Brisbane Airport is preparing to launch a number of new flight routes, set to support the state’s tourism industry and provide Queenslanders with more options for the summer holidays.
New services, airlines adding additional flights to existing routes and the upgrading of aircraft capacity, will deliver an extra 1.3 million international seats in and out of Brisbane in the next 12 months.
The changes coincide with the start of the 2023 Northern Winter travel season.
In the International Terminal, September recovery was at 81 per cent of pre-COVID-19 capacity.
The launch of seven new routes and expansion of others is forecast to see international recovery grow to 90 per cent in December.
New flight launches:
- 29 October: Qantas commencing three services per week to Honiara (Solomon Islands)
- 29 October: Qantas commencing seven services per week to Wellington
- 29 October: United Airlines increasing San Francisco service to daily
- 30 October: Jetstar commencing five services per week to Tokyo (Narita)
- 30 October: Rex commencing seven services per week to Adelaide
- 1 November: China Eastern commencing three services per week from Shanghai, rising to seasonal daily from 11 December
- 18 November: China Southern commencing four services per week from Guangzhou, rising to seasonal daily from 11 December
- 1 December: United Airlines commencing four services per week from Los Angeles
Brisbane Airport Executive General Manager of Aviation, Ryan Both, said that this is a boost for the state’s tourism economy.
“We know when Brisbane Airport is busy, Queensland is busy, and things are about to step up a notch,” Mr Both said.
“We’re excited about the return of the first tourists flying direct from mainland China to Queensland. The restart of China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines to Brisbane signals the return of what was Queensland’s most lucrative tourism market, one that delivers thousands of jobs to the economy.
“We also celebrate United Airlines significantly boosting flights to Brisbane. It was exactly 12 months ago that United launched three flights per week from San Francisco to Brisbane with the help of Queensland’s Attracting Aviation Investment Fund.
“Now this will become a daily service, and United will also add Los Angeles as a destination in time for Christmas. This really demonstrates the success of the Queensland Government and airports joint initiative to kick-start and grow new services to boost the state’s visitor economy.”
With the additional routes, Brisbane Airport will now connect to 29 international destinations.
International tourists arriving at the airport are then able to take advantage of the largest domestic network in Australia, with connections to 61 scheduled and charter destinations.
