For the first time in a decade, Qantas is offering an international flight from Adelaide. Photo: Adelaide Airport, Facebook.
South Australia is a bit more connected this week as the first Qantas international service in more than a decade takes off.
The new route connects Auckland and Adelaide.
The milestone highlights the state’s interconnectedness with the rest of the world, particularly to key international markets such as New Zealand and North America, linked through a one-stop flight to New York City.
“Today we’re celebrating a major milestone for Qantas and South Australians with the return of international flying from Adelaide,” Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said.
“South Australians can now reach New York in around 21 hours and with just one stop via Auckland on our QF3 service, while the new route also opens up greater opportunities for inbound connections throughout South Australia and beyond through our domestic network.”
Data shows there are 43,000 visitors from New Zealand annually and 56,000 from North America. These visitors contributed a combined $211 million to the state’s economy and generated a total of more than 1.4 million nights’ stays in the year to June 2025.
Tourism expenditure from New Zealand visitors grew by 42 per cent in the past year, reaching $93 million in the year ending June. This is a massive jump from last year’s figure of $65 million.
The new Qantas route from Adelaide to Auckland will add more than 30,000 seats between the cities and will operate seasonally through to 3 May, 2026, four times a week, on Mondays, Fridays and the weekends. The route will be flown on a Boeing 737-800.
Minister for Tourism Zoe Bettison said: “It is an important milestone for South Australia today to welcome Qantas international services back to Adelaide after more than a decade.
“This new service direct to Auckland will further strengthen our state’s access to New Zealand, our fourth-largest tourism market, which has seen huge growth, up 42 per cent on the last year to contribute $93 million to South Australia’s economy.”
Currently, Adelaide enjoys 280 services a week from Qantas, connecting to more than 14 destinations around the nation.
The Qantas international service is the second new flight beginning in Adelaide recently, with more international carriers coming to the state than ever before.
Starting on 11 November, new international airline arrivals will include Cathay Pacific, connecting Hong Kong and Adelaide, and United Airlines flying between Adelaide and San Francisco from 11 December.
