutes and to 15 select international destinations 1, 300 minutes to 35 international destinations 2 & unlimited local SMS and to 15 other international destinations 1 for 30 days.
1 to Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, the United Kingdom & the United States
2 to Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Mexico, Pakistan, Paraguay, the Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Venezuela & Vietnam
If you have a phone that supports eSIM, you can get the Optus Flex 5G Traveler Plan.
For 60 AUD, you also get 60 GB of data (with 5G NR access), unlimited local minutes and to 15 select international destinations 1, 300 minutes to 35 international destinations 2 & unlimited local SMS to 15 other international destinations 1 for 30 days.
So why would you pay double for the Optus Flex 5G Traveler Plan? Only because of 5G NR access?
If you stay in Australia for over a month, you will continue getting 60 GB every 30 days, whereas you will only get 30 GB with the Optus Flex 4G Traveler Plan.
Moreover, you normally get 30 GB for the Optus Flex 4G Traveler Plan from the get-go, but Optus seems to have a permanent promotion for 60 GB instead.
Now, the airport staff (at any Australian airport) will tell you that you cannot get the 30 AUD SIM card as an eSIM and need to get the 60 AUD eSIM instead.
You can get the 30 AUD SIM card as an eSIM on the Optus website (but you need to be in Australia before registering your eSIM because your status needs to be set to onshore for the Australian Document Verification Service (DVS)).
So you could sit in the arrivals hall, go to the Optus website, and get the 30 AUD plan as an eSIM.
Besides these two tourist SIM cards, the Optus booth sells no regular SIM cards.
I have to say its tourist offering is generous, especially compared to many airports around the world.
I also mentioned that there is a Telstra-branded vending machine selling Optus SIM cards.
This is where to get a(n Optus) SIM card if the booth is closed.
Here, you can get a regular Optus SIM card for 30 AUD with 30 GB of data (without 5G NR access), unlimited local minutes and to 15 select international destinations 1, 300 minutes to 35 international destinations 2 & unlimited local SMS and to 15 other international destinations 1 for 30 days.
1 to Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, the United Kingdom & the United States
2 to Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Mexico, Pakistan, Paraguay, the Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Venezuela & Vietnam
If the Optus booth is open and you do not care about 5G NR access (or do not want the Flex 5G Traveler Plan), I recommend getting your SIM card from the booth because you will get 60 GB of data instead of 30 GB from the vending machine.
Plus, your allowances are valid for 30 days (Traveler Plan) instead of 28 days (vending machine).
Besides these differences, all other perks are the same.
But is Optus' 5G NR network fast? Yes… blazing-fast. Especially in Melbourne.
The fastest 5G NR speed I got with Optus was 1.1 Gbps (1100 Mbps!)… so yeah… it IS fast!
I tell you all about it in my Optus review (where I used my Optus SIM card and eSIM in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Shepparton (regional Victoria – same state as Melbourne) & Sydney).
Note that SIM card registration is mandatory in Australia (that is why I mentioned the onshore status for DVS earlier).
If you do not want to deal with Australia's SIM card registration requirements but still want to be connected here, consider a travel eSIM that can be used in the country.
Why does it matter? Optus had a large-scale hack where the identities of more than 10 million people were stolen in October 2022, including mine 🤯.
Luckily for me, only basic (and outdated) info was leaked.
In my boyfriend's case, his passport document number was also stolen… so that was nice 🫠.
And hacks like this happen all the time – apparently. 1.3 billion SIM card registration-related data was stolen in Indonesia around the same time 😒.
Anyway, I write about the best travel eSIMs for Australia in my Best Australia eSIM buying guide.
I even tried many of them extensively for my Australian eSIM review series.
What SIM Cards & Plans does Vodafone Australia Sell at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport?
Vodafone Australia sells regular SIM cards at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport, costing between 10 AUD and 250 AUD.
I will list all the prices in AUD (Australian Dollar).
To convert AUD to your currency (let's say NZD – New Zealand Dollar) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Vodafone Australia is the third and smallest mobile operator in Australia.
If you are from Europe or other Pacific nations, you have probably heard of or used Vodafone before.
And if you are from Africa, you may know Vodafone as Vodacom instead.
Perhaps you used Vodafone back home.
In Australia, Vodafone is not the best option.
In fact, it is the worst, as I mention in my Vodafone Australia review.
However, it does offer cheap plans – and if you stay in urban areas, like metro Melbourne, you will be fine with Vodafone Australia.
Moving on, you can get your Vodafone Australia SIM card from the Vodafone store in the arrivals hall.
After picking up your luggage, you will find the Vodafone store on the right side after walking through the door (which you will recognize by seeing the big Vodafone sign).
