Flight Time, Aircraft and Routing
Delhi to Sydney is approximately 10,400 km and Delhi to Melbourne slightly less; both are typically flown with one technical stop — commonly Singapore, Jakarta or Denpasar — for a total travel time of 15 to 17 hours. Delhi to Perth, at about 7,900 km, can be flown non-stop by long-range jets in around 9.5 to 10.5 hours.
- Sydney/Melbourne: one fuel stop in Southeast Asia; Perth: non-stop possible on long-range aircraft
- Dual medical crew rostered for the longer eastern-seaboard missions
- Australian biosecurity, aircraft disinsection and border clearance built into the flight plan — not discovered at the last minute
- Lead time typically 48 to 72 hours for permits and hospital acceptance; urgent cases prioritised
Medical Care On Board
Missions to Australia are planned like the ultra-long-haul flights they are: oxygen for every sector plus diversion reserve, infusion and battery endurance calculated leg by leg, and full patient reassessment at the technical stop. The cabin is a complete ICU — ventilator, monitoring, pumps, defibrillator and full drug kit.
Dedicated Jet vs Commercial Stretcher
Stable patients can travel by commercial stretcher on scheduled India–Australia services with our medical escort team, at a fraction of the dedicated-jet cost — though airline clearance and stretcher fitment on this route need more lead time. Ambulatory patients needing supervision can travel with a medical escort in business class.
Indicative Cost
A dedicated air ambulance from Delhi to Sydney or Melbourne is indicatively in the range of ₹1.2 to ₹2 crore; Delhi to Perth indicatively ₹90 lakh to ₹1.4 crore. Commercial stretcher transfers are indicatively ₹15 to ₹25 lakh, and business-class medical escorts from about ₹6 to ₹10 lakh. Written quotation after medical review.
How the Transfer is Arranged
- WhatsApp the medical summary from India or Australia — physician review within the hour
- Fitness-to-fly assessment, tier recommendation and firm quotation
- Australian hospital acceptance, visas, biosecurity and permits coordinated by our desk — allow 48 to 72 hours
- Bedside-to-bedside execution with clinical handover to the receiving Australian or Indian team
Moving a patient between India and Australia? Start now — permits take time on this route. WhatsApp the medical summary and a Goodmans Rescue physician will call you back with a plan today.
A Note from Dr. Satish Bhardwaj
Very smart airport and medical facilities at the airport. Ground Ambulance services follow and have the essence of British heritage. Overall the experience in Australia has been good. Flying Doctor Services is essentially a good support and they are doing an excellent job. Must appreciate the logistics and medical care and due diligence executed while aeromedical evacuation. They are a small mini institution of their own with a strong legacy.
— Dr. Satish Bhardwaj, Goodmans Rescue
Frequently Asked Questions
Sydney or Melbourne: typically 15 to 17 hours including one fuel stop in Southeast Asia. Perth: around 9.5 to 10.5 hours, often non-stop. Bedside-to-bedside, allow 20 to 24 hours for the east coast.
Australia applies strict biosecurity, disinsection and border protocols to all inbound aircraft, including air ambulances, alongside standard overflight permits and hospital acceptance. We run these processes in parallel to compress the timeline as far as possible.
Yes — this is the most common mission on the corridor. After a physician-led fitness-to-fly assessment, we plan the transfer around the patient's condition, from full ICU jet to commercial stretcher, and confirm the receiving Australian hospital before departure.
Yes. Perth is close enough for a non-stop flight on long-range aircraft, which shortens the mission by several hours and avoids a fuel-stop transfer — worth considering when the receiving hospital can be in Western Australia.
Yes. Australia-to-India repatriations are arranged the same way, with discharge coordination at the Australian hospital and a confirmed admission in Delhi or any Indian city before departure.
A commercial stretcher on a scheduled service with our medical escorts, or — for patients who can sit — a business-class medical escort. Both cost a fraction of a dedicated jet; our physician will tell you honestly which tier is safe for your patient.