Qantas’ western hub took a major step forward on the weekend, with new Johannesburg and Auckland services officially taking off from Perth.
The dual launches give Western Australia new links overseas while widening the national carrier’s global reach.
QF65 departed Perth on Sunday afternoon for Johannesburg, creating a direct pathway between WA and South Africa.
Earlier in the day, Perth welcomed QF112 from Auckland, marking Qantas’ first connection between New Zealand and the west. The first Auckland-bound flight departs today (8 December).
Together, the routes add more than 150,000 annual seats and strengthen Perth’s position as a major Aussie hub. Both flights operate three times a week on A330 aircraft, offering lie-flat business class seats and onward connections.
The Johannesburg service partners with Airlink for access across southern Africa, while the Auckland route offers a key one-stop option for West Australians heading to New York.
The expansion follows federal funding that increased border capacity at Perth Airport, allowing more international flights.
“Today marks a significant milestone for Perth as our direct service to Johannesburg takes off and we welcome the arrival of the first direct flight from Auckland,” Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said.
“The response from customers since we announced these routes in May has been terrific. Today’s inaugural flight to Johannesburg is almost full and we’re seeing positive forward bookings, so we know there is strong appetite for direct travel between the West and South Africa, as well as Auckland.
“These routes unlock more options and greater choice for all Australians to connect to the world through our growing network, including to popular cities like Cape Town through our partnership with Airlink in South Africa and for West Australians to New York via Auckland.”
Minister for Tourism Don Farrell said the new services will “bring tourists to Perth, create jobs and help grow our economy”.
“More international flights in and out of Perth means more choice for Australian travellers, more customers for our local world class tourism operators and more opportunities for Aussie exporters,” he added.
One of the big winners from the Auckland flights is New Zealand leisure travel.
“With this new direct route from Perth to Auckland, travellers will enjoy greater flexibility and convenience, and for Aotearoa New Zealand, greater connection to Australia and the world,” Tourism New Zealand Regional Director – Australia Andrew Waddel said.
“We’ve seen a 17 per cent year-on-year increase of Australian holiday arrivals into New Zealand, so this exciting update, alongside several other new route announcements from Qantas this year, only adds to our momentum.
“Not only is it a win for Australians who love to travel, but also the 75,000 Kiwis who call Western Australia home, making it even easier to get back home to visit whānau [family] and friends.”
Perth Airport Chief Commercial and Aviation Officer Kate Holsgrove lauded the new services, which “create local jobs, drive tourism, support business and strengthen our connections to global markets”.
“The launch of the two new Qantas international services shows a strong vote of confidence for Perth and Western Australia as a world-class destination,” she remarked.
“We will continue to work closely with Qantas and all our airline partners to unlock more destinations and strengthen Perth’s position as Australia’s western hub.”
Today, Qantas announced it would resume international flights from the Gold Coast after a five-year hiatus, announcing new non-stop Gold Coast–Auckland flights. Read more about that here.
KARRYON UNPACKS: For travellers and the travel trade, this is a handy double win. Perth gets a stronger role in Qantas’ long-term global strategy, and flyers get more choice without travelling through the east coast. The Johannesburg link opens solid opportunities for Africa specialists, especially with Airlink connections making multi-stop itineraries easier to build. The Auckland flights also give WA travellers a smoother path to New York, which is a neat selling point for agents with premium clients.
