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New Yorkers will soon be able to visit Sydney in Australia via Auckland in New Zealand thanks to a recently-announced new route by Qantas.
The new flights are scheduled to debut on June 14, 2023 and operate three days a week following suspended stopover service to New York during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We can't wait to return to New York and it's made possible by the delivery of new aircraft, which have been caught up in delays that have impacted lots of airlines," Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said in an official statement about the news. "We think this route will be very popular with Australians given the opportunity to connect via Auckland and it also gives New Zealanders more choice."
Although still waiting for final approval from regulators, the Qantas flight are scheduled to depart Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport and land at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport via Auckland Airport. Folks flying from the United States to Australia will not have to change planes in New Zealand but could choose to de-board and transfer to other destinations within Australia.
Perhaps most excitingly, the airline has also announced its plans to launch nonstop flights from New York to Sydney in 2025 as part of Project Sunrise, an effort to cater to customers looking to book ultra-long-range flights.
New Yorkers interested in a trip Down Under will be delighted to know that the (pretty expensive) flights are already on sale.