Qantas announces a new direct route between Perth and Paris, just in time for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as the European summer.

Following the success of Qantas’s one-of-a-kind direct flights from Perth to London and Rome, the new year-round route will see the national airline operate to the French capital for the first time in over two decades, cutting approximately three hours off the current fastest travel time from Perth to Paris.

The 17-hour Perth-Paris flights will first operate four days per week during the peak European summer beginning on 12 July 2024, operating the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. From mid-August 2024, services will be reduced to three per week.

Vanessa Hudson, CEO of Qantas Group, said the airline was thrilled to re-establish a direct route between Australia and Paris for the first time.

“This route has been on our wish list for a while, and we think customers will be as pleased as we are to see it go on sale “, she added.

“Our direct flights to London and Rome have been hugely popular, and Paris is the next most-requested destination, so we know the demand for this service will also be strong. “Some of the first customers on these flights will be Australian athletes heading to Paris for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We are the only airline that offers these direct flights rather than going through a mid-point because Australia is our key market. “Our in-flight service is intended for long-haul travel. “We’ll be working with Tourism WA to make the most of the opportunity to bring tourists here, understanding that direct flights are a significant factor in people selecting where to travel.”

With the introduction of new aircraft in recent months and recent increases in flying, the Qantas Group’s international capacity will exceed 90% of pre-COVID levels by the end of the year and return to 100% by the middle of next year.

The new flights will operate from Qantas’ current terminal at Perth Airport (Terminal 3), allowing for smooth connections to other Australian domestic destinations. Qantas and Perth Airport are making good headway in their discussions to relocate their operations to Terminal 1.

WA Premier Roger Cook expressed pride in securing the new direct route, strengthening the State’s worldwide reputation as Australia’s Western Gateway.

“Securing new direct aviation services like this is vital to drive travellers to Western Australia, inject tourist spend into our economy and create jobs in the tourism and hospitality industries.”

Through Qantas’ network of partners, the Paris service will offer customers another choice for connecting to more than 70 destinations across the region, including Barcelona, Munich, Frankfurt, and Athens, as well as 12 cities within France.

A “circle fare” allows Qantas customers to travel into Paris and then return to Australia via London or Rome on the same ticket.

Fares are on sale starting from $1,899 from Perth and are available until 2 November unless sold out prior.

QANTAS FLIGHTS TO EUROPE

Customers travelling from around Australia can connect seamlessly to Qantas’ flights to Europe.

• QF9/QF10 Perth-London (787)
• QF5/QF6 Perth-Rome (787)
• QF33/QF34 Perth-Paris (787) (customers can book and fly from Sydney)
• QF1/QF2 Sydney-Singapore-London (A380)

Qantas customers can also travel to Europe on Emirates flights via Dubai and with four other partners.