British Airways is set to transform travel Down Under with direct daily flights from London Heathrow to Melbourne.
This new long-haul route perfectly times arrivals for major events like the Australian Open tennis tournament and the Australian Grand Prix.
British Airways to launch direct flights to Melbourne from London Heathrow
The service extends British Airways’ existing Heathrow-Kuala Lumpur flight, making Melbourne its second Australian destination after Sydney (via Singapore).
Expect Boeing 777 or Airbus A380 aircraft on the 21-hour journey, with economy fares starting around £800 return based on typical long-haul pricing.
Currently, Qantas offers non-stop Heathrow-Perth flights outbound but requires a Singapore fuel stop inbound due to Middle East airspace issues and BA’s new path sidesteps this.
When are the BA direct flights to Melbourne launching?
Launching in early 2027 aligns with Melbourne’s event calendar: the Australian Open (late January) draws global tennis stars, while the Grand Prix (March) revs up Formula 1 excitement.
CEO Neil Chernoff highlighted this as part of a “significant investment” in long-haul leisure, adding capacity amid high demand.
BA is also ramping up other routes with three weekly returns to Colombo from October 23, 2026, plus more to Cape Town, Tokyo, San Jose, and New Orleans.
Neil Chernoff, British Airways’ chief planning and strategy officer, said: “We’re delighted to announce sizeable growth to our flying schedule for winter 2026, including two notable new destinations that I’m confident will prove popular with our customers.
“We’re also increasing services across several high-demand routes around the world.
“Together, these changes represent a significant investment in our long-haul leisure network, adding even more options and choice for our customers.
