Qantas launches direct Perth-Paris flights ahead of 2024 Olympics
Just before the Olympic Games in Paris, the route from Perth, Australia, to the capital of France, announced in the fall of 2023, launched. Operated by Qantas Airlines, the direct flight takes just over 17 hours, making it one of the ten longest routes in the world.
On Sunday, July 14, the first plane embarked on this long-distance journey, offering the possibility of a direct flight between Australia and France after 20 years. The distance between Perth and Paris airports is 14,265 kilometres.
One of the longest routes in the world
The new route reduces the shortest travel time between the two cities by approximately three hours and will be the longest non-stop flight to France from anywhere in the world.
The journey takes approximately 17 hours and 20 minutes, making it the sixth longest air route. Qantas uses Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft with 236 seats for this route.
Flights started in July 2024 for a reason—related to the upcoming Olympic Games, which will run from July 26 to August 11. Due to the event, flights will occur four times a week, then three times a week from mid-August.
Direct flights from Australia to Rome and London
Australian Airlines flies non-stop to Perth from London Heathrow and Rome and operates the Sydney-Heathrow route with a layover in Singapore. The new route to Paris will provide another 75,000 seats annually between Australia and Europe.
"In recent years we have seen a significant increase in customers wanting to fly direct on long haul routes and avoiding stop overs wherever possible. Our direct flights from Perth to London and Rome have some of the highest customer satisfaction on our international network," admits Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson.
