Sky High: SA’s global connections soar in 2025
South Australia is more globally connected than ever before, with 2025 delivering a suite of new international flights, and completing the full return of routes suspended during the pandemic, resulting in a 32% increase in the number of inbound seats.
The new direct flights from several key tourism markets are set to boost international visitor expenditure in the state, which is currently worth a record $1.6 billion for South Australia’s economy.
Significant aviation milestones in 2025 include:
United Airlines connecting SA to the USA for first time ever with direct flights between San Francisco and Adelaide.
Cathay Pacific recommencing direct services between Hong Kong and Adelaide, which had been paused during the pandemic.
Air New Zealand launching a new route providing the first direct service from New Zealand’s South Island with flights to and from Adelaide’s sister-city, Christchurch.
Qantas resuming international services for the first time in over a decade, with direct flights between Auckland and Adelaide, also providing a one-stop connection from New York.
Emirates choosing its Dubai to Adelaide route as the first in its global network to use the new ultra-long-range Airbus A350 and introducing Emirates’ new Premium Economy cabin to Adelaide.
Indonesia AirAsia launching direct flights between Denpasar and Adelaide.
China Eastern announcing the first ever direct route between Shanghai and Adelaide, with a three times-a-week seasonal service to launch in mid-2026.
China Southern announcing plans to expand its seasonal service from Guangzhou to a year-round service from March 2026.
Adelaide Airport saw 1.14 million international passenger arrivals in the year to November 2025, an 18.2% increase on the year prior; this growth was supported by more than 6,000 inbound international flights.
All international airlines operating into Adelaide prior to the COVID-19 pandemic have now resumed services, as well as airlines which are serving the state for the first time.
Almost 17,000 seats coming into Adelaide are available each week, with that number set to grow as more services come online.
By mid-2026, there will be 13 international airlines servicing Adelaide, with flights from 12 locations around the world:
Indonesia AirAsia, from Denpasar
Air New Zealand, from Auckland, and from Christchurch (seasonal)
United Airlines, from San Francisco (seasonal)
Qatar Airways, from Doha
Singapore Airlines, from Singapore
Malaysia Airlines, from Kuala Lumpur
Fiji Airways, from Nadi
Jetstar, from Denpasar
China Southern Airlines, from Guangzhou (year-round from March 2026)
Emirates, from Dubai
Qantas, from Auckland (seasonal)
Cathay Pacific, from Hong Kong (seasonal)
China Eastern Airlines, from Shanghai (seasonal service starts mid 2026).
In a testament to South Australia’s growing reputation as a strategic aviation and business events destination, the CAPA Airline Leader Summit Australia Pacific will be hosted in Adelaide in 2026 and again 2028. The event will see hundreds of aviation leaders and key decision makers from across the region gather to set the industry’s course into the future.
The increase in international arrivals has greatly contributed to an overall increase to incoming passenger numbers at Adelaide Airport, which saw a total of 8.94 million people travel through the airport in the year to November 2025. It’s expected the 2025/26 festive season will see around 815,000 people travelling to and from Adelaide, 20% up on Christmas last year.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Tourism, Zoe Bettison
The sky’s the limit when it comes to our aviation sector, and 2025 has certainly been one for the record books.
The addition of new international flights into Adelaide is a massive vote of confidence in our state as a visitor destination and as a place to do business.
South Australia is more globally connected than ever before, providing a wealth of opportunity to entice our key international markets – such as the United States, China, and New Zealand - to commit to a trip and discover our abundance of simple pleasures.
We have a lofty goal to grow South Australia’s international market to $2.2 billion by 2030 and increase weekly international airline seats to 20,200 – which is why we will continue to strengthen connections with these and other key airlines globally.
Quotes attributable to Brenton Cox, Managing Director Adelaide Airport
The airport is pumping with record numbers of people flying in and out of Adelaide. In 2026 we’ll exceed 9 million passengers a year.
Over the Christmas and New Year period we’re expecting more than 800,000 passengers through the airport on more than 6,000 flights.
It’s been our biggest year yet for airline activity, we’ve now announced 13 airlines to 12 destinations including adding new nonstop destinations to our network of Christchurch, San Francisco, and Shanghai.