Hong Kong Airlines has unveiled its first long-haul expansion in more than four years, announcing a thrice-weekly non-stop service between Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) and Melbourne Tullamarine (MEL) that will take off on 12 December 2025. Operating as flight HX013/014 on Airbus A330-300 aircraft, the new connection will leave Hong Kong at 23:10 every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and arrive in Melbourne at 11:30 the following morning; the return departs MEL at 13:00 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, landing in HKG at 19:20. The schedule is tailored to capture lucrative overnight business traffic while offering same-day onward connections through the carrier’s Asian hub.
The route is strategically significant for both the airline and Hong Kong’s status as an aviation gateway. Until now the Hong Kong–Melbourne corridor was dominated by a single incumbent carrier; Hong Kong Airlines’ entry adds more than 85,000 seats a year, intensifying competition and creating downward pressure on fares at a time when Australia-bound demand from Hongkongers is rebounding. Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus welcomed the move, noting that Hong Kong is Melbourne’s fourth-largest inbound market for international students and the sixth-largest for visitor spend.
![Hong Kong Airlines to Launch Direct Hong Kong–Melbourne Service on 12 December]()
For corporates with operations across the Greater Bay Area and Australia, the new service promises to shorten door-to-door journey times by up to four hours compared with one-stop itineraries via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. Travellers will also gain additional cargo capacity—an important consideration for time-sensitive electronics and retail shipments moving between the two cities. Hong Kong Airlines is pitching a refreshed business-class product featuring lie-flat seats and upgraded Wi-Fi, aiming to lure premium flyers who traditionally default to full-service rivals.
From a mobility-management perspective, companies should review their travel policies to ensure the airline is loaded in booking tools and that negotiated fares align with existing carrier deals. HR teams relocating staff to Australia may also find the overnight eastbound leg attractive for family moves, while the daylight westbound flight offers easier jet-lag adjustment for assignees heading to Hong Kong.
Looking ahead, analysts believe the route could be a prelude to further expansion into Oceania. Should load factors exceed 80 percent, daily service or an extension to Adelaide—previously served by Cathay Pacific—could follow. For now, the launch underscores Hong Kong’s post-pandemic recovery as a super-connector, reinforcing the city’s pledge to restore its global aviation network to 120 percent of 2019 capacity by the end of 2026.
The route is strategically significant for both the airline and Hong Kong’s status as an aviation gateway. Until now the Hong Kong–Melbourne corridor was dominated by a single incumbent carrier; Hong Kong Airlines’ entry adds more than 85,000 seats a year, intensifying competition and creating downward pressure on fares at a time when Australia-bound demand from Hongkongers is rebounding. Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus welcomed the move, noting that Hong Kong is Melbourne’s fourth-largest inbound market for international students and the sixth-largest for visitor spend.
For corporates with operations across the Greater Bay Area and Australia, the new service promises to shorten door-to-door journey times by up to four hours compared with one-stop itineraries via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. Travellers will also gain additional cargo capacity—an important consideration for time-sensitive electronics and retail shipments moving between the two cities. Hong Kong Airlines is pitching a refreshed business-class product featuring lie-flat seats and upgraded Wi-Fi, aiming to lure premium flyers who traditionally default to full-service rivals.
From a mobility-management perspective, companies should review their travel policies to ensure the airline is loaded in booking tools and that negotiated fares align with existing carrier deals. HR teams relocating staff to Australia may also find the overnight eastbound leg attractive for family moves, while the daylight westbound flight offers easier jet-lag adjustment for assignees heading to Hong Kong.
Looking ahead, analysts believe the route could be a prelude to further expansion into Oceania. Should load factors exceed 80 percent, daily service or an extension to Adelaide—previously served by Cathay Pacific—could follow. For now, the launch underscores Hong Kong’s post-pandemic recovery as a super-connector, reinforcing the city’s pledge to restore its global aviation network to 120 percent of 2019 capacity by the end of 2026.
