The new flights are the result of a deal between the Victorian state government and the airline, which is one of the world’s largest carriers.
With services to operate three times a week between Melbourne and LA, Delta Airlines will add 86,000 seats between the two destinations each year.
The new flights will arrive in Melbourne on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and depart from Victoria’s capital on the same days of the week.
The US is Victoria’s fourth largest visitor market.
The additional flights will make Melbourne more accessible for the US market and should make flights cheaper between the two destinations, which is good news for both inbound and outbound conference delegates and incentive groups.
“Delta’s flights will help restore capacity on the Los Angeles route back to where it was before the COVID-19 pandemic and the arrival of a new carrier on the Pacific route will also make it easier for Victorian businesses to connect with a key trading partner,” said Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus.
Meanwhile on the domestic front, Alice Springs and Cairns will benefit from a new connection, with Airnorth set to fly between Central Australia and Tropical North Queensland from mid-April.
The route will be operated three times a week on a 100-seat Embraer E190, delivering more than 30,000 seats between Alice Springs and Cairns each year.
“As international visitation continues to recover this route is strategically important to the Northern Territory tourism sector and expands itinerary options that connect Central Australia and Far North Queensland,” said the Northern Territory’s minister for trade, business and Asian relations, Robyn Cahill.
“With Perth’s growing profile as an international gateway into Australia from [the] UK, Europe and South Africa, the route could support development of new inbound Australian itineraries that include Perth, Central Australia and Far North Queensland.
“Similarly, the route will make it easier for Japanese visitors to disperse from Cairns to Alice Springs.”
The new route will also help attract delegates from Northern Queensland to conferences being held in Alice Springs.
