• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
  • Advertising Disclosure
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
  • Advertising Disclosure
Home  >  Australia • News • United Airlines  >  United Airlines Announces New Service To Brisbane, Australia
AustraliaNewsUnited Airlines

United Airlines Announces New Service To Brisbane, Australia

Matthew Klint Posted onJune 8, 2022June 8, 2022 19 Comments

United Airlines will add a new dot to its international route map with year-round service between San Francisco and Brisbane launching the fall, a sign of United’s deepening partnership with Virgin Australia.

United Airlines Will Launch Brisbane – San Francisco Service This Autumn

Yesterday afternoon, United teased a new route announcement via Instagram stories set to be unveiled later this morning. Thinking about the Virgin Australia connection and the odd timing for a new route announcement, I guessed that United would offer new San Francisco (SFO) – Brisbane (BNE service):

New @united route will be announced tomorrow. I’m going to guess SFO-BNE in time for the Southern summer. What do you think? pic.twitter.com/20jME5KkG7

— Matthew Klint – Live And Let’s Fly (@LiveandLetsFly) June 7, 2022

Sure enough, United later briefed media outlets including Live and Let’s Fly about the new route ahead of the formal announcement. But hours ahead of schedule, Brisbane Airport broke the news, with CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff calling United’s new route “a gamechanger for the tourism industry” in Queensland.

United will launch new 3x-weekly service on October 28, 2022 using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner featuring:

  • 48 business class “Polaris” lie-flat seats
  • 21 premium economy “Premium Plus” recliners
  • 188 economy class seats
    • 39 Economy Plus seats with up to five extra inches of legroom
    • 149 standard seats

The schedule will be released later today and tickets will also go on sale. If you’re looking to use your miles on the new route over the Christmas holidays, I would not except to find “saver” premium cabin space, but there might well be economy class seats so keep your eyes peeled. SFO-BNE flights are planned on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday and flights from BNE-SFO are planned for Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday.

United already offers more service to Australia than any other U.S. carrier and will resume two suspended routes this winter, bringing the total number of Australia routes to six:

  • Houston ⇄ Sydney (resumes this winter)
  • Los Angeles ⇄ Melbourne (resumes this winter)
  • Los Angeles ⇄ Sydney
  • San Francisco ⇄ Brisbane (starts this autumn)
  • San Francisco ⇄ Melbourne
  • San Francisco ⇄ Sydney

Patrick Quayle, United’s Senior Vice President of International Network, explained:

“With United’s strong history in Australia – and now with a great partner in Virgin Australia – it’s the ideal time for United to expand service to Brisbane as demand for travel continues to grow. Throughout the pandemic, we’ve looked for strategic ways to grow our international network, and we’re proud to be the first U.S. airline to put a new dot on our route map across the Pacific.”

The new route will be partially subsidized by the Queensland Government’s Attracting Aviation Investment Fund. Queensland officials have boasted the new route from United will support nearly 400 local jobs and bring $73 million to the local economy.

CONCLUSION

United Airlines will launch new service to Brisbane from its San Francisco hub starting on October 28, 2022. It’s exciting to see United launch service to a new city in Australia, which marks the first new transpacific route by a U.S. carrier since the pandemic began. Under Quayle’s helm, United has been quite bold in its international expansion and from what Live and Let’s Fly has learned, many of the new routes are performing better than expected as the world emerges from pandemic.

Previous Article Haunting: Police Chase In Frankfurt Leads To Horrific Crash
Next Article Review: Lufthansa Business Lounge Frankfurt (FRA – A26) – An Amazing Lufthansa “First Class” Business Lounge

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

Related Posts

  • Delta Air Lines July 4th Travel Waiver

    Delta Air Lines Braces For Meltdown With Unprecedented Travel Waiver

    June 29, 2022
  • United Airlines Extends PlusPoints

    United Airlines Extends PlusPoints By Six Months

    June 29, 2022
  • Fake United Airlines Flight

    The “Fake” United Airlines Flight No Agent Could Book…

    June 28, 2022

19 Comments

  1. Stuart Reply
    June 8, 2022 at 2:06 am

    This is great news! I would like to see more frequency and I think the demand is there, especially these days, given how full flights are and how impossible it is to get anything in a premium cabin for a decent fare to or from Oz. I will bet this could easily be a daily flight after they try it for a few months. As well, given everyone wanting to avoid SYD for transfers to other cities in Australia (it’s a really horrid experience), this gives people yet another option besides MEL for onward legs on Virgin Australia. Especially useful given BNE is the closest gateway to the U.S.

    • Andrew M Reply
      June 8, 2022 at 2:21 am

      Not to mention Brisbane is an excellent connection point for flights up the Queensland Coast to islands and resort towns on the Barrier Reef. Only a quick hop up to Hamilton Island / The Whitsundays / Cairns / Daintree Rainforest / Palm Cove / Port Douglas!

  2. Sharon. Reply
    June 8, 2022 at 7:49 am

    Another excellent new flight added by United!!

    United has really taken great advantage of the 787-9 like no other US Airline.

