Adelaide Airport celebrated a milestone today with the return of international Qantas flights after a hiatus of more than ten years. This morning marked the inaugural departure of the Adelaide to Auckland route, a development eagerly anticipated by both travelers and the local economy.
This new service is expected to provide a significant boost to South Australian tourism and economic growth. In a bid to enhance connectivity further, Qantas is also offering flights from Adelaide to New York with a total travel time of under 22 hours.
The impact on tourism is projected to be substantial, with markets in New Zealand and North America contributing over $200 million to South Australia’s economy.
Brenton Cox from Adelaide Airport expressed excitement about the timing, noting, “We are going to have silly festival season coming up, mad March, the V8s only in a matter of weeks.”
In addition to Qantas, the roster of international airlines flying into Adelaide is expanding. Cathay Pacific and United Airlines are both planning to commence operations in South Australia within the next two months, further enhancing the region’s global connectivity.
The number of international airlines flying to Adelaide is increasing, with Cathay Pacific and United Airlines both set to start operating out of South Australia within the next two months.
The Adelaide to Auckland route is scheduled to operate four times a week until May next year.
“Once we have got through the season, we will review, look at what worked, look at opportunities to grow and say ‘is this something we can continue?’,” Qantas international and freight chief executive Cam Wallace said.
Cox said he was hopeful of the airline extending the route beyond May.
“Qantas has seen the economic prospects I hope not just until May on this Auckland service but further afield and on more services,” he said.
“Because we currently are a very profitable place to operate from.”
