ATLANTA, GEORGIA — United Airlines announced that it would resume its non-stop service between San Francisco and Melbourne with three weekly flights next month. The relaunch of the San Francisco - Melbourne route complements United's current service between Sydney and the airline's hubs in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Upon the launch of the flights, United will be the only U.S. carrier to conduct non-stop flights from the United States to Melbourne.
"The fact that we retained daily passenger service to Australia throughout the lowest points of the pandemic – and were the only airline to do so – shows our commitment to Australia,"
said Patrick Quayle, senior vice president of international network and alliances at United.
"We are thrilled to resume our San Francisco to Melbourne service and see a bright future ahead for United, for Melbourne, and for US-Australia travel,"
Mr. Quayle added. Australia opened its borders to international travelers in February after nearly two years of closure during the pandemic. United has recently announced a partnership with Virgin Australia, which offer U.S.travelers further connectivity to top Australian destinations with suitable one-stop flights.
United said that it had worked closely with the Victorian government for the revival San Francisco - Melbourne route, which will pave the way for more collaboration with the local authorities as travel demand for destinations in Australia continues to grow.
"We're backing more direct international flights to Melbourne because we know the critical role they play in supporting Victorian businesses and creating jobs,"
said Martin Pakula, Victorian Minister for Industry Support and Recovery.
"Having more direct flights from the U.S. means it is even easier for visitors to come to Victoria and enjoy everything we are famous for – whether that's our major sporting events, food scene, or cultural institutions," Pakula added.
United first began direct flights between Los Angeles and Melbourne in 2014 and then added the San Francisco - Melbourne route in 2019, just before the start of the pandemic.
