Victorians and other Aussies may soon have more choice when flying to one of the world’s most vibrant metropolises, with Hong Kong Airlines looking to commence nonstop Melbourne-Hong Kong flights.
HK’s second-largest carrier, Hong Kong Airlines has been ramping up its Australian services of late.
In January, the carrier recommenced flights to the Gold Coast after a six-year absence from Queensland. The airline then announced that it would launch its first-ever daily service between Sydney and HK.
With new Melbourne flights, the airline would connect three Aussie cities to the island state for the first time.
A source close to the matter told Karryon on Tuesday that while the service was yet to be confirmed, the carrier was keen to get flights up and running before the end of 2025.
They said the airline is looking to launch three to four flights a week between the Victorian capital and HK.
“We will continue to roll out new destinations. There will be a new service to Urumqi in Xinjiang, probably in August, about three to four flights per week, and for Melbourne, we’ve secured its air traffic rights already and will confirm its service at a later time,” Hong Kong Airlines President Jeff Sun Jianfeng told the South China Morning Post last week.
According to the HX boss, the airline saw a 60 per cent year-on-year rise in passenger numbers in 2024, carrying around 5 million passengers in the calendar year. It also hit its full pre-pandemic capacity with an average load factor of around 85 per cent.
He added that the carrier had “become a financially sound airline with great investors’ backing”. In addition, it plans to rebrand and possibly grow its fleet.
“Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Hong Kong Airlines was actually doing quite well, with many travellers already having a fondness for and awareness of our brand,” Jianfeng said.
“During the pandemic, Hong Kong Airlines underwent a significant restructuring. After that, we made a comeback to kick-start our recovery journey.
“With our continuous network expansion, including key long-haul routes to Vancouver and Sydney this year, we’ve already returned as a global full-service airline.”
While Hong Kong Airlines flies to more than 30 destinations across Asia, North America and Oceania, Japanese ports in particular form a core part of the airline’s strategy, HX told Karryon. And with more and more Australians heading to Japan, this presents a new proposition for Aussie travellers.
Ahead of the launch of its new Sydney-Hong Kong service (HX017/HX018) on 21 June 2025, the full-service carrier is offering an exclusive Aussie airfare deal for the travel industry, with return economy class fares for $149 and return business class fares for just $1,499 (plus taxes) until 13 June.
Last week, HX announced it would offer Aussie economy passengers travelling between HK and Sydney complimentary access to its Club Autus lounge at Hong Kong International Airport.
