Qantas Returns to San Francisco With 3x Weekly Service

Updated: May 23, 2023, 1:55pm CDT

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Qantas Relaunches Nonstop Service From SYD to SFO
Qantas Grows in the U.S.
Final Thoughts

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The Flying Kangaroo has made its return to San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

After almost 13 hours of flying, a Qantas flight from Sydney (SYD) has touched down in San Francisco (SFO) for the first time since the pandemic hit in 2020.

“The return of our direct service offers travelers more choice and will reduce travel times by at least 2 hours for customers who currently need to stopover in Los Angeles, which means more time to explore or work in Sydney,” said Andrew David, Qantas’ new CEO.

Let’s find out more about Qantas’ return to SFO.

Qantas Relaunches Nonstop Service From SYD to SFO

Qantas’ Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in the stunning livery, pictured above, touched down at San Francisco (SFO) on Monday, May 22, 2023, ahead of schedule at 6:05 p.m. It was designed by the late Indigenous Australian artist, Emily Kame Kngwarreye.

The 7,417-mile ‘hop’ across the Pacific will continue to operate 3x weekly. It’s set for Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays with the following schedule:

Depart Sydney (SYD) 9:55 p.m. — Arrive San Francisco (SFO) 6:15 p.m.
Depart San Francisco (SFO) 10:25 p.m. — Arrive Sydney (SYD) 6:05 a.m. (+1)

If you’re tempted to head Down Under with the return of Qantas’ Sydney (SYD) to San Francisco (SFO) service, the lowest economy round-trip fares we’re seeing start at $1,586.

Hot Tip:

Thankfully, there are several ways you can book Qantas flights using points and miles. The best value would be using points for business class and first class tickets.

Business class will cost you significantly more, with the lowest fares you’ll find coming in at $8,430.

Qantas Airways business class cabin — The Qantas business class cabin, which has been dubbed by some as the “mini first class.” Image Credit: Carissa Rawson

Qantas Grows in the U.S.

San Francisco (SFO) joins Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Honolulu (HNL), and Los Angeles (LAX) as the 4th U.S. city to boast nonstop service to Australia with Qantas.

That’s not all for the Australian flag carrier, though. Looking forward, Qantas’ connectivity to the U.S. will increase significantly over the coming years with the launch of new ultra-long-haul services.

In fact, the launch of a direct service from Sydney (SYD) to New York (JFK) via Auckland (AKL) is set for June 2023. Plus, the long-awaited Project Sunrise will see nonstop services from Australia to New York (JFK). Looking forward, we’ll hopefully even see services to Chicago (ORD) and Miami (MIA).

Final Thoughts

Qantas’ return to San Francisco — its second city in California — is certainly worth celebrating.

It’s not only a testament to the strong return of travel in a post-COVID world. The return of this popular route also provides new travel opportunities for those living on both sides of the Pacific.

Hopefully, it won’t be long before Project Sunrise takes to the skies, too!