Qantas scraps Seoul, adds A380s in sweeping changes
The USA is among the winners as Qantas boosts Los Angeles and Dallas.
By David Flynn, October 16 2024
Qantas is set for sweeping changes to its international network impacting key routes to the US, Asia and the Pacific.
One of the biggest will see the airline scrap flights from Sydney to Seoul – launched only in December 2022 – on 14 June 2025 and hand the route over to low-cost sibling Jetstar, which will run daily flights on its own Boeing 787.
“One of the benefits of our dual brand strategy is the flexibility we have with our combined Qantas and Jetstar fleets,” notes Qantas Group International CEO Cam Wallace.
“Qantas launched flights to Seoul after the pandemic, and now that demand has normalised, it’s grown substantially as a leisure market, opening up a great opportunity for Jetstar to increase its frequencies and allow Qantas to redeploy its aircraft to other routes where we are seeing strong demand.”
The USA appears be be consistently strong for Qantas, despite the weak exchange rate between the Aussie dollar and the greenback.
Brisbane is among the winners, with a Boeing 787 replacing the older Airbus A330 on flights to Los Angeles on selected days of the week beginning 11 August, 2025.
Not only is the Dreamliner a far superior ride to the A330 on this long trans-Pacific route, it also has better business class seats (and more of them) along with a premium economy cabin.
Additionally, the Qantas 787 will be seen on selected days flying between Brisbane and Auckland – alongside current Boeing 737 and Airbus A330 flights from 11 August, 2025.
Also starting 11 August, the mighty Airbus A380 will resume flying between Sydney and Dallas Forth Worth, albeit on selected days of the week, alternating with the current 787.
Melbourne-DFW flights will tick up from three to four per week from 6 February, 2025, although Sydney-Auckland-New York flights will be reduced from six to five per week, also from 6 February 2025
In addition, Qantas will restart direct flights between Darwin and Singapore on the A220, marking the first international route for the nimble single-aisle jet.
There’s also a new ‘Palau Paradise Express’ between Brisbane and Palau, with one Boeing 737 flight per week under a contract awarded to Qantas by the Federal Government to support trade and tourism links between Australia and Palau.
The route is expected to commence in the coming months, with flights going on sale in the next few weeks.
QF
11 Jul 2014
Total posts 1010
Looks like there getting ready for competition from Virgin into the USA market using Qatar Wet Lease jets.
15 Dec 2021
Total posts 7
Very true. Rumour has it that Qatar are planning to fly to SFO from SYD or BNE "on behalf of VA" (wet lease with QR crew) starting from late 2025, to further expand the VA-UA partnership. This might face legal/poltiical issues but today's announcement may be a case of QF strongarming its USA heartland.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Nov 2017
Total posts 348
That is nothing more than a rumour that is generally used to push someone's agenda. Unlikely that UA would agree unless they buy a stake in VA, and chances of that is probably close to zero.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1207
That would be the rumour that you seem to have made up and try to spread on various sites to make it seem true.
26 Sep 2023
Total posts 32
This would have been planned well before the VA/QR announcement. The returning A380s have been part of the refurb backlog (as per WelcomeAboard's comment below). QF was desperate to get them back and increase capacity to the US. And QR, like almost everyone else, is too short of aircraft to be farming out wet leases.
15 Dec 2021
Total posts 7
It can't be too bad if QR can wetlease 4 aircraft to VA for their confirmed Doha flights pending approval. They also lease aircraft to IndiGo I believe. QR from Aus-SFO on behalf of VA isn't out of the question.
06 Oct 2021
Total posts 13
So does his mean the last 2 of the original 10 A380s (which were not previously planned to return from the desert) will now be reactivated?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
05 Oct 2016
Total posts 115
Hi Bullswood, QF had 12 A380s with 2 now scrapped (rip into parts and not coming back). The last 2 referred to here were always intended to come back (they've been receiving upgrades in Abu Dhabi for months) and are the last 2 of 10.
18 Apr 2023
Total posts 3
No. The full fleet of A380s hasn’t returned to service yet. There are still three parked up in Abu Dhabi, waiting to get refitted with new business class as well as their return to service engineering checks.
There are only 6 facilities in the world that can do the engineering checks and the backlog was over 12 months as all airlines tried to bring back A380s which were planned to be retired. This is in response to demand recovering quickly combined with delays to new aircraft.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
05 Oct 2016
Total posts 115
JFK flights have been cut back though.
10 Jan 2019
Total posts 5
When is QF - JQ change happening on the Seoul route? Have I missed something..?
31 Mar 2014
Total posts 397
on 14 June 2025 and hand the route over to low-cost sibling Jetstar
03 May 2013
Total posts 680
When are QF expecting to have the 3 A380's in AUH fully operational?
18 Apr 2023
Total posts 3
The latest update I heard was not until the end of 2026. I know they want them back sooner, but just can't book the slots.
01 Mar 2019
Total posts 8
It’s about time Qantas ditched that terrible A330 from Brisbane to the US . I find myself flying into Sydney in your Melbourne for the flight as I totally refuse to go on the cabin crew still sleep in the middle section of the plane this plane should’ve been retired years ago
19 Dec 2022
Total posts 7
as usual Qantas give the middle finger to Brisbane Aug 25 for a B787 to replace an ageing A330 to LA (Really)
20 Nov 2015
Total posts 477
LOL are you serious? How is replacing the A330 to LA with a 787 any sort of 'middle finger'? You were expecting an A380? BNE flyers have rightly been complaining about the A330 to LAX, now Qantas is bringing back the 787 on at least a few days a week and now you're STILL not happy??
22 Sep 2017
Total posts 94
Time for Qantas to ditch (not literally!) the 737s to Auckland. They just don't compare with Air NZ's 777 and 787.
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Qantas scraps Seoul, adds A380s in sweeping changes