Courtesy of United Airlines
- United plans to operate 66 flights per week connecting the US and the South Pacific region this winter.
- That's a 40% increase in United flights to Australia and New Zealand compared to 2022.
- The schedule includes a new direct flight between San Francisco and Christchurch, New Zealand.
United Airlines is planning to ramp up its flights connecting the US to Australia and New Zealand by nearly 40%, the carrier announced Tuesday.
Over the winter, it plans to operate 66 flights per week between the two regions.
The expansion includes a new direct flight between San Francisco International Airport and Christchurch International Airport in New Zealand, starting December 1. United plans to fly the route three times per week on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner and would be the only airline to offer a direct connection between Christchurch and the US.
United also plans to add four weekly flights connecting Los Angeles International Airport and Auckland Airport in New Zealand starting October 28, and three weekly flights between LA and Brisbane Airport in Australia, starting November 29. The airline says it will operate both routes with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.
The new flights between San Francisco and Christchurch, Los Angeles; Auckland and Los Angeles; and Los Angeles and Brisbane are all subject to government approval.
Additionally, United plans to start offering daily flights between San Francisco and Brisbane, and twice daily flights between San Francisco and Sydney, starting October 28.
United currently connects San Francisco to Brisbane three times per week, and San Francisco to Sydney daily.
The airline also plans to add around 100 seats per day to its flights between San Francisco and Melbourne, Australia by operating the route with its largest aircraft, the 777-300ER, starting October 28.
In the winter of last year, United Airlines was already the main airline connecting the US and the South Pacific with 512,715 seats, according to aviation blog Simple Flying, an 18% increase compared to 2019.