Qantas' Melbourne-San Francisco Boeing 787 flights now on sale
By Chris C., January 19 2018
UPDATE | Qantas' new Melbourne-San Francisco flights are now on sale, with the route kicking off on September 1 2018 and running four times each week.
Using its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, business class passengers can relax in one of 42 suites, configured in a 1-2-1 layout offering direct aisle access from every seat, ample storage space and a fully-flat bed for that all-important rest:
AusBT review: Qantas Boeing 787 business class, Los Angeles-Melbourne
Ahead of economy is also a premium economy cabin of 28 seats, spread across just four rows in a 2-3-2 layout:
AusBT review: Qantas Boeing 787 premium economy, Melbourne-Los Angeles
From Melbourne, flight QF49 will push back at 9:40pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, reaching San Francisco at 7pm local time.
On the return, QF50 takes to the skies at 10pm on those same days, touching down in Melbourne at 6:30am two calendar days later.
"We expect this flight to be popular with tourists and also corporate travellers looking to do business with San Francisco’s world-leading technology companies," said Qantas International CEO, Alison Webster.
“With connections to 17 codeshare destinations including Chicago, Seattle, and Vancouver, the new service also provides another gateway for Australians travelling into the US," Webster added.
Qantas' San Francisco flights also present new opportunities for travellers booking their journey using frequent flyer points, with many flights currently offering up to four business class seats plus four premium economy seats and at least nine economy seats on each departure, all for points-based bookings: a rarity on Qantas flights to the USA.
You'll need 96,000 Qantas Points for a business class ticket, 72,000 Qantas Points for premium economy or 45,000 Qantas Points for an economy seat, one way, plus a cash payment on the side to cover taxes, fees and Qantas' carrier surcharges, usually in the realm of $200-500 per person on USA routes.
But as a result of the new San Francisco service, Qantas will dial back its Melbourne-Los Angeles Boeing 787 flights to run two days per week – down from six days at present – complemented by its existing daily Airbus A380 service.
Qantas also flies from Sydney to San Francisco using a Boeing 747 aircraft.
PREVIOUS, December 15 2017, by David Flynn | Qantas will begin flying between Melbourne and San Francisco in late 2018 with the airline's Boeing 787-9 taking the new route under its wing.
Qantas and United Airlines already fly from Sydney to San Francisco, but the Red Roo's new Dreamliner service will be the only direct flight from Melbourne to Fog City.
Freshly-minted Qantas International CEO Alison Webster confirmed the new Dreamliner route ahead of today's debut of Boeing 787 flights between Melbourne and Los Angeles.
"We’re excited to fly Australians to one of the most popular destinations on the Qantas network in Dreamliner style and comfort. We’re proud that with the new San Francisco route too, it will strengthen tourism and trade links, particularly with Silicon Valley."
However, the Melbourne-based Dreamliner won't be doing a daily run to either Los Angeles or San Francisco – instead, the advanced jet will be shared between the two routes.
"Capacity between Melbourne and the US will be rebalanced to match demand for the two Californian cities, meaning that the Dreamliner will fly to Los Angeles some days of the week and San Francisco other days," the airline says.
"A significant number of our Melbourne passengers flying to Los Angeles already connect on to San Francisco," Webster explained.
Qantas is understood to be planning for the Boeing 787 – which will fly into Melbourne from the non-stop London-Perth service – to continue to San Francisco on fours day each week and Los Angeles on the other three days, complementing the daily Airbus A380 between Melbourne and Los Angeles.
Tickets for the Melbourne-San Francisco flights will go on sale early in the new year, with flights expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Brisbane will see its daily flight to Los Angeles switch from a Boeing 747 to the Boeing 787 in the second half of 2018, with the Dreamliner then continuing on to New York – meaning that NY-bound Qantas travellers from Sydney and Melbourne to Los Angeles will also enjoy a cross-country jaunt on the Dreamliner.
Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 May 2015
Total posts 54
Excellent news!
QF
27 Jul 2016
Total posts 11
good news indeed
even with the changes at TBIT I try to avoid LAX immigration at all costs
QFF
16 May 2016
Total posts 66
I think the LAX experience has vastly improved and no longer as bad as people make out. I went last week. Arrived TBIT early morning and it was fine. I also think the walk to connecting domestic flights is perfectly ok. +/- 10 mins walk after a 14 hour flight from Sydney can only be good for you.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
15 Aug 2017
Total posts 116
Agreed the more flights into West Coast ports other than LAX the better!
05 May 2016
Total posts 616
Wow. MEL to SFO will be fantastic! I was hoping for this. Though I wonder what WP upgrade chances will be like. If they aren’t good I’ll probably still want to go via SYD.
