United Airlines is gearing up for a return to Melbourne, Australia. Flights between San Francisco and Melbourne will resume on June 2, marking a return of the Chicago-based airline to Australia's second-biggest city and the return of nonstop flights to the Melbourne - San Francisco sector. This route will bring the number of US - Australia routes United operates to three, still down from their pre-pandemic five routes.
The First Melbourne-bound United flight leaves SFO on June 2
United Airlines confirmed the restart of its Melbourne (MEL) - San Francisco (SFO) flights in a statement released earlier today. What United didn't say was that they had planned to resume these flights on May 10 but pushed them back to June 5 last month. But let's not quibble, it's good to see the sole US airline serving Melbourne coming back.
Pushing back from SFO at 22:45 every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from June 2, UA60 will take 15 hours and 45 minutes to make its way down to Melbourne, landing there at 07:30 two days later. The first San Francisco-bound flight will leave Melbourne at 09:30 on Sunday, June 5, before settling into a Monday, Thursday, and Saturday departure pattern. UA61 will take 14 and a half hours to fly back to San Francisco, touching down at 07:05 on the same day.
"We are thrilled to resume our San Francisco to Melbourne service and see a bright future ahead for United, for Melbourne, and for US-Australia travel," says Patrick Quayle, Senior Vice President of International Network and Alliances at United.
United's Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners to fly to Melbourne
United's 787-9 Dreamliner will operate the Melbourne flights. The jet seats 257 passengers across three cabin classes. While 149 of those passengers will be cooling their heels (or massaging their cramps) in the economy class cabin, further up the plane, life is more salubrious. The jet also features a 21-seat Premium Plus premium economy cabin with better seats, catering, and more room to move. But it's the 48 passengers in business class who get the sweetest deal. They'll enjoy the latest United lie-flat Polaris seats, which considerably reduce the pain of long-haul flying.
United previously flew to both Los Angeles and San Francisco from Melbourne. United is eyeing resuming the MEL - LAX flights later this year. Qantas also usually flies between Melbourne and both US west coast cities. Qantas is back on the MEL - LAX route but is yet to commit to returning to the MEL - SFO route, handing United sole operator status on the sector - for the time being at least.
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Resuming Melbourne flight coincides with start of new Australian airline partnership
In a nice piece of probably not uncoincidental timing, United's return to the San Francisco - Melbourne route aligns with the start of its new interline partnership with Virgin Australia. Melbourne is a major Virgin Australia hub, and the airport's single (but large) terminal makes international - domestic flight transfers relatively painless.
Further north at Sydney Airport (SYD), United Airlines is flying the SYD - LAX and SYD - SFO routes and is keen to return to the Sydney - Houston (IAH) sector later this year. While United Airlines only competes with Qantas on the US - Melbourne sectors, the competition is stiffer in Sydney, with Delta Air Lines also flying the Sydney - Los Angeles run. American Airlines also drops on and off the SYD - LAX route but is indefinitely suspending services this month owing to aircraft shortages.
United's return to Melbourne comes on the back of increasing demand for flights between the US and Australia. However, capacity on the sector across the major carriers remains down on pre-pandemic levels.