United Airlines will begin direct flights between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Adelaide Airport (ADL), starting December 11, 2025. This will mark the first-ever direct route between South Australia and the United States.
Launching as a seasonal service departing San Francisco on December 11, the 15-hour flight will operate three times per week until March 2026, with a possibility to increase as demand grows. Flights will depart from San Francisco on Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 11:05 p.m., arriving in Adelaide at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, Thursday and Saturday, respectively. Return flights from Adelaide will depart Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 2:55 p.m. local time and arrive at 11:15 a.m. the same day. The flight will operate on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, with 257 seats, including 48 in United Polaris business class and 21 in United Premium Plus.
The United States is currently the fourth largest inbound tourism visitation market for South Australia and continues to grow as American travelers prioritize getaways that offer unique outdoor and wildlife immersion, culinary and wine offerings, and authentic cultural experiences. In 2024, there were 44,000 visitors from the U.S., up 28 percent from 2023, injecting a total of $77 million in 2024, up 48 percent from 2023.
With 12 regions ranging from the emerging culinary capital, Adelaide, and the accessible Flinders Ranges and outback to the crystal-clear waters of the Eyre Peninsula and world-class wine in the McLaren Vale and Clare Valley, South Australia is a newly unlocked destination with the launch of these new direct flights.
Travelers from Adelaide can take advantage of one-stop connections to more than 75 U.S. destinations previously only reachable with two connections from the airline’s San Francisco hub, including New York City, Orlando, Las Vegas, Denver, Chicago, Seattle and Washington, D.C. The flight also serves as a one-stop connection for travelers from Perth, who are currently not served by a U.S. direct route. United also offers flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
United has partnered with Virgin Australia since 2022, establishing codeshare co-operation, reciprocal loyalty benefits for Velocity Frequent Flyer members and United MileagePlus members.
For more information, visit www.united.com.
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