Looking to book flights from Australia to the USA? Read our helpful guide below to help you discover which airlines operate popular routes between Australia and the USA, which departure and arrival airports to consider using and many more FAQs.
Being one of the most well-known cities in the world, Los Angeles is a popular destination for anyone travelling from Australia as it is situated on the West Coast of the US and one of the easiest cities to reach directly from Sydney. The peak travel season for visiting Los Angeles from Sydney is usually between March and September when temperatures are warmest. It's the perfect time to visit Los Angeles for visitors coming from Australia because this is when temperatures typically drop in Australia to as low as 10.5°C (50.8°F). A handful of airlines offer direct flights between Sydney and Los Angeles, including Delta and Qantas.
Route Frequency: 120+ weekly flights from Sydney to Los Angeles
Ticket Price: $850+ USD single, $1500+ USD return
Flight Time: 13-15 hours (direct)
Airports: Sydney Airport ➡ Los Angeles International Airport
Airlines: Delta, Qantas, United Airlines, American Airlines
If you're travelling from Australia and wish to fly even deeper into the US, the Sydney to Dallas-Fort Worth route is your best option. It's also a great option if you're looking to reach the East Coast of the US - you'll be able to catch connecting flights easily from Dallas-Forth Worth International Airport. The best time to visit Dallas is from June to August when temperatures can reach up to 36°C (96.8°F). Currently, the only airlines offering direct flights between Sydney and Dallas-Fort Worth are Qantas and American Airlines.
Route Frequency: 16+ weekly flights from Sydney to Dallas / Fort Worth
Ticket Price: $1500+ USD single, $2300+ USD return
Flight Time: 15-17 hours (direct)
Airports: Sydney Airport ➡ Dallas / Fort Worth International Airport
Airlines: Qantas, American Airlines
San Francisco is another easy city in the US to get to directly from Australia as it also sits on the West Coast alongside Los Angeles. Travellers often choose to fly to San Francisco from Melbourne instead of Sydney as it's a slightly shorter flight duration, but the option is there if you wish to fly from Sydney instead. The peak travel season for San Francisco is between June and August when temperatures are warm and comfortable, ideal for roaming around the eclectic city's streets. At the moment, the only airline offering direct flights between Melbourne and San Francisco is United Airlines.
Route Frequency: 12+ weekly flights from Melbourne to San Francisco
Ticket Price: $1500+ USD single, $2200+ USD return
Flight Time: 14-16 hours (direct)
Airports: Melbourne Tullamarine Airport ➡ San Francisco International Airport
Airlines: United Airlines
But what if you don't want to visit mainland USA? Paradise is just 10 hours away in the form of Honolulu, Hawaii. Flights from Melbourne to Honolulu are very popular with tourists looking to spend time and relax in Hawaii before jetting off to mainland USA. Temperatures in Honolulu can reach 31°C (87.8°F) in summer and the peak season for tourists is between April and August. The only airline currently flying direct routes between Melbourne and Honolulu is Jetstar Airways. You can also fly to Honolulu from Sydney.
Route Frequency: 5+ weekly flights from Melbourne to Honolulu
Ticket Price: $750+ USD single, $1300+ USD return
Flight Time: 10-11 hours(direct)
Airports: Melbourne Tullamarine Airport ➡ Daniel K. Inouye International Airport
Airlines: Jetstar Airways
Instead of paying for your flights today, you can book them and spread the cost out over time! Here at Alternative Airlines, we offer 40+ payment methods at checkout, including 'buy now, pay later' payment plans, virtual wallets and cryptocurrency - the possibilities are endless!
If you're a resident of Australia, you can pay for your tickets in instalments with Klarna or Zip. On the other hand, if you reside in the US, you can choose from Afterpay, Affirm, Zip, PayPal Credit, and Klarna at checkout. Different payment options will be available at checkout depending on where you reside and which currency you will be paying in. To find out more about our Pay Later options, check out our Buy Now, Pay Later guide.
Direct Flights: If you're looking to travel directly from Australia to the US without making any stopovers, the following airlines provide straightforward routes on a regular basis.