    Just look at SFO, their route network is just incredible with flights to Tel Aviv, Delhi, Amsterdam, Tahiti, Singapore and now Brisbane all thanks to the 787.

    By far; United has the most comprehensive and impressive reach internationally of any us airline

    • Gravelly Point Guy Reply
      June 8, 2022 at 11:14 am

      Yeah, with the most impressive and Comprehensive crappiest international service of any US airline!! Yay!!

  3. Jared Houser Reply
    June 8, 2022 at 12:24 pm

    Very disappointing that they haven’t resumed LAX-MEL yet, given this was their original Melbourne route, not SFO.

    They need to stop being shy in the LA market and go all in, especially now that DL and AA have pretty much surrendered the LA long haul market.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      June 8, 2022 at 1:12 pm

      I agree, but an thankful that LAX-MEL will resume this winter.

    • Proschwit Reply
      June 8, 2022 at 3:05 pm

      I think the strategy United is using is right one. United isn’t being shy at LAX they are securing SFO. Before the pandemic United was the dominate carrier at SFO both domestically and internationally. The Bay Area recovery has lagged behind other parts of the country but they are now in full recovery mode United has to once again lock down SFO. LAX-MEL will return this winter but relaunching SFO-MEL first and launching SFO-BNE are the right moves.

  4. Jerry Reply
    June 8, 2022 at 2:22 pm

    Personally, I would have been more intrigued if United was resuming service to the other QLD city they used to fly to, but I suppose BNE makes more sense, especially from SFO.

    • Proschwit Reply
      June 8, 2022 at 3:10 pm

      United is resuming service between IAH-SYD and LAX-MEL this winter, and back in April of this year United resumed service on their SFO-AKL route. By December at the latest United will have resumed all their pre-pandemic flights to the South Pacific plus added an additional route SFO-BNE.

      • Jared Houser Reply
        June 8, 2022 at 4:20 pm

        AKL has not been resumed?

      • Jerry Reply
        June 8, 2022 at 7:30 pm

        I was referring to GUM-CNS. It’ll probably never return

  5. ask Reply
    June 8, 2022 at 5:50 pm

    This isn’t a surprise to me. I thought this route was already being planned pre-pandemic?

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      June 8, 2022 at 6:28 pm

      Nope, not to my knowledge.

    • Dan Reply
      June 9, 2022 at 5:32 am

      UA was not partnered with VAustralia pre-pandemic. They were partnered with Delta then, as part of the multiple bunch of former Airline owners at VA 1.0.

      But now with new owners at VAustraloa 2.0, their decision concentrating on Australian domestic and the Pacific Islands/NZ/Bali and striking a partnership with the new owners, plus Qld Government desperate enough to get their market up and running by enticing partial subsidies, the BNE route now makes sense.

  6. Jack Reply
    June 9, 2022 at 1:47 pm

    Good decision. I’ve flown United between SFO and SYD several times. VERY long flight but always made pleasant by the quality of service. Maybe I’ve just been lucky but UA seems to always put senior, experienced staff on those legs who are very attentive, at least in Business. Much better than my experience with UA flights to Europe.

  7. Jeffrey Reply
    June 10, 2022 at 2:06 pm

    Somehow, UA released business class award seats on the inaugural flight! I just scooped up a pair. United had been extremely generous with business class awards to Australia recently.

    • Stuart Reply
      June 12, 2022 at 9:54 am

      They are? I am here now finishing up a round of meetings and the only way back I could find was via Bangkok and Europe. I could not find any seats whatsoever out of Australia over the pacific for reward travel unless spending 300K via YVR on AC. Good for you in getting the inaugural though!

      • Jeffrey Reply
        June 13, 2022 at 2:35 am

        Yeah, 80,000 for two seats. And I snagged a return two weeks later through TPE on EVA’s new 787 and Polaris from there too SFO. Although it seems the flow of business saver transpacific flights has dried up as quickly as it came. Gotta be quick.

        • Matthew Klint Reply
          June 13, 2022 at 2:40 am

          I thought transit via TPE is still prohibited?

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Recent Posts

  • Delta Air Lines July 4th Travel Waiver
    Delta Air Lines Braces For Meltdown With Unprecedented Travel Waiver June 29, 2022
  • United Airlines Extends PlusPoints
    United Airlines Extends PlusPoints By Six Months June 29, 2022
  • British Airways Club Europe Lunch
    Lunch Trifecta In British Airways Club Europe June 29, 2022
  • Iberia Premium Lounge Velázquez Review
    Review: Iberia Premium Lounge Velázquez Madrid (MAD) June 29, 2022

Categories

Popular Posts

  • Delta Korean Air First Class Mistake Fare
    Delta Considers $2,700 A Mistake Fare… June 18, 2022
  • Delta Pilots Open Letter
    Delta Air Lines Pilots Offer Direct Appeal To Customers June 18, 2022
  • United Airlines Honolulu Diversion
    Update: United Airlines 787-9 Diverts To Honolulu Due To Disruptive Passenger June 16, 2022
  • Flaunting Woman Struts Up and Down The Aisle On My Austrian Flight June 9, 2022

