QantasLink A220 will fly on the Adelaide-Brisbane route from 3 March 2026, marking the next-gen Airbus aircraft type’s debut in South Australia and adding 100,000 seats to the regional airline’s Adelaide network per year.
The 138-seat QantasLink A220 is a significant upgrade to the Embraer E190s currently servicing this route, offering passengers more seats, free and fast Wi-Fi, lighter, brighter cabins and 20 per cent more overhead bin space.
The cabin features 10 Business seats in a 2×2 configuration and 127 Economy seats in a 2×3 layout.
In addition, A220s offer an eco-friendlier flight option with reduced fuel burn and 50 per cenn less noise emissions than Boeing B717s.
It also has a longer range, creating more domestic and short-haul international route possibilities and travel options as the fleet grows.
The rollout is part of the wider Qantas Group fleet renewal program with the airline recently receiving its 11th A220 with more than 200 of the next-gen aircraft on order. Four more A220s are expected to join the fleet by mid-year.
The introduction of the A220s into Adelaide will gradually replace Embraer E190s on the route and continue the airline’s significant investment in South Australia.
This includes the refurbished lounge precinct opening in May 2025, the return of international flights with the Adelaide-Auckland route launching in October and the planned new Product Innovation Centre in Adelaide’s CBD.
QantasLink CEO Mark Dal Pra said: “As the first airline in the Asia-Pacific region to operate the A220, we’re excited to bring the aircraft to Adelaide.”
“With more aircraft on the way, customers will continue to see these fantastic new aircraft expand across more routes and destinations.”
Adelaide Airport Managing Director Brenton Cox said travellers will enjoy the aircraft upgrade from the previous Embraer E190s on one of the hub’s top three busiest routes.
“New-generation aircraft like the Airbus A220 are perfectly suited for the flight distance and passenger volumes we see on the Adelaide-Brisbane route,” he said.
For more info, head to qantas.com
KARRYON UNPACKS: QantasLink’s A220 debut in Adelaide signals a new era for South Australian aviation, delivering better comfort, capacity and sustainability and reaffirming the city’s growing role in the national and trans-Tasman network.