05 May 2016
Total posts 616
I hope this doesn’t make it harder to visit the CX Lounge in SFO. This is going to be interesting.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2563
Hopefully by the time this flight starts Qantas can have arranged access to the BA lounge, which I believe has been undergoing expansion & makeover for some time.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
20 Jan 2016
Total posts 59
Good news, I was looking at QF MEL to SFO flights only this week and lamenting that I was stuck with either a domestic at LAX or the aged 747 out of Sydney, neither of which are appealing. I like the current LAX to MEL scheduling so if the SFO schedule can follow suit this will be a great result.
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1031
Which "current" scheduling?
Current schedule is ~10am-6am for QF93 and ~2pm-9am for QF95 with ~10pm (QF94) and ~11pm (QF96) returns.
The 95/96 times change when the PER-LHR starts. 95 more drastically (7pm MEL-LAX, midnight LAX-MEL) I would expect the MEL-SFO to have similar times to the post March 95/96
Once VH-ZNC arrives, all 3 787-9s are being used on MEL-LAX with some A380 flights on 93/94 being replaced by 787 until PER-LHR starts. The MEL-LAX flight times are slightly messed up through Feb/Mar as a result.
QFF
16 May 2016
Total posts 66
If you're going via SYD, there are Dreamliner options to SFO.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
19 Feb 2014
Total posts 439
I hope you're not suggesting that United is actually considered an option.
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1429
The next step is what to do with the next four Brisbane based 789s on top of BNE-LA-NYC. Chicago or elsewhere?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Jul 2016
Total posts 105
Seattle, Chicago and Dallas are in the mix I believe for BNE.
22 Jan 2018
Total posts 98
I live in Seattle and I’d welcome it. That said, and considering AA is changing its elite benefits and reducing partnership with Alaska airlines, I don’t know how happy they’d be if their fellow OW partner builds close relationships with them (the AS partnership would be the biggest benefit of flying to Seattle).
02 Dec 2016
Total posts 91
Good news, but why split the 789s across LAX and SFO. Just deploy the 789s daily onto SFO and the A380s to LAX.
That's a win-win. If you're destination is either city then you have daily options. If you're transferring then you can select the city with the schedule that suits you. Or if you're holidaying then you can do the triangle: MEL - LAX - SFO - MEL (or reverse).
Am still waiting to see what the second US city from BNE is going to be, and this makes SFO more likely I think.
Air New Zealand - Airpoints
23 May 2013
Total posts 44
I agree, daily to both would be so much more attractive
30 Dec 2014
Total posts 14
Qantas has previously announced that 787 maintenance will be done in LAX, so the aircraft still need to rotate through that port.
QF
04 Apr 2014
Total posts 210
Will they need to reduce A380 flights to LAX as they go through refit? If so would overall capacity to LAX be too little?
05 May 2016
Total posts 616
They have multiple options as to what to do when they return the A380. The A380 does fly a number of routes. So if needed they could cut back on any of them.
05 May 2016
Total posts 616
I meant refurbish the A380
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1031
They have an A380 at MNL for heavy maintenance 10 months of the year. It is likely they will do the refits during the maintenance (as part of heavy maintenance is striping the inside of the aircraft. They'd just put the new seats in when they finish)
SYD-DFW: 2
SYD-LHR: 3
SYD-LAX: 2
MEL-LAX: 2
MEL-SIN: 1
2 spare. 1 in MNL for most of the year.
Did they confirm year round SYD-HKG (currently A380 seasonal when the 12th isn't in MNL)?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Mar 2015
Total posts 94
Great news! Flying from central Canada, I now have one stop to Melbourne. With no LAX and no Syd.!!
29 Jan 2012
Total posts 184
03 May 2013
Total posts 684
Totally agree. The 787 longer than 10-12 hours will be challenging for Y and Y+ for sure. Qantas nieveley reported that demand was high for the PER -LHR route....Mr Joyce surely you realise nobody has actually flown it yet on the 787? Only then will you be able to get excited once the pax jury verdict is in! I still hope the A350 is on the cards....that and the A380 are really the only way to fly.
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1031
I haven't had much issue with the 10-12 hour 787 flights I've had, but then again, that was on JL in Y+ (MEL-NRT-SYD, JFK-NRT-JFK). My other 787 flights to date (QR, JL, BA) have been in J.
30 Aug 2017
Total posts 32
This is typical Boeing bashing... United has been flying their B789 between LAX-SIN since last October.It is around 17 hours as well. People really fly in those jets in Y for that long...period..
11 Feb 2016
Total posts 15
I wouldn't say it's a struggle to sit through the 787 flight from LAX to MEL. An A380 would of course be better, but that seems like a pipe dream.
NZ
13 Aug 2016
Total posts 64
NZ has now been using the 789 since 2014 on routes 10-12hours without any major passenger issues with the smaller aircraft. Recently have introduced the 789 onto AKL-IAH which is over 14 hours.
