Qantas Launches Flights Direct To New York Via Auckland - How To Book With Points

Qantas is doing its best to make headlines over the past week, as they prepare with the goal of finally being “match fit” next year. In the last five days, the airline has posted a third major loss of more than $1 billion, recorded redemptions thanks to increased reward availability and offered an apology package to its frequent flyer members.

Today, Qantas has announced the return of flights to New York, with a new direct service from Australia to the Big Apple from 14th June 2023. Following a three-year pandemic-induced hiatus, the new service will operate between Sydney and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, with a stopover in Auckland. Flights will be serviced by the Red Roo’s Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with an additional three of the type scheduled for delivery next year. The service is set to operate as follows:

• QF3 departs Sydney at 10:05am to arrive in Auckland at 3:15pm (4h)
• QF3 departs Auckland at 5:00pm to arrive in New York at 5:15 pm (16h15m)
• QF4 departs New York at 7:30pm to arrive in Auckland 5:00am (+2) (17h30)
• QF4 departs Auckland at 6:30 am (+2) to arrive in Sydney at 7:40 am (+2) (3h40m)

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said flying to the US West Coast from Auckland would provide better connectivity from more destinations in Australia.

“We’re back flying to most of our pre-COVID destinations, which is a fantastic achievement by our teams and so important for Australians reconnecting with the rest of the world.

“We can’t wait to return to New York and it’s made possible by the delivery of new aircraft, which have been caught up in delays that have impacted lots of airlines.

Qantas believes its Dreamliner cabins are well suited for passenger comfort on long journeys with more than 20 hours of travel time. Although evidence might suggest otherwise, Mr Joyce says their 787s have been designed “with more room and fewer seats than most of our competitors.”

Get In Quick And Secure A Seat On The Points Plane

Sydney-Auckland-New York flights are on sale from today. Qantas will fly two Points Planes in the first week, with all seats available as Classic Flight Rewards on the 16th of June. This means that every seat across Economy, Premium Economy and Business can be booked as a Classic Flight Reward using Qantas Points.

Points Plane connections will also be available for Frequent Flyers based in Brisbane and Melbourne to use Classic Rewards for their trans-Tasman flights. To get all the way from Sydney to JFK you’ll need:

• Economy: 55,200 points + A$221
• Premium Economy: 108,400 points + A$311
• Business: 144,600 points + A$361

Qantas Lounge Update Program

Qantas plans to upgrade its lounge network, with a multi-million dollar investment to build new lounges in Adelaide, Auckland, Port Hedland and Rockhampton.

As part of its new direct flights to New York, the existing two lounge offering in Auckland will be combined and merged with an adjacent space to increase capacity by around 40 per cent from 244 to 340 seats. The redeveloped Qantas International Lounge in Auckland is set to become provide a modern pre-flight oasis for customers travelling to-and-from Australia as well as on flights to New York.

“We know how much our customers value being able to relax before their flight, whether they’re flying from a major regional port or an international hub,” said Mr Joyce.

“Our new Auckland International lounge will be a step change in comfort. It will offer a lot more space and, like all of our offshore lounges, feature the best of local design, food and wine.”

Summing Up: My Take

In recent years, Qantas has shown they are keen to expand their reach provided new technology and increased consumer demand for non-stop services. With the current range limitations of their Boeing 787-9 jets, the new Sydney-Auckland-New York route brings Qantas airline one step closer to its Project Sunrise dream.

Although, this is not Qantas’ first time connecting to the Big Apple. The national carrier previously carried transiting passengers on a Boeing 747 service between Los Angeles and New York. Prior to this, Qantas used to fly its Airbus A330 on the more inconvenient Auckland-Los Angeles-New York route.

Although new flights have just one stop, you’ll want to be seated in Business Class or at least Premium Economy for these ultra-long-haul flights. So, be quick in booking a seat on the Points Plane that’s scheduled for 16 June 2023.