UK and Europe-bound Australians will have more travel choices from early next year, with the commencement of a new British Airways service between Melbourne Airport and London Heathrow.
Announced this morning at Tullamarine by Melbourne Airport, British Airways, Tourism Australia and the Victorian Government, the daily service will commence (ex-Melbourne) on 11 January 2027, with flights operating via Kuala Lumpur with one stop.
BA will utilise its Dreamliner B787-9 aircraft on the route, featuring First, Club World (business class), World Traveller Plus (premium economy) and World Traveller (economy) cabins. And importantly, it’ll be the same aircraft all the way through to the UK.
The inaugural flight (BA33), from 9 January, will depart London at 9.10pm, arrive in KL at 6.05pm (the next day) and land in Melbourne at 6.40am (the day after that).
Outbound flights (BA34) will depart the Victorian hub at 4.35pm, arrive in KL and 9.35pm and touch down in London at 5.20am. The early arrival gives travellers a full day to explore London or connect with an onward flight.
“We are thrilled to welcome British Airways back to Melbourne Airport and we’re incredibly excited about what this extra choice means for travellers and exporters,” Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus said.
“British Airways is one of the world’s most recognisable airlines and in its more than 100 years of flying has earned a well-deserved reputation for excellence and reliability.
“With the largest choice of airlines flying to the UK and Europe, 24-hour operations and the shortest minimum connection time of any Australian airport, Melbourne Airport is now the clear choice for Europeans heading to Australia or Australians looking to travel abroad.”
What is means
With the new service, two-way tourism between the UK and Victoria (and beyond) will likely be given a massive boost.
“London is one of the world’s great global cities and a critical hub for business, tourism and education, while Melbourne was last week voted Time Out’s ‘best city in the world’ as well as being home to the largest British expat community in Australia, so there will be no shortage of two-way demand,” Argus said.
According to the airport boss, an average daily international service “injects around $190 million into the Victorian economy each year”.
“That’s why we last month we confirmed plans for a $4.5 billion expansion of our international terminal alongside construction our third runway, both of which will increase capacity and help provide international travellers and exporters with greater choice,” she added.
British Airways Chief Planning and Strategy Officer Neil Chernoff said the new service formed part of a “sizable growth” to the UK national carrier’s winter 2026 flying schedule.
“We have a long history of connecting Britain and Australia, and we’re excited to be returning to this great city,” he remarked.
“We’re also increasing services across several high-demand routes around the world and together, these changes represent a significant investment in our network, adding even more options and choice for our customers.”
A Oneworld carrier, British Airways currently flies to more than 200 destinations in more than 75 countries and has been flying to Australia for over 90 years.
The new service joins BA’s other direct service between Sydney and London via Singapore.
For Melbourne Airport, the new service is another win in a rapidly expanding global network. Yesterday, Australia’s busiest 24/7 airport announced its biggest-ever February for international travel, with nearly 1 million passengers passing through its terminal.
KARRYON UNPACKS: British Airways returning to Melbourne is more than nostalgia. It signals renewed confidence in long-haul demand from Victoria. For travel advisors, another daily London option also means more capacity, likely cheaper fares and stronger competition on one of Australia’s most important international routes.
