The past weekend saw a groundbreaking new flight taking place from Texas to Australia. American Airlines completed a nonstop route to Brisbane all the way from its Dallas-Fort Worth hub, attracting attention from around the globe.
American Airlines Flight AA7 departed around 2200 local time Saturday evening. The flight concluded 16 hours later when it touched down at Brisbane Airport in Australia Monday morning at 454 local time, over half an hour ahead of schedule.
Raising the Bar in Trans-Pacific Aviation
The inaugural flight to Australia set a couple of records last weekend. The flight marked the longest ever American flight by distance at over 8,300 miles. This also set a new record as the longest flight either to or from Brisbane Airport.
The flight took place on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner at full capacity with multiple crews working different shifts of the flight. Three pilots also operated the aircraft during its flight. A total of 285 people were on board, though American didn’t disclose how many were passengers.
Brisbane Airport broadcasted the aircraft landing live on its YouTube channel, seen by over 38,000 viewers since Monday. The two-hour and 15-minute event was hosted by Brisbane Airport Media Manager Peter Doherty and ‘The Great Outdoors’ host and producer Sammy Cheney.
“This is not just linking two cities, this is linking two countries,” Doherty exclaimed. “Look at that! It’s fantastic!” he exclaimed as the aircraft made its landing on the runway.
Following the American Brisbane Flight
After the American Airlines flight landed and deplaned, each passenger was given free goods from Brooki Bakehouse, a local business founded by Queensland influencer Brooke Bellamy.
FlightRadar24 Director of Communications Ian Petchenik also shared his thoughts during the inaugural flight to Australia:
“We expect this to be one of the most tracked flights on FlightRadar24, with people around the world tuning in to follow the aircraft’s progress from Dallas-Fort Worth to Brisbane, especially keen to watch the livestream of the landing.”
Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graff called the Dallas flight “a landmark moment” for Brisbane and Queensland. He added that the connection between the two airports “unlocks incredible potential” for travelers flying across the Pacific Ocean.
The Australian Government projects that this seasonal route will attract 141,000 travelers to Queensland, Australia over the next few years, with an influx of up to $113 million Australian dollars into the nation’s economy.
More on the American Airlines Winter Schedule
The historic route was first announced by American Airlines back in February as part of a deal with Qantas Airways. The February press release touts the partnership as a catalyst to a “comprehensive network” of destinations for Americans, Australians, and New Zealanders. Additional Winter routes that were announced are for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as well as a return to Kona, Hawaii.
Former Australian Treasurer Cameron Dick had encouraging words on the announcement, stating that the new connection “opens up many opportunities” for businesses in both Queensland and Texas.
The airline will also resume additional international flights next month. American will resume flights from Los Angeles to Auckland, New Zealand on 5 December and fly again between Dallas-Fort Worth and Kahului, Hawaii starting 19 December.
American Airlines currently operates five flights weekly between Dallas-Fort Worth and Brisbane. The airline will then fly to and from Brisbane every day from December through March 2025. Google Flights currently lists one-way flights from Dallas to Brisbane via American starting at $892.
United Airlines is the only other United States airline that operates nonstop flights to Brisbane. United’s two current Brisbane routes fly to and from San Francisco and Los Angeles, California.