The store is open from 8:30 until 23:30, before the last international arrival (0:30 at the time of writing), so you may be out of luck if you arrive late or are delayed.
The same counts for early arrivals. Some flights arrive as early as 4:00.
Here, you can get any of Vodafone Australia's regular starter packs without surcharges.
At many airports, the stores or booths may charge you service fees or inflate the prices, but that is not the case with Vodafone Australia.
And I can respect that!
Anyway, Vodafone Australia has seven starter packs you can choose from:
| Price | Data | Local Minutes | International Zone 1 Minutes 1 | International Zone 2 Minutes 2 | Local SMS | International SMS 3 | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 AUD | 4 GB | Unlimited | N/A | N/A | Unlimited | N/A | 7 days |
| 20 AUD | 8 GB | Unlimited | N/A | N/A | Unlimited | N/A | 14 days |
| 30 AUD | 15 GB | Unlimited | 500 minutes | N/A | Unlimited | 50 SMS | 28 days |
| 40 AUD | 30 GB | Unlimited | 1000 minutes | 100 minutes | Unlimited | 50 SMS | 28 days |
| 50 AUD | 45 GB | Unlimited | 1500 minutes | 200 minutes | Unlimited | 50 SMS | 28 days |
| 60 AUD | 70 GB | Unlimited | 2000 minutes | 250 minutes | Unlimited | 50 SMS | 28 days |
| 150 AUD | 80 GB | Unlimited | N/A | N/A | Unlimited | 50 SMS | 185 days |
| 250 AUD | 150 GB | Unlimited | N/A | N/A | Unlimited | 50 SMS | 365 days |
1 to Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Germany, Guam, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Puerto Rico, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States & Vatican City
2 to Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brunei, Cambodia, the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, the Faroe Islands, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Macau, Malta, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, the Northern Mariana Islands, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Réunion, Russia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Venezuela & Vietnam
3 to any country – not restricted to zone 1 and countries
It is not uncommon to pay slightly less for the 30 AUD, 40 AUD, 50 AUD, 150 AUD & 250 AUD starter packs.
I have seen the 250 AUD starter back being discounted to 188 AUD instead (aka 62 AUD/24.8% less).
Previously, only the 50 AUD starter pack gave you 5G NR access.
Nowadays, all Vodafone Australia plans allow for free 5G NR access, including the 10 AUD starter pack.
This makes Vodafone Australia more generous than its competitors that still restrict 5G NR access to their higher-tier plans.
Plus, Vodafone Australia's 5G NR speeds are not worth any surcharge, as they are not blazing-fast (most of the time) – even in Melbourne.
But I discuss more about that in my Vodafone Australia review (I also used the SIM card in Adelaide, Canberra, Melbourne, Shepparton (regional Victoria – same state as Melbourne) & Sydney).
Moreover, you can get any Vodafone Australia plan as an eSIM, but you have to ask for it.
Because you first have to still buy an actual SIM card before it can be exchanged for an eSIM.
According to the Vodafone booth staff, it sounds like too much hassle for many international arrivers (understandably), so they simply get a SIM card instead – but it is an option if you have time.
Note that SIM card registration is mandatory in Australia.
Registration will not take much time, luckily, but it may be something you do not want to deal with.
Optus had a large-scale hack where the identities of more than 10 million people were stolen in October 2022, including mine 🤯.
Luckily for me, only basic (and outdated) info was leaked.
In my boyfriend's case, his passport document number was also stolen… so that was nice 🫠.
If you do not want to deal with potential identity theft but still want to be connected in Australia, consider a travel eSIM that can be used in the country.
I write about the best travel eSIMs for Australia in my Best Australia eSIM buying guide.
What SIM Cards & Plans does Boost Mobile Australia Sell at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport?
Telstra sells regular SIM cards, through a reseller, at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport, costing 30 AUD, 40 AUD, 200 AUD, or 300 AUD.
I will list all the prices in AUD (Australian Dollar).
To convert AUD to your currency (let's say NZD – New Zealand Dollar) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Boost Mobile Australia, not to be confused with Boost Mobile USA, is a Telstra Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), meaning it uses the Telstra network.
Now, there is a blogger (or perhaps multiple ones) claiming that going with Boost Mobile is a bad idea because its coverage is bad or not as good as Telstra's.
And if you did not know better, you would be correct because most Telstra MVNOs use the Telstra Wholesale network, which is not as good as the Telstra Retail network (the one Telstra uses for its customers).
However, Boost Mobile Australia is the only Telstra MVNO with full Telstra 4G/LTE network access.
Which they proudly advertise on its website (and it is true).
This means that when you go to the remotest of remote place in Australia with a Telstra tower, your Boost Mobile Australia SIM card will work here too.
