Qantas is capitalising on surging demand for Japan and New Zealand with more than 45,000 additional seats to Tokyo and Queenstown by early next year, including a frequency uplift on its Melbourne-Narita route.
Melbourne-Tokyo services will increase from daily to 11 flights per week between December 2026 and March 2027, adding 30,000 seats to the route. The move comes as Japan continues to dominate Qantas’ international network, with passenger numbers up 8 per cent between October 2025 and March 2026 and more than half a million Australians visiting between January and May this year alone.
Across the Tasman, the airline is adding over 15,000 seats between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to Queenstown over the summer peak, alongside up to a 10 per cent capacity increase on Sydney-Auckland services through a combination of larger aircraft and additional flights.
Qantas CEO International Cam Wallace said the demand showed no signs of slowing.
“Japan remains one of the most popular destinations on our international network – adding more capacity out of Melbourne means more Aussies can experience one of the world’s great travel destinations, whether they’re heading there for the first time or going back for more,” he said.
Japan National Tourism Organization Sydney Office Executive Director Naoki Kitazawa welcomed the boost, noting that Australia passed the milestone of one million visitors to Japan last year.
“We hope that even more people will be inspired to come and experience Japan,” he said.
