The new airlines and direct routes saving Aussies time and money

In a serious win for Australian travellers, a string of global big guns are climbing over one another to catch our attention.

It’s no secret Aussies love a holiday. In fact, data recorded in May by international insurance operator Europ Assistance, confirmed that Australians stay away longer than their European, Indian and North American counterparts.

Unsurprisingly, savvy local and international airlines have cottoned on, dialling up efforts to nab a piece of the ultra-profitable pie. The result? An influx of sky-high heavyweights either paving direct paths to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth or targeting our major airports for the very first time.

And it’s not just good news for travellers who thrive off a smorgasbord of flight options. With the competition for our dollars more cut-throat than ever, prices are competitive, and departures are frequent, making our dream international escapes markedly more attainable.

Plus, as we count down to the 2026 opening of the 24-hour Western Sydney International, the capacity for more flights will very literally broaden our horizons. The airport has already secured Singapore Airlines and a direct route to Singapore’s Changi Airport, while Qantas announced that 15 of its aircrafts will call the $5.3 billion build home.

Let’s break down everyone that’s flying in and out of where, and when, to help you refine that bucket list.

Turkish Airlines: Sydney, NSW to Istanbul, Türkiye

Turkish Airline flight in the air — Turkish Airlines returns to Sydney. (Image: Kevin Hackert/ Unsplash)

Cementing its first foray into Sydney’s airspace, Turkish Airlines will fly from Sydney Airport to Istanbul Airport, via Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur, from December 5. Kicking off with four flights per week, the airline intends to evolve the route into a non-stop service.

The announcement is particularly thrilling for Aussies eyeing off a European jaunt as Istanbul offers access to more than 340 European destinations across 130 countries. The inaugural Turkish Airlines flight to Sydney is scheduled to touch down on November 29.

LATAM Airlines: Sydney, NSW to Santiago, Chile

Latam Airlines in the air — Fly direct to Santiago from Sydney. (Image: Getty)

After pausing its direct Sydney to Santiago flights in April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, LATAM Airlines finally rebooted the all-too-convenient service on October 28. Reintroducing four flights per week between Sydney Airport and Santiago Airport, the airline once again opens the gateway to easy-access Latin American escapades.

The long-anticipated route follows a slightly slower service that crawls between Sydney and Santiago via Auckland, New Zealand, but the return of its direct flight path should get you to your destination in just 13 hours.

Juneyao Air: Sydney, NSW to Shanghai, China

Juneyao Air takes off — Juneyao Air will fly from Sydney to mainland China from December. (Image: Getty)

Welcoming Juneyao Air to Australia’s airspace for the first time, Sydney Airport will commence an inaugural route to mainland China on December 17. Journeying direct from Sydney to Shanghai Pudong International Airport, the route will see four weekly flights in the beginning, with plans to boost the trips to daily if they, well, take off.

It will serve as Sydney Airport’s ninth mainland China carrier, making for more flight options than ever before.

China Southern Airlines: Sydney, NSW to Beijing, China

Starting December 13, Sydney Airport will be the first Australian airport to fly direct to Beijing Daxing International Airport. China Southern Airlines will open yet another incredible door to mainland China as four flights per week to Beijing are scheduled.

Vietjet: Melbourne, Vic to Hanoi, Vietnam

June marked Vietjet’s entry into Melbourne’s airspace for the first time as the airline launched direct flights to Melbourne Airport. The twice-weekly service operates from Melbourne Airport to Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport on Tuesday and Saturday, running adjacent to the airline’s Melbourne services to Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City.

Qantas: Perth, WA to Paris, France

Instilling temptation among Perth’s most enthusiastic sporting fans, Qantas kicked off a direct service between Perth Airport and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport on July 12, just in time for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

While the route initially ran four times weekly, it now flies three times per week, departing Australian shores in the evening and arriving in the City of Lights just before 7am. Yet another fabulously streamlined way to get you galivanting in Europe quicker than ever.

China Southern Airlines: Perth, WA to Guangzhou, Southern China

West Australians are now treated to direct flights between Perth Airport and mainland China thanks to China Southern Airlines relaunching its direct service. Flying three times per week, the flight commenced on November 28 and is scheduled to take off on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

American Airlines: Brisbane, Qld to Dallas, Texas

The USA carrier announced its second Australian service (Sydney to Dallas was the first) at the end of October, confirming a non-stop service from Brisbane Airport to Dallas Fort Worth in Texas as part of a joint partnership with Qantas. The remarkable long-haul stretch becomes American Airlines’ longest non-stop route on record.

Five flights per week in each direction were originally slated, however daily flights both ways are set to launch in December and will run until the end of March 2025.

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Solomon Airlines: Brisbane, Qld to Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu

First Solomon Airlines flight arriving into Espiritu Santo from Brisbane. (Image: Solomon Airlines)

Sending more Aussies to the charms of Vanuatu than ever before, Solomon Airlines kicked off a weekly direct service from Brisbane to Espiritu Santo’s Santo International Airport in July.

The two-hour and 50-minute, non-stop flight was warmly welcomed considering the May collapse of Air Vanuatu which nixed its direct flights from Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland.

Qantas: Brisbane, Qld to Palau, Micronesia

Qantas on the ground at Sydney Airport — Qantas to launch direct flights to Palau from Brisbane. (Image: Qantas)

Providing Aussies with yet another tropical beach holiday option, Qantas will launch direct flights from Brisbane Airport to Palau International Airport on December 7. The once-weekly service will take flight over weekends and get Aussies to the far-flung dive sites of Palau in about six hours.

Qantas: Sydney, NSW to New York City, USA

We’ll have to wait a little while longer for this one. The latest on the longest flight on record (once it’s up and running), otherwise known as Qantas’ Project Sunrise, is that aircraft manufacturing delays have pushed its launch to 2026.

The planned Sydney Airport to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, 20-hour direct service will take flight on board a new whiz-bang Airbus A350 aircraft, however the airline is yet to announce a firm commencement date.

New direct routes outside the major cities

Fiji Airways announced it will fly direct from Cairns to Fiji’s Nadi International Airport commencing April 10, 2025. Flights will operate three times per week with a total flight time of 4.5 hours each way. It marks the first time Cairns has ever connected directly to Fiji and to celebrate the new route, airfares will start from $539 return.

Jetstar will fly direct from Gold Coast Airport to New Zealand’s Hamilton Airport and Dunedin Airport (also known as Momona Airport) from June 2025. Both services will run three times per week, marking the first time the carrier has ever operated within Hamilton.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.