Qantas will operate daily services on its Sydney–Auckland–New York route for the first time since its launch in June 2023, boosting it from five per week to daily between June and October 2026.The increased service also marks the airline’s first daily flights to New York since pre-pandemic, when Qantas operated a Sydney–Los Angeles–New York service.“We’re thrilled to be increasing our Sydney – New York flights via Auckland to daily from June to October next year,” said Qantas CEO International Cam Wallace. “These flights have been very popular with our customers and we’re looking forward to continuing the service alongside our future nonstop options between Sydney and New York with Project Sunrise.”Qantas attributes the move to rising demand from both American and Australian travellers. “This year, we’ve seen more Americans wanting to travel to Australia, so we’re pleased to be giving them even more reasons to visit and connect onto our extensive domestic network across the country,” he added.“This week also marks the return of our A380 to Sydney – Dallas and Dreamliner to Brisbane-Los Angeles, offering more premium seats for customers travelling between Australia and the US.”
The 2026 boost in flights coincides with several major events and attractions in New York, including the FIFA World Cup Final, which will be hosted in the New York/New Jersey area on 19 July 2026, with additional matches scheduled in June and July.Travellers will also be able to enjoy newly reopened and upcoming cultural destinations, including the Waldorf Astoria New York, which recently reopened after an eight-year renovation, and the Hip Hop Museum at Bronx Point, set to open in 2026. The Studio Museum in Harlem and the Frick Collection are also slated to reopen in late 2025.For added convenience, Qantas flagged the Mobile Passport Control (MPC) app at JFK Airport to speed up immigration processing for Australian travellers.“We also know how much our Australian customers value premium travel options and through our partnership with American Airlines, there are plenty of options to connect seamlessly to destinations right across the United States,” Wallace said.