I met the lovely guys from Boost Mobile Australia when I visited Sydney earlier, where they explained how they unintentionally managed to get this deal.
Moreover, Boost Mobile Australia plans are often significantly cheaper than Telstra while having the same 4G/LTE performance.
Mostly because it does not have to maintain a physical presence as an MVNO, which Telstra does.
Anyway, after picking up your luggage, this is probably the first store you will find the Welcome Center on the left side after walking through the door.
Yes, if you paid attention to the Telstra section, you can also get Boost Mobile Australia SIM cards at the Welcome Center.
Although if you do not look around properly, you may thing it only sells Telstra SIM cards.
Remember, the Welcome Center is open from 6:30 to 13:30, then from 17:30 to 23:30 before the last international arrival (0:30 at the time of writing), so you may be out of luck if you arrive late, are delayed, or arrive between the closing hours.
Anyway, the Welcome Center has four Boost Mobile Australia starter packs you can choose from:
| Price | Data | Local/International Zone 1 Minutes 1 | International Zone 2 Minutes 2 | International SMS 3 | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 AUD | 20 GB | Unlimited | 300 minutes | 300 SMS | 28 days |
| 40 AUD | 30 GB | Unlimited | 300 minutes | 300 SMS | 28 days |
| 200 AUD | 140 GB | Unlimited | 1200 minutes | 1200 SMS | 12 months |
| 300 AUD | 260 GB | Unlimited | 3600 minutes | 1200 SMS | 12 months |
1 for local use and to 20 countries: Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States & Vietnam
2 to 30 countries: Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Kuwait, Mexico, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden & the United Arab Emirates
3 international SMS to any country – not only zone 1 or 2 destinations
As part of my Australian SIM card review series, I tried out the Big Three, Telstra, Optus & Vodafone Australia, and an MVNO per mobile operator.
In Telstra's case, I tried ALDImobile Australia (speed-restricted and on the wholesale network) and Boost Mobile Australia (no restrictions and on the retail network).
And I can tell you that the speeds I got with Boost Mobile Australia were similar to Telstra (including error margins, of course).
In fact, the fastest download speed I managed to get on the Telstra network was with Boost Mobile Australia: 1131.69 Mbps (or 1.13 Gbps) at Indooroopilly Station in Brisbane – incredible!
Telstra itself had a download speed of only 934.44 Mbps at the same location – so those who say that Boost Mobile Australia is not good or not as good as Telstra do not know what they are on about 🗿.
I have more results in my Boost Mobile Australia review (where I used my Boost Moble SIM card and eSIM in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Shepparton (regional Victoria – same state as Melbourne) & Sydney).
But… there is a possibility you will not experience these speeds yourself.
From April/May 2022, all Boost Mobile Australia starter packs and plans had 5G NR access during the trial.
Previously, you had to spend 70 AUD on a starter pack or plan to experience Telstra's/Boost Mobile Australia's 5G NR speeds.
But this will change starting the 4th of April 2023.
Until then, Telstra/Boost Mobile Australia allowed for uncapped speeds for all its prepaid plans, even on 5G NR (which I tested extensively).
From then on, your 4G/LTE speeds will be capped @ 150 Mbps and @ 250 Mbps on 5G NR (except for the 70 AUD plan – you can still get crazy speeds, as shown above with that one).
Now, are 150 Mbps and 250 Mbps fast enough? Yes, it is.
ALDImobile Australia already had to deal with these caps from the start, and I often hit those speeds when doing tests (and go over them routinely).
Previously, Boost Mobile Australia was the only Telstra MVNO without speed caps which made it unique.
Get Telstra-level reception and speeds for way less than Telstra itself.
Now, Boost Mobile Australia's main selling points are that it still has full access to Telstra's 4G/LTE network and is cheaper.
I can tell you that it was not Boost Mobile Australia who decided to introduce speed caps – the guys over there know better (I met them in person, lol).
But it was Telstra who imposed these changes because it will introduce the same caps for its own prepaid customers and some postpaid ones too (for one plan only, currently).
Yeah… sad 😔.
For now, Optus and Vodafone Australia have not mentioned anything about capping the 4G/LTE and 5G NR prepaid speeds… and I hope it stays that way.
Okay, that is enough bad news – let's talk about where you can get Boost Mobile SIM cards from a vending machine when the Welcome Center is closed.
If you face the Welcome Center, you have to walk to your right, where the Optus booth and Vodafone Australia store are.
There, you will eventually see a Telstra-branded vending machine.
Here, only the 30 AUD Boost Mobile Australia starter pack is available, which gives you 20 GB of data (without 5G NR access), unlimited local and international minutes to Zone 1 countries 1, 300 international minutes to Zone 2 countries 2, unlimited local SMS & 300 international SMS to any country for 28 days.
