Brisbane is Australia’s biggest growth hub to the US, with record flight capacity growth and low costs. Delta Airlines has also chosen Brisbane for a direct connection to Los Angeles, with the first flight landing on 6 December.
Flight Centre Corporate has revealed that Brisbane is leading the charge for airline seat capacity to the US. January 2025 will deliver 125% of pre-pandemic availability, compared to Sydney’s 83%.
COO Melissa Elf commented: “The growth rate in capacity between Brisbane and North America tells us that the need for connectivity between our two nations is at an all-time high. This will be the fourth North American aviation giant to touchdown at Brisbane Airport, and for Delta, this will mark its most extensive schedule to the South Pacific in its history. Over 12,000 Australian companies export to the USA, and it’s our most significant trade relationship.”
Flight Centre Travel Group’s corporate brands, which include FCM Travel, Corporate Traveller and Stage & Screen, saw an uptick in bookings to the US in the most recent quarter.
Brisbane Airport CEO Gert Jan de Graaf said: “We saw the education, government and finance sectors in particular ramping up trips to the US in 2024. For Australian business travellers, the US has always been a top five international travel destination, and as we approach the inauguration of a new administration in January 2025, there are new relationships to be built for Australian businesses and governments.”
Australia and the United States are trusted trade and investment partners, conducting close to $77bn in two-way trade and an investment relationship valued at roughly AU$0.9trn. Approximately a quarter of Australia’s inward foreign investment is from the United States, at $0.7trn.
In August this year it was also announced that Australians will be eligible for easier passage through American airports with participation in the US Global Entry programme. Beginning in January 2025, it will allow pre-approved, low-risk travellers from Australia to use automated kiosks, speeding up processing time upon arrive in the US.
