Australia to Paris Nonstop Launches Friday. 17+ Hours in Economy, Anyone?

Do you call July midsummer or mid-winter? It all depends which side of a major new air route you’re on.  Come July 12, one of the year’s most hotly anticipated new flights will take to the skies for the first time.

Qantas’ nonstop link from Perth in Western Australia to Paris will launch just ahead of the Olympics and Paralympics. However, with flight times of up to 17 hours and 20 minutes, this is a marathon rather than a sprint. 

Services operate four-times weekly before dropping down to thrice weekly in the second week of August. 

While notable, the new route isn’t entirely without precedent. It follows a similar path to Qantas’ existing ultra-long-haul services from Perth to both London and Rome. It is operated by the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, an aircraft designed for particularly long journeys. 

Paris will soon join London and Rome as nonstop flights from Perth. Graphic: Great Circle Map An Appetite for Ultra-Long Haul

Qantas has previously reported high occupancy and passenger satisfaction on its Perth-London route. The airline said on average, around nine in every ten seats were occupied, suggesting many long-haul travelers are happy to strap in for 17+ hours to avoid layovers. 

Visitors keen to maximize their time in Europe can opt for Qantas’ ‘Circle Fare’. This allows travelers to return from any of the three European cities served nonstop by the Australian airline.