Qantas will begin flying the Perth-Johannesburg route three times a week from December 7, 2025 and begin a thrice-weekly Perth-Auckland service the next day on December 8.
Both routes will operate on A330 aircraft which feature 27 business class seats and 224 economy seats.
The direct Perth-Johannesburg route is currently only serviced by one other airline – South African Airways – so Qantas adding the route will significantly boost capacity between the two destinations, potentially increasing delegates from Africa to conferences in Perth and vice versa.
The Perth-Auckland route will provide Western Australian travellers and visitors with a one-stop connection to New York, which also has potential positive impact on delegate flows between Perth, Auckland and New York for conferences and incentives.
The two new routes for Qantas have been made possible via extra federal funding for the Australian Border Force and the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to expand their services at Perth Airport to process the additional international arrivals.
“We’re so excited to be launching two new international routes, unlocking more options and greater choice for all Australians to connect to the world through our growing network,” said Qantas International CEO, Cam Wallace
“By connecting Perth directly with Auckland and Johannesburg, we’re supporting the local economy by opening valuable inbound tourism opportunities for Western Australia, as well as generating new jobs for the state.
“These routes also enable further growth throughout Australia with connections across our domestic network.
“Our new Perth to Auckland route offers a convenient one-stop connection for West Australians to New York via Auckland on our popular QF3 service while the new direct flight to Johannesburg provides a vital connection for customers in Perth to visit popular cities like Cape Town through our partnership with Airlink.”
Perth Airport is currently benefitting from major investment, with $5 billion to be spent on airport upgrades and an expansion that will see Qantas put an extra 4.4 million passengers through the airport by 2031.
The airport is also set to have its first airport hotel in 2027, with Accor to open a Pullman.
