Cathay Pacific flight touches down in Adelaide marking return to SA skies

The first Cathay Pacific flight to South Australia in more than five years has touched down, with direct flights from Hong Kong to Adelaide recommencing today.
 
Cathay Pacific previously operated flights between Hong Kong and Adelaide, which ceased in March 2020 soon after the declaration of the global pandemic.
 
Today’s arrival marks the completion of the re-establishment of all international routes flying into Adelaide before the COVID-19 outbreak.
 
The reinstated Cathay Pacific service connects South Australia with key international tourism and trade markets in Asia and beyond and is set to deliver a huge boost to the State’s economy in tourism and freight exports.
 
The service will operate seasonally through to 27 March 2026 three times per week – Wednesday, Friday and Sunday – on a A350-900 aircraft.
 
The reinstated flights are set to boost international visitor expenditure in the State, which currently contributes a record $1.7 billion to South Australia’s economy.
 
Cathay Pacific is one of Asia’s leading international airlines, with a global network linking Adelaide to more than 80 destinations worldwide via its Hong Kong hub. The airline’s extensive connections across the Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North America make it a key gateway for both leisure and business travel, with further growth expected as new aircraft join the fleet in coming years.
 
Today’s milestone follows a series of new airline arrivals and announcements in the past fortnight, including Air New Zealand connecting Adelaide and Christchurch for the first time ever, the return of Qantas international, and China Eastern to fly direct from Shanghai from July next year.
 
Next month, South Australia will have a direct connection to the US for the first time when United Airlines starts flying to Adelaide from San Francisco.
 
The addition of United Airlines flights will see more international airlines servicing the State than ever before.
 
Quotes attributable to Zoe Bettison
 
Reinstating Cathay Pacific flights direct from Hong Kong to Adelaide has been a key priority for the State Government and marks a significant milestone for South Australia’s tourism industry.
 
The Cathay Pacific service connects our State with key international visitor markets, making it even easier for not just our growing Asian market, but also Europe and North American travellers.
 
All international carriers flying into Adelaide prior to the pandemic are now back further driving South Australia’s economic growth – boosting our tourism and freight exports.
 
The suite of new airline arrivals and routes into Adelaide in recent weeks means our State is more globally connected than ever before and will further grow international visitor expenditure, currently worth a record $1.7 billion to South Australia’s economy.

Quotes attributable to Joe Szakacs
 
It’s exciting to see Cathay Pacific back on the ground in Adelaide for the first time in more than five years.
 
Our Government has worked closely with Cathay Pacific to reestablish this direct route that will help drive economy benefit for South Australia through trade and tourism.
 
With a 15-tonne cargo hold on the A350, up to 45 tonnes of South Australian products will be able to be transported in the belly of the plane each week while flights run.
 
Quotes attributable to Frosti Lau, Regional General Manager Southeast Asia & Oceania, Cathay Pacific
 
Adelaide holds a special place for us at Cathay, from our flights dating back to 1992 to our cadet pilot training program at Flight Training Adelaide with over 30 years of graduates.
 
The relaunch of our Adelaide seasonal service sees Cathay Pacific reinstate all its pre-pandemic Australian routes, connecting South Australians to over 100 destinations around the world.

With strong connections to the Chinese Mainland, Southeast Asia and Europe via Hong Kong, our seasonal summer service will give locals the opportunity to reconnect with family, see the world and travel for business.
 
In addition, we will support local South Australians businesses through our cargo capacity offering specialised solutions to get every item to its destination in pristine condition.
 
Quotes attributable to Brenton Cox, Managing Director Adelaide Airport
 
We’re excited to welcome Cathay Pacific back to Adelaide. The airline first started flying to Adelaide in 1992 and it has been one of our enduring international partnerships.
 
South Australians will again be part of their extensive global network with a non-stop service to Hong Kong and excellent connections to Asian and European destinations.
 
The A350-900 is a step-up from the A330 that Cathay previously operated on this route, and the inclusion of Premium Economy creates greater product choice for travellers.
 
We also anticipate solid inbound passenger numbers on the back of our growing tourism market and strong international education opportunities.