Archives

June 2022
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930  
« May    

As seen on:

live_and_lets_fly

The new United Polaris Lounge at Washington Dulles The new United Polaris Lounge at Washington Dulles is the most beautiful of all Polaris Lounges. Stay tuned for a detailed look and many more photos on the blog tomorrow. Well done @united.
@malaysiaairlines just announced it would retire i @malaysiaairlines just announced it would retire its A380 fleet. While not surprising, it is sad to see the growing list of carriers retiring this superjumbo jet. On Malaysia Airlines, I flew the #A380 once from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to London (LHR) and had the entire first class cabin to myself (full review on the blog). It was a beautiful flight that I will always remember.
Welcome to @fly_bur @aveloair! I am so excited tha Welcome to @fly_bur @aveloair! I am so excited that a new carrier, Avelo, has launched, especially from an airport just 12 minutes from my home!
I greatly miss the @lufthansa #747-8 at @flylaxair I greatly miss the @lufthansa #747-8 at @flylaxairport. Hopefully this summer it will return.

.
.
.
.
#Lufthansa #FirstClass #747 #747-8 #StarAlliance #Miles #Points
I recently spent a weekend at the @ventanabigsur. I recently spent a weekend at the @ventanabigsur. This is not only a lovely, all-inclusive resort, but one of the best properties to use your @hyatt World of Hyatt points.
.
.
.
.
#Hyatt #BigSur #California #WorldofHyatt #CA-1 #Points #Hotels
In terms of a spacious first class product, the @E In terms of a spacious first class product, the @Emirates suite on a 777-300ER is hard to beat. My preference is Suite 2K.

.
.
.
.
#Emirates #777 #firstclass
Nearly five years ago, I took a “break” from I Nearly five years ago, I took a “break” from Instagram ahead of the birth of my first child. Goodness, how time flies. While I’ve enjoyed catching up on others over the years, now it is time for me to return to Instagram. In this first post, I highlight two joys in my life, my two children, whom I trust will grow up to be prolific travelers that circumnavigate the globe as ambassadors of love and respect.

.
.
.
.
.

#travel #airplanes #airlines #miles #points #familytravel #human #integrity #honor
United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improv United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improvement over UA's current business class seat. Check out my blog at liveandletsfly.com for 70+ photos of how @united is transforming its entire business class experience starting this December!
The perfect @flysas name tag for #Longyearben! The perfect @flysas name tag for #Longyearben!
Spotted four #polarbear outside of #longyearbyen - Spotted four #polarbear outside of #longyearbyen -- oh, and I love 40°F summer weather!
One of the best crews I have ever had the pleasure One of the best crews I have ever had the pleasure of flying with in all my years of flying. Thank you @flysas SK940 on 11 Aug 2016
Next stop ARN! But dear @flysas , next time if I a Next stop ARN! But dear @flysas , next time if I assign a window seat months in advance, don't move me to a center seat "for my convenience" with no way to get my original seat back... 😞
Ready for #PIA from #MAN to #JFK -- we will be rac Ready for #PIA from #MAN to #JFK -- we will be racing the #Delta flight to JFK at the gate next to us, which also departs at 12:45p. With @onemileatatime
Another room with a beautiful view... #hyattregenc Another room with a beautiful view... #hyattregencycasablanca #cassablanca #hyatt
Enjoying #shanghai with @onemileatatime from the i Enjoying #shanghai with @onemileatatime from the inside of the @grandhyatt_shanghai ... It is 40°C outside! 😓
From my front gate to my boarding gate in 15 minut From my front gate to my boarding gate in 15 minutes flat. I ❤️ #bur #burbankairport
@malaysiaairlines #747 out of retirement and in se @malaysiaairlines #747 out of retirement and in service at #kul -- beautiful livery!
View from my 61st floor room at the beautiful bran View from my 61st floor room at the beautiful brand new @parkhyattguangzhou -- look for a full review coming soon on the blog #hyatt #parkhyatt #guangzhou #parkhyattguangzhou
Will miss the @united #globalfirstlounge at #ord, Will miss the @united #globalfirstlounge at #ord, which closes tomorrow and the Queen of the Skies #747 which will be retired in 2018.
The colonial #architecture of #mumbai is stunning. The colonial #architecture of #mumbai is stunning. If you're ever here, get up at 5am and have a walk around the city before it gets busy. You can hear the birds instead of honking horns.
Load More... Follow on Instagram
facebook twitter instagram rss

This site is for entertainment purposes only. The owner of this site is not an investment advisor, financial planner, nor legal or tax professional and articles here are of an opinion and general nature and should not be relied upon for individual circumstances.

 

Advertiser Disclosure: Some links to credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission. Outside of banner ads published through the Boarding Area network, this compensation does not impact how and where products appear on this site. While we do try to list all the best miles and points deals, the site does not include all card companies or credit card offers available in the marketplace. Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners.

 

Editorial Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any entity mentioned herein. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Posting....