Qantas has unwrapped an early Christmas gift for trans-Pacific travellers, confirming that thrice-weekly Melbourne–Honolulu flights will begin in early May 2025 using Airbus A330 aircraft. To celebrate, the carrier launched a week-long Red Tail Sale with 50,000 heavily discounted seats across more than 30 North and South American routes, including return economy fares from Melbourne to Honolulu from AU$1,049 and Sydney to Los Angeles from AU$1,199.
The move adds more than 40,000 annual seats to Hawaii—traditionally one of Australia’s most popular leisure destinations—and restores a link last served by Jetstar, which will redeploy its Boeing 787s to another long-haul market. Qantas states that demand for Hawaii has rebounded to 115 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, fuelled by the weak Australian dollar making U.S. mainland trips pricier.
Need help sorting out travel documentation? VisaHQ streamlines U.S. visa and ESTA processing for Australian passport holders, offering quick online applications, live status tracking and dedicated support—ideal for mobility teams coordinating multiple travellers ahead of the new Melbourne–Honolulu flights. Get started at https://www.visahq.com/australia/.
![Qantas opens Melbourne–Honolulu route and puts 50,000 trans-Pacific seats on sale]()
For mobility teams, the new service offers a one-stop alternative for staff transiting between Australia’s tech and energy hubs and the U.S. West Coast via Honolulu, often with favourable corporate fares compared with Sydney gateways. Travel buyers should, however, check interline agreements because Qantas code-share options beyond Honolulu are more limited than from Los Angeles or Dallas.
The sale also comes as Qantas jockeys with United Airlines, Delta and Hawaiian for capacity ahead of the Northern Hemisphere summer. Analysts note that the Flying Kangaroo’s aggressive pricing could pressure competitors to release additional discount inventory, at least until January demand data firm up.
Practical tip: travellers bound for conferences in Honolulu during May–July should book early; early-bird corporate blocks are moving fast and accommodation on Waikiki traditionally spikes once Australian school-holiday periods are factored in.
The move adds more than 40,000 annual seats to Hawaii—traditionally one of Australia’s most popular leisure destinations—and restores a link last served by Jetstar, which will redeploy its Boeing 787s to another long-haul market. Qantas states that demand for Hawaii has rebounded to 115 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, fuelled by the weak Australian dollar making U.S. mainland trips pricier.
Need help sorting out travel documentation? VisaHQ streamlines U.S. visa and ESTA processing for Australian passport holders, offering quick online applications, live status tracking and dedicated support—ideal for mobility teams coordinating multiple travellers ahead of the new Melbourne–Honolulu flights. Get started at https://www.visahq.com/australia/.
For mobility teams, the new service offers a one-stop alternative for staff transiting between Australia’s tech and energy hubs and the U.S. West Coast via Honolulu, often with favourable corporate fares compared with Sydney gateways. Travel buyers should, however, check interline agreements because Qantas code-share options beyond Honolulu are more limited than from Los Angeles or Dallas.
The sale also comes as Qantas jockeys with United Airlines, Delta and Hawaiian for capacity ahead of the Northern Hemisphere summer. Analysts note that the Flying Kangaroo’s aggressive pricing could pressure competitors to release additional discount inventory, at least until January demand data firm up.
Practical tip: travellers bound for conferences in Honolulu during May–July should book early; early-bird corporate blocks are moving fast and accommodation on Waikiki traditionally spikes once Australian school-holiday periods are factored in.
