Key Takeaways
• Qantas resumes Adelaide to Auckland flights after 10 years, offering four weekly, non-stop services starting October 31, 2025.
• Qantas undercuts Air New Zealand fares by 16.7% on average for trans-Tasman routes, increasing competition and traveler options.
• Perth gets direct flights to Auckland and Johannesburg, adding over 155,000 seats and boosting connectivity and migration opportunities.
Qantas has announced several new international routes in an effort to strengthen its position in the trans-Tasman market and compete more closely with Air New Zealand. The most eye-catching news is the return of the Adelaide to Auckland route, which has not seen non-stop Qantas flights in over a decade. Alongside this, new Perth to Auckland and Perth to Johannesburg routes are planned, increasing competition and providing more travel options for both business and tourist travelers.
Let’s break down what these changes mean for travelers, the airline industry, and immigration:
Qantas Launches Direct Adelaide to Auckland Route
Starting on October 31, 2025, Qantas will launch a direct flight from Adelaide to Auckland. This is not just a routine addition—it’s the first time in more than ten years that Qantas has offered non-stop flights between these two cities. The flights, known as QF176, will run four times a week on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The route will stay active until May 3, 2026, which covers the busy summer season when many people travel between Australia and New Zealand.
Each flight will use a Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Tickets start at $699 New Zealand dollars for a return trip. The non-stop journey will take roughly 4 hours and 50 minutes. As reported by VisaVerge.com, this route is expected to attract travelers from both sides, not just because of the convenience but also due to the pricing, which often beats Air New Zealand fares.
The return of the Adelaide to Auckland route is significant for several reasons:
– It adds over 30,000 new seats between the two cities for the season.
– It makes the trip easier and faster by removing the need for a layover in another Australian city.
– It increases opportunities for tourism, business travel, and even short-term relocation between the two countries.
Competing with Air New Zealand Across the Tasman
Qantas has made no secret of its goal to take on Air New Zealand in the trans-Tasman market, which is the busy air space between Australia 🇦🇺 and New Zealand 🇳🇿. This is an important route for many reasons: tourism, business, family connections, and even immigration.
Recent data strengthens Qantas’ position:
– Qantas fares were cheaper than Air New Zealand 94% of the time on trans-Tasman routes.
– On average, Qantas tickets were 16.7% lower in price than Air New Zealand for similar routes.
– Qantas also offers more predictable prices, while Air New Zealand’s fares go up sharply during busy times.
Thanks to this direct competition, travelers can expect to see lower prices and more choices. Both airlines will work harder to offer better schedules and services to attract passengers. The Adelaide to Auckland route is a good example of Qantas’ strategy to win more customers by making direct flights available, especially to South Australia, which Air New Zealand does not serve directly.
Why the Adelaide to Auckland Route Matters
This new route opens up a closer link between South Australia and New Zealand. For those who want to visit friends and family, or for people thinking about moving or working between these places, this is now easier than ever. The added flights create more opportunities for connecting flights to other parts of each country as well.
For tourism, the route opens South Australia’s unique attractions—including its world-famous wine regions, beaches, and food scene—to more New Zealanders. Trade and business links are also expected to grow. Companies can now move goods and people more quickly, which helps both economies.
The increase of over 30,000 seats for this single route also means more flexibility for travelers. You can find flights on different days and times, which helps avoid peak-time crowds and last-minute fare spikes.
The new flight is seasonal, running from October to May, which covers the southern hemisphere summer and the main holiday season. If the route proves popular, Qantas may consider expanding it further.
New Western Links: Perth to Auckland and Johannesburg
Alongside the new Adelaide to Auckland route, Qantas is also boosting its presence in Perth with two new direct international flights:
Perth to Auckland Route
Set to begin on December 8, 2025, this long-haul flight will run three times a week—on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. It uses a larger Airbus A330-200, which has 27 business class seats and 224 economy seats. The service, called QF111, will take about 6 hours and 45 minutes. With a flight distance of 5,349 kilometers, this is currently the longest direct flight between Australia and New Zealand.
Travelers from Western Australia now get a direct option to fly to New Zealand, removing the need to connect in cities like Sydney or Melbourne. This route is also useful for travelers going even further abroad: Qantas’ service from Auckland to New York (QF3) means West Australians can fly from Perth to New York with only a single stop in Auckland. This convenience is likely to attract both tourists and business travelers.
Perth to Johannesburg Route
Starting on December 7, 2025, this new route will run three times each week—Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays—also using the Airbus A330. The journey will last about 11 hours and 15 minutes. This is an important step in making Perth a hub for travel not only within Australia, but also to Africa.
Combined, these new Perth-based routes will add more than 155,000 seats to and from Perth each year. The extra capacity will likely mean lower prices, more choice, and greater flexibility for both Australian and overseas travelers.
More flights and greater connectivity usually benefit both local workers and communities. Extra jobs are created at the airport, in tourism, and in industries that support airlines, such as food and baggage handling.
