Delta Air Lines expands to Queensland
- Delta to start flying to Brisbane 3 times per week from Los Angeles from 4 December
- By Christmas Brisbane will be home to 4 giants of North American aviation: Delta, American Airlines, United & Air Canada.
- From December seat capacity between Brisbane and North America will jump to 144% of pre-Covid capacity
In another big win for Queensland, Delta Air Lines is set to spread its wings by commencing services to Brisbane from 4 December.
The announcement heralds another leap forward in connectivity and is poised to further invigorate Queensland's tourism & export sector. Delta Air Lines will launch with three weekly seasonal flights from Los Angeles to Brisbane, marking a further boost in trans-Pacific capacity.
By Christmas Brisbane will be home to 4 giants of North American aviation: Delta, American Airlines, United & Air Canada. Along with Qantas, from December, the number of seats between Brisbane and mainland North America will leap to 144% of pre-Covid capacity.
Delta Air Lines will operate an Airbus A350-900 on its new LA route, boasting a generous capacity of 306 passengers.
“We are very proud Brisbane Airport will become Delta’s second destination in Australia,” says Brisbane Airport Chief Executive Officer, Gert-Jan de Graaff.
“Brisbane is charting unprecedented territory, witnessing an unparalleled level of interest from North American visitors. This strategic move by Delta Air Lines not only fortifies the ties between the United States and Queensland but also signifies a boost for the local visitor economy.
“American tourists love visiting Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Noosa, travelling north to savour the wonders of The Great Barrier Reef and west to experience the Outback. I’m not sure if it is the upcoming Olympics or the insatiable appetite for Bluey, but right now Brisbane is the ‘must add’ destination for North American carriers, and this opens a world of opportunity.”
Delta Air Lines operates over 4,000 daily flights to nearly 280 destinations on six continents.
“With this addition of Brisbane, Delta’s upcoming winter schedule will offer our customers up to 17 weekly flights between the U.S. and Australia,” said Joe Esposito, Delta’s Senior Vice President of Network Planning.
“This marks our most extensive schedule to the South Pacific to date, and as we build our presence in the region, we know our customers will enjoy the enhanced experience consistently provided by Delta.”
From December, there will be a total of 34 flights per week from North America to Brisbane. With the addition of Delta, Brisbane will be serviced by 5 airlines flying to 4 North American hubs, with connections to 258 airports across North, Central and South America with 10,000 flights weekly. And there are 8 direct connections into Europe as well. 
The new Delta flights are supported by Queensland’s Attracting Aviation Investment Fund delivering more than 271,000 seats over three years and up to 114,000 visitors who will spend up to $208 million, supporting up to 840 jobs including 520 direct jobs and 320 indirect jobs.
It is also a boost for Queensland exporters, with the A350-900 aircraft able to carry up to 20 tonnes of the Sunshine State’s best products directly to the US.
This increase will grow Queensland’s exports to the world’s largest economy, which last financial year was worth $3.1 billion, $409 million of that via air freight.
Comments from Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick:
“The Queensland Government’s $200 million Attracting Aviation Investment Fund is putting Queensland tourism operators and exporters first.
“We know Americans love to escape the freezing North American winter and enjoy Queensland’s beautiful weather, beaches, hinterland, and culture.
“Our Government‘s deal with Delta Air Lines ensures Americans can now fly directly to the Sunshine State using any of the three largest airlines in the world.
“This deal with Delta is estimated to bring 114,000 people to Queensland over three years who will spend up to $208 million in Queensland shops, bars, restaurants, hotels and enjoying our world-class experiences.
“The increased services should also put downward pressure on airline prices while providing more opportunities for Queensland’s exporters to tap into the world’s largest economy.”
Comments from Tourism Minister Michael Healy:
“This is another huge win for Queensland and fantastic news for the state’s international tourism recovery and good jobs.
“The US was Queensland’s third largest visitor market in 2019, so we know there is a real appetite from Americans to travel to Queensland and enjoy our great lifestyle and iconic visitor experiences.
“The US also represents the 10th largest international student cohort in Queensland so this announcement will help us attract even more students and their families back for extended stays.
“Part of the funding through AAIF will go towards a TEQ-led marketing campaign to promote the Delta Air Lines flights, while Delta’s service agreement with REX will allow passengers to make seamless domestic connections.”
Comments from Tourism and Events Queensland CEO, Patricia O’Callaghan
“TEQ welcomes this latest announcement, and we are already in talks with Delta about joint marketing opportunities which will kick-off mid-year to fill these planes headed for Queensland.
“Delta’s loyalty base through their SkyMiles program is a significant opportunity and we’ll be working with them to encourage travellers to come and explore what Americans love most about Queensland – our beaches, the reef and rainforest, our unique Australian wildlife, our way of life and our people.
“Additional direct access from Los Angeles into Brisbane is a massive opportunity for our tourism industry and while the United States is one of our biggest markets, we have so far only recovered around three quarters of our 2019 numbers, so we have gains to make to recover and then grow beyond pre-pandemic visitor levels.”
Delta is a partner of Rex Airlines in Australia, which serves 23 destinations across regional and remote Queensland, providing easy connectivity for American visitors eager for a taste of the regional and outback Queensland.
Delta Air Lines is the 26th international airline to service Brisbane, which now has direct connections to 30 overseas destinations.
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