Qantas Opens Its Schedule for New Melbourne to San Francisco Route

Qantas has announced that September 1 will be the start date for its new Melbourne to San Francisco service, with ticket sales starting on Friday, January 19. The flight will be operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which Qantas hopes will allow it to maximize its margins given the aircraft’s long range and smaller size compared to larger aircraft like the Boeing 777 or 747. 

The airline has timed the departure of the flight to maximize customers’ time in each of the cities, as it will depart in the evening from Melbourne, and return back to the United States overnight.

Qantas International CEO Alison Webster explained how this new route demonstrates a strong demand for travel to San Francisco, saying “We expect this flight to be popular with tourists and also corporate travellers looking to do business with San Francisco’s world-leading technology companies. With connections to 17 codeshare destinations including Chicago, Seattle, and Vancouver, the new service also provides another gateway for Australians travelling into the US.” 

Qantas’ Dreamliner is in a three cabin configuration with 236 seats, featuring business, economy, and its next-generation premium economy seat. 

To accommodate this new four times weekly service, Qantas’ Melbourne to Los Angeles Dreamliner flights will decrease from six frequencies a week to two weekly. However, the airline will continue to operate daily Airbus A380 flights between Melbourne and Los Angeles.

With the new route, Qantas will be the only airline to offer nonstop service to Melbourne from San Francisco. The airline also continues operating non-stop service between Sydney and San Francisco, with United being the only other airline connecting the two destinations directly.