30 Aug 2017
Total posts 32
United fly their 789 between LAX and SIN. That is around 17 hours.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 780
"Silicone Valley"
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2563
QF's mistake, but we've fixed :)
03 May 2017
Total posts 5
I'll miss the Qantas First Class Lounge but nothing else at TBIT. Hopefully by the time the service starts Qantas will have worked out that 9 across in a 787 is stupidity and the next tranche will be 8 across allowing the plane a chance to be enjoyed rather than endured.
16 Nov 2011
Total posts 580
My advice. Don’t hold your breath.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
06 Sep 2012
Total posts 231
@Goat Guy Airlines care more about the business/premium end because that is where they make the majority of revenue. QF won't sacrifice an extra seat for economy comfort if it affects their bottom line. Their reasoning is: you want comfort - pay more money.
11 Feb 2016
Total posts 15
This is great news—definitely a much-needed connection and will eliminate an unenjoyable connection in SYD. Balancing the load between SFO and LAX should be an interesting way to test the market. However, it's Silicon Valley—not silicone—and more commonly referred to as The City By The Bay (no local would call it Fog City).
24 Apr 2014
Total posts 269
About time. Remember when this route used to start in Melbourne and refuel in Sydney before going to SFO? Fond memories of the upper deck on the 747.
23 May 2017
Total posts 10
For anyone not tied to a particular airline this makes for a tough decision in business class to the u.s from Melbourne. I'd argue virgin has the best product to the USA in business by a long way, however id be willing to fly the Qantas 787 to avoid lax. Smart move by Qantas here.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Jun 2015
Total posts 57
Get ready for even more hipsters now both in SF and Melbourne!!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Nov 2016
Total posts 130
Current Dreamliner service should be to SFO or DFW when the A380 already serves LAX.
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1031
It is likely that had the US DoT approved the planned QF/AA JV, AA would have taken over the QF95/96 rotation (just like they did with AA taking over the 2nd QF SYD-LAX flight, allowing QF to return to SFO) and QF would have started a MEL-DFW.
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1429
I suspect there is also some rebalancing. Six flights a week plus a daily A380 MEL to LAX might not be getting the bookings they wished for so moving some flights to San Fransisco which may be underserved makes sense.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Sep 2012
Total posts 382
This announcements is fantastic. QF have always struggled over the years to make the economics on SFO truely work but finally its returning to roost. Deciding on increase capacity or launching a new route has a lot of risk so good on QF to invest into SFO and Melbourne this way. This limited non-stop schedule is the right move in launch phase and will grow to daily as demand increases.
11 Feb 2016
Total posts 15
Most Americans don't know anything about Melbourne (if they know of it at all), so hopefully this new route will help to build awareness in SF (and beyond).
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jan 2015
Total posts 70
Great News. Managed to snap a business seat over to SFO and First Seat back out of LAX over Xmas. The night departure out of Oz works well for me :)
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1429
I note it is now only twice a week 787 to LAX. The forward bookings may not have been great hence the shift to SFO. They may move them all to SFO next year and leave LAX just with the A380.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
19 Jan 2018
Total posts 88
As someone who flies frequently to the Bay Area, albeit out of Brisbane, this is excellent news. I just hope that QF follows through with a service ex-BNE.
05 May 2016
Total posts 616
I think they'd wait and see how the sales of the MEL-SFO service go before considering that.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
19 Jan 2018
Total posts 88
I don't disagree with that. I was talking about an additional flight and not a replacement for the existing flight to LAX.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
16 Apr 2013
Total posts 29
I guess leaving QF95/96 as Monday and Friday was picked carefully. So no Qantas service to SFO on Tuesday? IIRC QF73/74 doesn’t operate on a Tuesday. Would have thought they would try to get a daily coverage though I suspect this way is cheaper operationally.
05 May 2016
Total posts 616
Definitely cheaper not to have staff on for just the one flight when they could be on for two.
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1429
They may do some maintenance in LAX so would like to rotate the the Melbourne ones through.
24 Feb 2015
Total posts 25
Im booked akl-mel-lax in Sept specifically on the 787 for the new business class, but am now nervous Ill end up on crappy skybed 2. Any ideas on how flexible qantas would be to cater for this?...to ease my mind a bit?
24 Apr 2014
Total posts 269
Its an evening departure and an evening arrival. Might be a bit tricky getting to sleep when you arrive as presumably one would have slept on the flight from Melbourne?
16 Mar 2014
Total posts 3
I find it quite amusing the numbers that are excited for forthcoming 787-9 flights. Quite obviously they have not
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Jul 2018
Total posts 9
So I have just taken this flight, QF49 after taking QF10 from Perth to Melbourne first, and then the crew mentioned that that same 787-9 would next go on to SFO.
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