Qantas, short for 'Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services', is the flag carrier airline of Australia and is headquartered in Sydney Airport. Founded in 1920, it's the world's third-oldest airline that is still in operation flying to over 80 destinations worldwide. Qantas operates direct routes from Australia to a selection of US cities that include Los Angeles, Dallas, San Francisco (resuming October 2022) and Honolulu.
Delta Air Lines, otherwise known as Delta, is a major American airline with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates a staggering 5,400 flights daily reaching over 325 destinations worldwide. Delta connects Australia with the US by offering direct flights between Sydney and Los Angeles on a weekly basis.
United Airlines, commonly referred to as United, is another major US airline which is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Flying to over 300 destinations worldwide, the airline connects the world by covering all six inhabited continents. Currently, United operates direct flights from Melbourne and Sydney to San Francisco, Los Angeles and Houston (resuming in October 2022).
American Airlines, another major US-based airline, is the world's largest airline measured by fleet size and scheduled passengers carried. With more than 6,800 flights a day flying to almost 350 destinations across the globe, it's a very popular option for travellers looking to reach all corners of the Earth. American flies directly between Sydney and Los Angeles on a weekly basis.
Jetstar Airways is a low-cost Australian airline headquartered in Melbourne and is a subsidiary of Qantas Airways. Flying to just over 30 destinations around Oceania and parts of Asia, the airline is a great option for tourists looking to travel on a budget. Jetstar flies directly from Melbourne to Honolulu, Hawaii, on a regular basis.
Use the search form at the top of the page to begin searching for flights with any of these airlines and more.
You can also use our airline filters to only view flights with a specific airline, direct flights and different flight times.
When flying from Australia to the US, the easiest airports to fly from are Sydney Airport and Melbourne Airport.
Sydney Airport is an international airport situated in Sydney, Australia. It is the main hub for Qantas Airways and a secondary hub for Virgin Australia and Jetstar. Being the busiest airport in Australia, the airport is the most popular option for travellers looking to fly directly from Australia to the USA. Over 50 airlines fly in and out of Sydney Airport, including American Airlines, United, Delta, Qantas and Jetstar.
Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, also commonly known as Tullamarine Airport, is the second busiest airport in Australia after Sydney Airport. The airport is a major hub for Qantas and Virgin Australia, as well as a home base for Jetstar Airways. United Airlines, Qantas and Jetstar all operate regular flights out of the airport to US cities including San Francisco, Honolulu and Los Angeles.
Los Angeles International Airport, otherwise known as LAX, is the world's third-busiest airport and is the primary airport operating flights out of Los Angeles and the surrounding area. The airport is the main hub for well-known airlines including American Airlines, Delta, United Airlines and more. It's also a key connection point between USA and Australasia. From LAX, direct flights between Australia and the US are carried out by Delta Air Lines, Qantas and United Airlines.
Not far away from Los Angeles International Airport is San Francisco International Airport, located in San Mateo County. The airport has been ranked as the second-busiest airport in California after Los Angeles. It serves as a major gateway between North America and Australasia. Airlines that fly directly out of San Francisco Airport to Australia include Qantas and United.
To find out more about other airports in the US receiving direct flights from Australia, check out our pages on Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Honolulu Airport.
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Of course! There are a handful of airports to choose from for departing Australia and arriving in the US. The airlines that fly direct routes from Australia to the US include Qantas, Jetstar Airways, American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Our search form at the top of the page will let you search for and browse flights between Australia and the US - you can also compare flight times, prices and onboard services provided by each airline to find the most suitable route for you.
If you're flying from Sydney or Melbourne to the West Coast of the US, flight times usually vary between 13-16 hours (direct). Flights will last a little longer if you're travelling to Dallas-Fort Worth or Houston, lasting between 15-17 hours. The shortest Australia to US flight is if you're flying from Sydney or Melbourne to Honolulu, Hawaii, with a flight duration of around 10-11 hours.
Absolutely! When booking through Alternative Airlines, you can book your flights today and pay in instalments over time. We offer 40+ payment methods, including finance plans such as PayPal Credit and Sezzle, as well as ways to pay with virtual wallets, cryptocurrency, debit and credit. You can find out more about all of our flights on finance options here.