1 for local use and to 20 countries: Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States & Vietnam
2 to 30 countries: Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Kuwait, Mexico, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden & the United Arab Emirates
For other starter packs, you have to wait until the Welcome Center is open again or go to Melbourne proper.
There, you can go to any Boost Mobile Australia reseller (not Telstra stores, but some Telstra partners do sell Boost Mobile Australia SIM cards), including convenience stores, gas stations & grocery stores.
The main con of buying your Boost Mobile Australia from the vending machine or reseller is that you have to register your SIM card yourself, whereas the Welcome Center will do it on your behalf.
Luckily, registration is quick, but Australian SIM cards are not plug-and-play like some Oceanian countries, like New Zealand.
Do note that Boost Mobile Australia does not have eSIMs yet.
Its FAQ has mentioned that it will be added soon… for close to a year now, but I have been promised it will come – they are just waiting for approval from the Big Guys.
If you want to use an eSIM in Australia (and not deal with the country's SIM card registration laws), you can consider getting a travel eSIM.
I write about the best travel eSIMs for Australia in my Best Australia eSIM buying guide.
I even tried many of them extensively for my Australian eSIM review series.
Should You Get a SIM Card (or eSIM) at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport?
I recommend getting a SIM card at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport because regular and tourist SIM cards are available at normal prices from Telstra, Optus, Vodafone Australia & Boost Mobile Australia.
The Welcome Store sells Telstra and Boost Mobile SIM cards in the arrivals hall.
A bit further down, Optus and Vodafone Australia SIM cards can be bought from their booths and stores.
The following starter packs are available from these stores:
- Telstra: 30 AUD, 40 AUD & 300 AUD
- Optus: 30 AUD & 60 AUD
- Vodafone Australia: 10 AUD, 20 AUD, 30 AUD, 40 AUD, 50 AUD, 60 AUD, 150 AUD & 250 AUD
- Boost Mobile Australia: 30 AUD, 40 AUD, 200 AUD & 300 AUD
Optus is the only mobile operator solely selling tourist SIM cards (at standard prices – no surcharges).
Telstra, Vodafone Australia & Boost Mobile Australia have their regular starter packs available at Melbourne-Tullamarine airport… mostly because they do not have tourist SIM cards.
Do note that only a handful of Telstra and Boost Mobile Australia starter packs are sold at the airport – the cheapest SIM cards are unavailable.
And if you arrive before or after any of these stores are open, you can get Telstra, Optus & Boost Mobile Australia SIM cards from a vending machine.
While you do not have a choice overload like, as at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, where SIM cards from nine mobile operators and Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) are available, reasonable and competitive starter packs are available at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport.
5G NR speeds with all four available SIM cards are nice and fast in metro Melbourne.
Although starting from April, your speeds will be capped @ max. 250 Mbps with Telstra and Boost Mobile Australia (because of Telstra's greed because you now have to spend 60 AUD (Telstra) or 70 AUD (Boost Mobile Australia) for full 5G NR speeds.
Even then, you will often hit the upper limits, and they are fast enough for general data browsing.
With Optus, you also have to spend 60 AUD on the Flex 5G Traveler Plan because the 30 AUD one is on 5G/LTE only.
Vodafone Australia allow any starter pack, including the 10 AUD one (the cheapest), to use its 5G NR network.
But it has the worst coverage in the country, especially in rural areas, and 5G NR is still restricted to metro areas.
So yeah, there are quite some things to consider before making your decision.
Overall, Telstra, Optus, Vodafone Australia & Boost Mobile Australia have attractive starter packs at Melbourne-Tullamarine Airport, and I recommend getting a SIM card here as you will not pay the tourist/convenience tax.
Australian SIM Card Reviews
I tried out the best Australian SIM cards that you can easily buy as a tourist in Australia.
You should read those reviews.
>>> Telstra Review | Optus Review | Vodafone Australia Review | ALDImobile Australia Review | Amaysim Review | Boost Mobile Australia Review | Lebara Australia Review <<<
But you can still make an educated purchased after reading the Australian SIM card reviews.
I also tried out various travel eSIMs + a travel SIM card that works in Australia: Airalo (Yes! Go! & Discover Global), Holafly, Nomad & SimOptions.
You should also read those reviews.
>>> Airalo Yes! Go! Australia eSIM Review | Airalo Discover Global eSIM Review | Holafly Australia eSIM Review | Nomad Australia eSIM Review | SimOptions 3 HK eSIM in Australia Review <<<
Check out my reviews page if you want to read all the other reviews I have written, including other Oceanian SIM cards.