Two of the longer flights in Qantas' network are on the way, and both start from the same place: Sydney. The Australian carrier has confirmed seasonal nonstop services to Las Vegas beginning this December and to Cape Town launching in late 2027 — the first scheduled link between Australia and South Africa's mother city.
The Las Vegas route starts on 29 December, flying three times a week (Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays) from Sydney to Harry Reid International. It covers roughly 12,400 km, with the return leg scheduled at up to 15 hours 15 minutes. Qantas will use its 236-seat Boeing 787-9 — 42 business seats in a 1-2-1 layout, 28 in premium economy and 166 in economy. Until now, Australians heading to Sin City had to connect through Los Angeles or San Francisco; about 54,000 people made the trip in the past year, and Qantas expects the nonstop to grow the market by 30% or more. Fares from Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland feed the connecting demand too.
Cape Town comes next. From 19 October 2027, the same 787-9 will fly the 11,000 km route three times weekly on a seasonal basis through to late March 2028. Interestingly, it's a slightly longer flight than Qantas' existing Sydney–Johannesburg service, making it the airline's third route to South Africa. Around 87,000 passengers travel between Australia and Cape Town annually, and it skews towards higher-end leisure — average fares run about 12% above Johannesburg, despite the similar distance.
There's a knock-on effect worth watching. Because the Cape Town flights use 787-9s still to be delivered in 2028 and only run during the southern summer, Qantas will have spare widebody capacity during the northern summer. Speculation is already pointing to a new European destination — Athens looks like a strong candidate, with a slightly bigger Sydney market than Frankfurt, higher average fares and a shorter flight. Qantas currently serves London Heathrow, Paris and Rome, with the Paris and Rome services returning via Perth in March 2027.
Why does this matter for travellers? If you're in Australia (or connecting from New Zealand), Las Vegas gets a whole lot easier from the end of December — no US West Coast connection needed. And for anyone eyeing Cape Town's wine routes, Table Mountain hikes and coastal drives, a direct flight from Sydney cuts a tedious two-leg journey down to one. Book early for both: three weekly frequencies on a single aircraft means seats will be tight, especially over the December–January peak. Business class will be the real test of demand, given the premium-heavy cabin configuration on these routes.
