Brisbane Airport (BNE) has cemented its position as Australia’s biggest growth hub to the U.S. following the historic launch of Delta Air Lines’ direct Brisbane-Los Angeles service last week. The latest connection will deliver record-setting capacity and the lowest airfare costs to the Sunshine State.
Flight Centre Corporate says BNE is leading the charge for airline seat capacity into the USA—significantly above its 2019 offering—with January 2025 set to deliver circa 125 per cent of pre-pandemic availability, compared to Sydney’s 83 per cent.
Melissa Elf, Flight Centre Corporate’s chief operating officer, said the raft of new services introduced in recent years from Brisbane between Dallas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco meant the Sunshine State capital was well and truly leading the charge for U.S. capacity.
“The growth rate in capacity between Brisbane and North America tells us that the need for connectivity between our two nations is at an all-time high,” Ms Elf said.
“This will be the fourth North American aviation giant to touchdown at Brisbane Airport, and for Delta, this will mark its most extensive schedule to the South Pacific in its history.
“With 31 flights to North America every week, the competition has never been so fierce, and it couldn’t be a clearer indicator of the value in connectivity for both Australians and our U.S. counterparts.
“Over 12,000 Australian companies export to the USA, and it’s our most significant trade relationship.”
“We are over the moon that Brisbane is Delta’s second destination in Australia. The arrival of one of the world’s largest carriers speaks volumes about this city’s growing prominence as a global destination,” said Brisbane Airport CEO Gert Jan de Graaff.
Flight Centre Travel Group’s corporate brands, which include FCM Travel, Corporate Traveller, and Stage & Screen, saw an uptick in bookings to the U.S. in the most recent quarter.
Australian corporates made 18 per cent more U.S. trips between July and September 2024 than they did during the same quarter in the previous year. The charge was once again led by Brisbane-based workers, who saw a 21 per cent increase in travel over the same period.
“The growing volume of travel and the significance of the trade value is reflective in the types of industries and businesses we’re seeing travel to the U.S. – be it public or private, creative or extractive, large market or small, and all in between.
“We saw the education, government and finance sectors in particular ramping up trips to the U.S. in 2024.
“For Australian business travellers, the U.S. has always been a top-five international travel destination, and as we approach the inauguration of a new administration in January 2025, there are new relationships to be built for Australian businesses and governments.”
Australian Embassy and Consulates, Trade and Investment
Australia and the United States are trusted trade and investment partners, conducting close to AU$120 billion in two-way trade and an investment relationship valued at roughly AU$1.4 trillion. Approximately a quarter of Australia’s inward foreign investment is from the United States, at AU$1.09 trillion.
“The U.S. is a prime candidate for what we know as ‘bleisure’ travel, in which travellers tack some extra personal time on to a work trip, to enjoy some down time or discover a new area,” Ms Elf said.
“Whether it’s bringing the family over for a trip to Disneyland, winding down while exploring the national parks, roaming the concrete jungle of New York, relaxing ocean-side in California, or soaking up the atmosphere of a basketball, baseball or NFL game – there are plenty of good excuses for business travellers to extend their stay.”
The growing capacity into Australia comes as the U.S. recently introduced new requirements for airlines, which would see passengers automatically refunded for significant delays or cancellations.
As of 30 October 2024, passengers travelling in the U.S. will be refunded if their international flight is delayed by more than six hours or if their domestic flight is delayed by more than three hours.
In August this year, it was also announced that Australians will be eligible for easier passage through American airports with participation in the US Global Entry program. Beginning in January 2025, the program will allow pre-approved, low-risk travellers from Australia to use automated kiosks, speeding up processing time upon arrival in the US.
Delta Air Lines (DL) new service offers three seasonal flights per week from Brisbane to Los Angeles. For all the details and the schedule, click here.