The Bigger Picture: Qantas vs. Air New Zealand
Qantas’ moves are part of a bigger plan to challenge Air New Zealand’s hold on key international markets. In recent years, Air New Zealand had a stronger presence, especially in routes connecting New Zealand to smaller Australian cities and Western Australia.
But now, Qantas is fighting back by:
1. Introducing direct flights from cities that Air New Zealand does not always serve directly (like Adelaide and Perth).
2. Offering more seats and making it easier to book travel.
3. Keeping fares lower and more consistent, especially on popular or holiday travel dates.
This push creates healthy competition. Both airlines must now offer better customer service and improved travel experiences. In the end, travelers enjoy more choices, lower prices, and—hopefully—better overall value.
For those frequently traveling for work, family visits, or immigration processes, the added options are especially helpful. Travelers can now plan trips more easily without having to fit around awkward transfer times or high prices.
What These Routes Mean for Immigration
Travel between Australia 🇦🇺 and New Zealand 🇳🇿 is not only for vacations and business trips. Many people move between the two countries for work, study, or family reasons. Visa policies between the two countries have generally made things easier compared to many other international borders.
The new Adelaide to Auckland route, along with the direct Perth to Auckland trip, simplifies these moves. It’s now faster for New Zealand-based job seekers, students, or new residents to travel directly to South Australia or Western Australia. The extra flights also make it easier for people in Adelaide and Perth who might want to consider a short-term or permanent move to New Zealand.
In fact, Australia 🇦🇺 and New Zealand 🇳🇿 have a long history of close migration ties. Citizens can often move, work, and study in either country with much less paperwork than is common elsewhere. For full details about how these rights work, travelers should refer to the Australian Department of Home Affairs website, which provides the most up-to-date rules and forms for people moving between the two countries.
With more flights, settling in a new city becomes easier. There’s less risk of long travel times, missed connections, or high last-minute fares that can get in the way of big life changes.
Economic and Social Impacts
The extra seats created by the Adelaide to Auckland route, and the new Perth connections, have several positive effects beyond the airlines:
- Tourism industries in South Australia, Western Australia, and Auckland will likely see a lift as it becomes easier for overseas visitors to come and go.
- Local businesses benefit from easier access to clients, suppliers, and partners across borders.
- More frequent flights mean more airport jobs in security, ground crew, and airline services.
- Both countries can expect smoother cultural exchanges, school visits, and sports trips, encouraging deeper ties between the communities.
Trade is also helped by more direct air links. Even though most products travel by sea, urgent cargo or special items get a faster journey with more planes flying direct. This speed is vital for industries like fresh food, high-value goods, and even medical supplies.
Travel Tips for the New Routes
If you’re thinking of booking a ticket on the new Adelaide to Auckland, Perth to Auckland, or Perth to Johannesburg flights, keep these points in mind:
- Book early: With new routes, airlines might offer special discounts. Early booking also helps you get preferred travel dates.
- Check visa rules: For longer visits, work, or study stays, always check the latest requirements online.
- Take advantage of connections: For West Australians, these routes may make long-haul trips—like from Perth to New York or Johannesburg—faster and simpler than ever before.
If you are a regular flyer between Australia and New Zealand, the increased competition from Qantas and Air New Zealand will likely mean lower prices and better options. Watch for fare changes and promotions as each airline tries to win your business.
Summing Up
Qantas’ announcements of the new Adelaide to Auckland route, along with the Perth to Auckland and Johannesburg routes, mark a major expansion of direct international air travel from Australia. These changes challenge Air New Zealand’s leadership in the trans-Tasman market and provide more choices to travelers and migrants alike.
The direct Adelaide to Auckland route makes short trips, business travel, or even big life moves much easier for people from both countries. The new Perth services open up access to New Zealand, Africa, and beyond for Australians, while giving New Zealanders more options for their own journeys.
Extra flights mean more seats, more jobs, and a fresh burst of competition that should benefit everyone, from tourists to those making a new home across the Tasman Sea. For full details on travel rules and visas, always check the official Australian Department of Home Affairs website before planning your next move.
By making travel simpler and more direct, Qantas is bringing Australia and New Zealand even closer together—one flight at a time.
Learn Today
Trans-Tasman → The air travel market and route area between Australia and New Zealand, known for high traffic and competition.
Boeing 737-800 → A popular short- to medium-haul passenger aircraft, used on the new Adelaide to Auckland Qantas route.
Airbus A330-200 → A wide-bodied aircraft with increased passenger capacity, used for Qantas’s long-haul international flights from Perth.
Layover → A stop or break between connecting flights, often increasing total travel time and complexity for travelers.
Australian Department of Home Affairs → The Australian government agency responsible for immigration, visas, and citizenship policies and enforcement.
This Article in a Nutshell
Qantas’s bold expansion brings direct Adelaide to Auckland flights back after a decade, increasing competition with Air New Zealand. New Perth routes to Auckland and Johannesburg offer more travel and migration options, driving lower fares, flexibility, and stronger business, tourism, and cultural ties between Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
— By VisaVerge.com
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