The British airline will start daily flights between London Heathrow and Melbourne Airport in January 2027, with the first flight from London taking off on January 9 and the first flight from Melbourne departing January 11.
The flights will operate via Kuala Lumpur and offer four classes of travel – first, a business class equivalent, a premium economy equivalent and an economy equivalent.
“We’re delighted to announce sizable growth to our flying schedule for winter 2026, including a new route to Melbourne that I am confident will prove popular with our customers,” said British Airways’ chief planning and strategy officer, Neil Chernoff.
“We have a long history of connecting Britain and Australia, and we’re excited to be returning to this great city.
“We’re also increasing services across several high-demand routes around the world and together, these changes represent a significant investment in our network, adding even more options and choice for our customers.”
The flights will boost capacity between the UK and Melbourne ahead of the Australian Open, the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) and the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.
The boost in seats will make Melbourne more accessible and cost-competitive for business events, in addition to making it easier for Victorian delegates to attend events in the UK.
The new British Airways route has support from the Victorian Government.
“Securing these flights operated by British Airways to London is a major win for Victoria – strengthening our ties with a global economic powerhouse and unlocking new opportunities for trade, investment and local jobs,” said the state’s minister for industry and advanced manufacturing, Colin Brooks.
“These new flights put Victoria in a stronger global position, making it easier for our businesses to reach key markets and for more visitors to experience everything our state has to offer.”
Melbourne Airport’s CEO, Lorie Argus, also weighed in on the new flights.
“With the largest choice of airlines flying to the UK and Europe, 24-hour operations and the shortest minimum connection time of any Australian airport, Melbourne Airport is now the clear choice for Europeans heading to Australia or Australians looking to travel abroad,” said Argus.
