Every week we're going to check in with Travel Josh Engstrom, Travel Expert from Liberty Travel to get an update on flights between the United States and Australia.
Information is changing regularly so be sure to check back each week for updates. See our June 3 update here.
Airlines that have changed flights or plans
Emirates (EK) & Etihad (EY)
Have announced plans to operate a select number of international flights from 21 May 2020 – including routes to Sydney & Melbourne The airline has cautioned that travelers from Australia will only be accepted on flights if they comply with the eligibility criteria requirements of their destination countries. This is a work in progress, as they are not yet flying from NYC – Dubai, it’s expected to start very soon (hopefully)
Singapore Airlines (SQ)
Changi Airport is going to open its airport soon to non-Singapore Nationals, this could also be a great option moving forward for non-Sydney residents who don’t want to do the Sydney quarantine (i.e. MEL/ADL/PER/BNE/DRW/CNS residents) again – WIP
Delta (DL)
Running daily from NYC – SYD (via LAX) from July 2nd – great result!
Airlines and flights that have stayed the same
United (UA)
Still the most reliable route to Australia for New York based expats. Daily service from San Francisco to Sydney through June/July – still have not had any problems with these flights
Qantas (QF)
Still not operating in the foreseeable future, can see some flights in their online booking portal for June/July but they are not true Qantas flights, they’re codeshare via Tahiti/Fiji or Auckland – would advise against booking these
Air New Zealand (NZ)
Still operating services from NYC – SYD (via AKL) 2-3 times weekly
Other news
Most airlines are now taking serious steps to do social distancing on board, with domestic US services being severely disrupted/selling out as they have decreased their seats on board up to 40%, with mandatory vacant seats between guests. This is making it difficult to plan even domestic trips away, as the availability has drastically been slashed.
Questions & Bookings
Do you have questions? Do you need travel advice? Contact Josh by his email, [email protected]
