American Airlines unveils newest route to Australia, launching in December

American Airlines is planning to fly Down Under with a second route from its West Coast hub this winter.

The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier on Monday announced it will launch nonstop service this December from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Brisbane Airport (BNE) in Australia.

It'll be the carrier's second nonstop link to the Australian city and its third route overall to the continent.

The new service will launch Dec. 5, just as the peak summer travel season in the Southern Hemisphere ramps up.

American's new LA-to-Brisbane announcement came as its Oneworld alliance partner, Australia's Qantas, revealed it would increase its flight offerings between the two countries.

"Together, we offer the most comprehensive service connecting the United States with Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific," Steve Johnson, American's vice chair and chief strategy officer, said in a statement announcing the news.

American's new Australia route

Headlining American and Qantas' announcement about December and January 2025-26 service was the U.S. carrier's new nonstop route to BNE, situated some 575 miles north of Sydney on Australia's east coast.

American will operate its LAX-BNE route three times weekly between early December and the end of January 2026.

Passengers booking American's new Brisbane flights from Southern California will fly aboard one of its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. However, we should point out that these will be from the existing 787-9s in its fleet — not the new "787-9P" aircraft featuring the carrier's brand-new Flagship Suites that debut next month.

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Passengers hoping to score one of those suites, with their sliding privacy doors, should instead opt to book a seat on American's BNE route from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), which picks back up for the peak Australia travel season Oct. 26 after that route debuted for the carrier last year.

American's new Australia flight will give the carrier a total of three routes Down Under this coming season: its LAX and DFW service to Brisbane, plus its nonstop LAX service to Sydney Airport (SYD).

Brisbane sees more flights

Brisbane, for its part, continues its growth as a destination for U.S. travelers. Peak-season routes from the U.S. include:

• American, from DFW and LAX
• Qantas, from LAX
• Delta Air Lines, from LAX — which TPG's Clint Henderson recently flew, scoring a Delta One suite on the carrier's Airbus A350-900
• United Airlines, from San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

Brisbane hotel review: Perfect for the location: What it's like staying at Hotel X Brisbane Fortitude Valley, Vignette Collection by IHG

Qantas adds A380 to the mix in DFW

As previously mentioned, Qantas is also scaling up its flight offerings between its home country and the U.S.

Between Dec. 3 and the end of January, the Sydney-based carrier will shift to daily flights on its route between DFW and Melbourne Airport (MEL).

It'll increase the number of passengers it can carry on its DFW route to SYD with the help of its Airbus A380, the world's largest passenger plane.

Qantas currently flies its superjumbo jet from Melbourne and Sydney to LA. Its A380 offers a four-cabin configuration featuring 14 first-class seats, 70 business-class pods, 60 premium economy recliners and 341 economy seats — for an eye-popping capacity of 485 passengers (such is the A380!).

Qantas first-class flight review: The most comfortable way to fly Down Under

How to book American Airlines or Qantas to Australia

Travelers hoping to book seats on American or Qantas can use American Airlines AAdvantage miles or Qantas Frequent Flyer points for award flights on either airline.

Qantas is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards and Capital One.

You can also find seats on either carrier through partner Oneworld programs, such as Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, British Airways Club and Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, among others.

Related reading:

• Best credit cards for American Airlines flyers
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• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• American Airlines basic economy: What you need to know about bags, seats, boarding and more