Qantas to take off from the top end to Singapore

Qantas is launching a second international route from Darwin, with direct flights from the Northern Territory to Singapore. New Qantas flights will add more than 60,000 seats on the route each year and provide visitors to Australia with a convenient gateway to access to some iconic Top End experiences. The flights will provide Territorians with a direct Qantas option to Singapore and also a seamless connection to London on QF1, as well as other destinations across Europe or Asia with partner airlines. Qantas customers travelling from Darwin will save around five hours in flying time by no longer having to fly via other Australian capital cities to get to London.

From 9 December 2024, flights will initially operate five days per week with the dual-class Embraer E190 aircraft, increasing to daily from March 2025.* The new route has been made possible by the establishment of the E190 base at Darwin Airport, with the size, range and economics of the aircraft opening up routes that that wouldn’t be viable with larger aircraft, including the launch of international flights to Dili in 2022.

Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace commented: “We’re thrilled to be offering our customers another new international route out of Darwin and strengthening the important trade, business and tourism links between Australia and Singapore. The direct service is not just great news for Territorians wanting to visit Singapore, but also for those travelling to London, Europe and across Southeast Asia, with connections to popular destinations like Phuket and Kuala Lumpur with our partner airlines, saving hours of travel time. This new route also allows us to restore the link to the UK which was established when international borders first reopened after the pandemic and we temporarily re-routed our London flight via Darwin with the support of the Northern Territory Government and Darwin Airport. As the national carrier, we’re committed to showcasing the best of Australia to visitors from around the globe. This new service makes it much easier for Qantas customers from the UK, Europe and across Asia to incorporate Darwin into their Australian itinerary and experience everything the Territory has to offer.”

Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Joel Bowden said: “This is a significant milestone for Darwin’s aviation capacity and fantastic news for Territorians looking for more choice, competitiveness and connectivity. The new flights will benefit locals wanting to travel overseas and also connect our ever-growing cohort of business travellers with international markets. Qantas’ commitment to the Territory reinforces our profile as a must-do destination for international visitors and we commend them on today’s announcement.”

Qantas has a long history of flying between Darwin and Singapore, with Darwin being the final Australia stop-over on the original Kangaroo Route from Australia to London in 1935. In those days, the flight from Darwin to Singapore took five stops and four and a half days versus a four hours and 45 minutes flight on the new direct service.

More recently, Qantas last operated direct flights between Darwin and Singapore in 2006. Eligible Qantas customers and Frequent Flyers will have access to the Qantas Club in Darwin prior to clearing immigration and security. On their return, eligible customers will have access to the Qantas International First or Business Lounge at Singapore’s Changi Airport.