Once a sleepy outpost mocked for being closer to Bali than Bondi, Perth is having something of a renaissance—and not just the sourdough kind.With a flourish and a flight plan, Qantas announced two new international routes taking off from the Western hub in December 2025: direct services to Auckland, New Zealand, and Johannesburg, South Africa.
Yes, Jo’burg. It’s not exactly Paris, but it packs a punch—and this new corridor connects Perth directly to the beating heart of Africa, minus the mid-route schlepp.
It’s a move that’s as much about politics and planning as aviation.
Thanks to federal funding funnelled into the Australian Border Force and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry—yes, the folks who confiscate your half-eaten apple—Perth Airport can now support a greater flow of international traffic. Extra staffing, new gear, and upgraded biosecurity gates mean Qantas gets the green light to fly more people to more places.
And fly they will. These new routes, says Qantas, are expected to add more than 155,000 seats a year through Perth, give the state’s tourism sector a long-overdue leg-up, and generate jobs.
“We’re so excited to be launching two new international routes, unlocking more options and greater choice for all Australians to connect to the world,” said Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace, sounding like a man who just upgraded to lie-flat business.
But underneath the corporate lingo lies something real: this could mark a coming-of-age moment for Perth as a bona fide global gateway. It is not just the end of the line for the Indian Pacific but a launchpad for anyone keen on a flat white in Auckland or a safari in Kruger.
And if you’re in Perth, your long-haul travel options just got less punishing.
Flight Details Without the Fine Print
The new Auckland service kicks off on 8 December 2025, operating three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Saturday) under flight number QF111, with a flight time of around 6 hours 45 minutes. That’s enough time to knock off a Peter Carey novel and catch a movie.
Johannesburg gets its dedicated service starting 7 December, also thrice weekly (Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday), clocking in at a weightier 11 hours 15 minutes. Call it an airborne odyssey.
Both services will be flown on Qantas A330 aircraft, which are equipped with 27 business class seats (think lie-flat beds and aisle access) and 224 economy seats (think knee-grazing tray tables).
The Auckland route neatly ties into Qantas’ QF3 service to New York, offering West Australians a convenient one-stop path to the Big Apple without needing to faff about in Sydney. Meanwhile, the Johannesburg connection opens access to Cape Town and beyond via Qantas’ partner Airlink, sparing travellers tedious stopovers.
Perth Airport, Packing Punch and Patience
Kate Holsgrove, Chief Commercial and Aviation Officer at Perth Airport, was upbeat, saying, “Perth is a dynamic, expanding hub with incredible growth opportunities.” It’s the kind of statement that usually precedes a billion-dollar terminal and three years of construction noise—and right on cue, the airport has a shiny new terminal plan for 2031.
Until then, Qantas will make do with Terminals 3 and 4, which will get a capacity boost to tide things over. Think of it as adding a few extra elbows of room to the dinner table before the reno is done.
A Wider Network Unfolds
In the spirit of bold moves, Qantas is also wheeling out its Dreamliner on daily flights between Brisbane and Los Angeles from October 2025. Premium economy fans, rejoice—your middle-ground purgatory just got more comfortable.
The airline’s summer schedules have also been tweaked. Between December 2025 and January 2026, Qantas and American Airlines will share the Brisbane-LA load, with Qantas operating four flights a week and AA doing three. Melbourne-Dallas also gets a boost, with Dreamliners flying daily from February 2026.
Meanwhile, Jetstar will quietly exit stage left from the Sydney-Honolulu route in late October 2025, with Qantas picking up the slack with five to six weekly flights. The good news? There’s still plenty of aloha for Aussies chasing the eternal summer.
And in January 2026, the final Qantas A380 will be rolled back into service—a flying pensioner with a spring in its wings. It’ll serve the Sydney-Dallas route, giving passengers more choice in First, Business and Premium Economy.
Tourism Gets a Tailwind
Tourism bodies in Western Australia are unsurprisingly tickled. More direct international flights mean fewer excuses for overseas visitors to skip the West Coast. And locals get a chance to travel abroad without feeling like they’re living on a different planet.
It’s a long-awaited moment for Perth. Long regarded as Australia’s overlooked beauty—sun-drenched, wine-soaked, and separated by sheer geography—it finally has a few more stamps in its passport.
Of course, the proof will be in the load factors. But the wind is behind Qantas’ wings now, and Perth looks ready for take-off.
By Michelle Warner
