Qantas is rolling the dice on a world-first, unveiling a new non-stop service between Sydney and Las Vegas.
Operating from 29 December 2026 through to 12 March 2027, the new seasonal service will fly three times per week (on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday) utilising Qantas’ B787 aircraft. With the direct link – a first for any airline – Qantas says passengers will save up to five hours of travel time.
Flight QF55 will depart Sydney at 9pm and arrive in Las Vegas at 3.55pm, with a journey time of just under 14 hours.
Available to book from today, the new route becomes the flying kangaroo’s 101st destination, eighth in the Americas, and fifth to mainland US – joining Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas and New York.
Why Vegas?
By operating to Las Vegas, Qantas gives customers direct access to the city’s wealth of major events, such as the world’s largest tech show, Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The Nevada city is also a major music hub as well as a popular conference venue for business travellers. Beyond the metropolis, Vegas is a gateway to the American Southwest and its attractions, like the Grand Canyon.
The announcement comes as the city again prepares to play host to the National Rugby League’s (NRL) season opener. For the past three years (including 2026), Qantas has run NRL charters to Vegas, with flights consistently full.
While the demand for this route is there – as evidenced by the loads on its charter flights – US-bound travel from Australia overall has dropped, with seven straight months of negative growth in visitation. But a direct service to Las Vegas, without a layover, could appeal to many Aussies.
Seasonal success
The new route follows a recent rise in seasonal services, which could continue.
Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said strong international demand is fuelling the launch of more seasonally-led routes.
“Australians’ appetite for international travel continues to be incredibly strong. Rome and Sapporo have shown us there’s real demand for seasonal services to destinations people want to visit at certain times of year, and we’re continuing to expand those direct connections around the world,” he stated.
“Our historic fleet renewal is giving us the flexibility to deploy aircraft where we see demand, opening up route possibilities that simply weren’t there before.
“Las Vegas becomes our 101st destination and is a great example of how we’re using that capability.”
Two-way tourism
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority President and CEO Steve Hill said Australia was the city’s top international market without a nonstop flight – and the second largest overall.
“More than 250,000 Australians visit each year, drawn by the breadth and depth of experiences Las Vegas offers,” he remarked.
“We are grateful to Qantas for their partnership and confidence in our city.”
Conversely, the new route gives more Americans the opportunity to experience Australia’s tourism experiences.
“The flow of people between our countries has never been stronger,” Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell said.
“Last year 745,000 Americans visited Australia, and we look forward to welcoming even more visitors down under with the commencement of these new direct flights.”
Other news
The new route comes as Qantas announces a major change to its Qantas Frequent Flyer program. For the first time since launching, the loyalty scheme will allow members to roll over unused Status Credits and earn them via everyday spend. Changes start later this year.
Today, the Aussie carrier also announced its FY25 half-yearly financial results, revealing a $71 million lift in profit to $1.46 billion (before tax). The result was led by “sustained growth” in the domestic market, which saw Qantas Group’s Domestic business deliver $1.05 billion in underlying EBIT – a rise of 14 per cent. However, the group’s international underlying EBIT for 1H26, fell by 6 per cent to $463 million.
KARRYON UNPACKS: A non-stop to Vegas is an easy sell. For travel advisors, it means shorter travel times and new event-led packages to promote.
