Cathay Pacific will once again fly direct to Adelaide – connecting South Australia with key international tourism and trade markets in Asia and beyond, generating tens of millions of dollars for the State's economy.
The announcement completes the re-establishment of all international routes flying into Adelaide before the COVID-19 outbreak.
From Tuesday 11 November 2025, Cathay Pacific will re-commence direct flights from Hong Kong to Adelaide three times per week on a A350-900 aircraft – which boasts 280 seats and will be the first time Premium Economy is available on this route.
The flights will operate on a seasonal basis until 27 March 2026, flying out of Adelaide on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
The tourism expenditure of the reinstated Cathay Pacific service is estimated to generate $17 million per year for the State's economy, with the value of freight exports estimated to be $15 million per year - bringing the total estimated expenditure generated to $32 million annually.
Cathay Pacific previously operated flights between Hong Kong and Adelaide, which ceased in March 2020 soon after the declaration of the global pandemic.
South Australia's Asian tourism market injected $783 million into the State's visitor economy in the year to December 2024, generating more than 8.3 million bed nights.
Hong Kong visitors are also known for spending an average of 11 nights in Australia, nearly double the average length of stay for all international visitors.
Cathay Pacific's extensive network serves destinations throughout the Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and North America.
The State Government through its lead airline attraction agency, the South Australian Tourism Commission, has worked closely with Adelaide Airport to reinstate direct Cathay Pacific flights to Adelaide.
The news follows last month's historic announcement of United Airlines commencing direct flights between Adelaide and San Francisco from December 2025 in what will be the first ever direct route between South Australia and the United States of America.
Below is a list of airlines which have resumed, commenced, or will be commencing international flights out of Adelaide post-COVID:
- United Airlines: San Francisco – Adelaide
- Qatar Airways: Doha – Adelaide
- Singapore Airlines: Singapore – Adelaide
- Malaysia Airlines: Kuala Lumpur – Adelaide
- Air New Zealand: Auckland – Adelaide
- Fiji Airways: Nadi – Adelaide
- Jetstar: Denpasar – Adelaide
- Indonesia AirAsia: Denpasar – Adelaide
- China Southern Airlines: Guangzhou – Adelaide
- Emirates: Dubai – Adelaide
- Qantas: Auckland – Adelaide
- Cathay Pacific: Hong Kong – Adelaide
As put by Peter Malinauskas
Our State is being seen as a place to invest in, and Cathay Pacific is the latest global business to recognise this.
Delivering a boon for tourism and trade, the reinstated route is estimated to generate $32 million for South Australia each year, driving appeal to both work and travel in our great State.
The suite of international airlines set to fly directly into Adelaide is no coincidence, it is the result of constant hard work as well as developing a destination worth investing in.
As put by Zoe Bettison
South Australia is flying high with yet another major international airline connecting global visitors to our State.
This is a huge milestone for South Australia's tourism industry, as it means all international routes flying into Adelaide before the COVID-19 outbreak are back – providing further connection to potential visitors globally.
Cathay Pacific's direct flights into Adelaide will make South Australia even more attractive for our key Asian international market, while promoting the simple pleasures of our pristine nature, renowned food and beverage and non-stop events calendar to its loyal flyers.
As put by Joe Szakacs
The return of direct Cathay Pacific flights from Adelaide to Hong Kong is testament to the hard work the Malinauskas Government is doing to better connect South Australia to the world – including with our biggest trading partners in Asia.
The return of this route will provide long-term economic benefits for our state, including through an increase in high-value exports by plane to Hong Kong, which in the last 12 months exceeded $260 million.
It will give local export businesses greater opportunities to sell more of our world-class products to a growing consumer class in the world's most dynamic region.
Wine, seafood, and hi-tech exports have long been in high-demand by Hong Kong consumers– the return of Cathay Pacific flights will make it even easier to do business with one of the world's great trading cities.
As put by Adelaide Airport Managing Director, Brenton Cox
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 more enduring international partnerships for many years.
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.
We also anticipate solid inbound passenger numbers on the back of our growing tourism market and strong international education opportunities.
As put by Cathay Pacific Regional General Manager South West Pacific, Frosti Lau
It is with great anticipation that we announce our return to Adelaide this November. We launched our first flight to the city over 30 years ago, and this was closely followed by our first group of cadet pilots entering Flight Training Adelaide.
This new flight will give those in South Australia's capital the opportunity to explore Hong Kong and beyond, whether for leisure, business or a taste of home. We will be complementing this with our world-leading cargo capabilities which will spearhead delivery of local produce and products into Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
In restarting this service, Cathay Pacific will offer close to 90 return flights per week between Hong Kong and eight destinations across Australia and New Zealand this summer, bringing back all pre-pandemic routes to the region.
