Qantas announces nonstop DFW to Melbourne service
Just days after Australia made news by scrapping pre-travel testing rules, we've learned it will soon be even easier to visit one of its most popular cities for tourists … without a layover. Qantas announced this weekend, it will begin nonstop service in December from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Melbourne (MEL).
The Sydney-based carrier and Oneworld Alliance member will operate nonstop flights between DFW and Melbourne.Saturday's announcement means DFW will get a second nonstop flight to Australia – Qantas already has direct service to Sydney – and according to DFW officials, this marks the first direct flight from the U.S. to Melbourne not originating on the west coast.
Details of the service
According to the announcement posted on DFW's website, Qantas will operate its nonstop DFW to Melbourne flights four times each week. The service will be on board a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Related: How the 787 Dreamliner can help you minimize jetlag
The flights, which will rank among the world's longest, are scheduled to begin Dec. 2. This is the third airport in the U.S. that Qantas flies to directly, along with San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Los Angeles (LAX).
After Qantas resumed its service from the U.S. to Australia in February as COVID-19 restrictions loosened, this new service means hundreds more seats each week getting direct access to the capital of Victoria and its unique culture, food and shops.
"Both regions [Dallas/Fort Worth and Melbourne] are experiencing rapid growth and this addition will provide new opportunities for international business ties, tourism and economic development," DFW CEO Sean Donahue said in a statement Saturday.
As of now, Melbourne will be DFW's 71st international destination.
Booking your trip
According to the announcement on Saturday, travelers should be able to start booking nonstop DFW to Melbourne flights on Qantas Airlines right away. I checked the Qantas website on Sunday though, and was not able to find any nonstop options in December 2022 or January 2023 just yet.
To give you a sense of current pricing around the time this service will launch, a round trip from DFW to Melbourne on the Dec. 2 launch date is going for more than $2,400 at the moment. This involves a stop at LAX or Sydney (SYD) depending on which itinerary you prefer.
For travelers looking to use miles to book a trip to Melbourne, Qantas' membership in the Oneworld alliance should provide more options for booking. Namely, American Airlines AAdvantage members with miles can actually book a trip through the American website and end up on Qantas-operated flights.
Related: Best sites for searching Oneworld availability
Depending on how flexible your dates of your travel are, you can get a round trip in economy for as low as 80,000 AAdvantage miles, which TPG's March 2022 points and miles valuations shows is worth about $960 – a significant savings in value compared to the cash rate. If your travel dates are very flexible, the Oneworld Alliance awards chart indicates the best mileage fare you can get for a business/first Class ticket is 80,000 miles each way.
Related: A hop across the Pacific in Qantas 787 Business Class
We'll certainly be watching to see how the presence of nonstop DFW to Melbourne flights impact pricing once they become available.
More opportunities to visit Melbourne
Bottom line, this announcement gives travelers more chances to visit Melbourne. TPG recently visited the city and came away with some great recommendations on what to do and where to stay.
Keep an eye on the Qantas website as these direct service options become available to book, and perhaps you could soon find yourself on one of the world's longest flights!
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