United Airlines have announced the launch of the first non-stop flights between the US and Adelaide. The first flight from San Francisco to Adelaide kicks off on 11 December, with the first return journey being on 13 December. Flights between the two cities will operate three times a week.
The flight is one of a new set of flights announced by United. United will also be commencing flights to Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Manila.
Adelaide Flights
The seasonal service between Adelaide (ADL) and San Francisco (SFO) is expected to run through to March 2026.
United will be using its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft on the route. The three-class aircraft has 257-seats, featuring 48 lie flat Polaris seats and 21 Premium Plus recliners.
- Flight UA207 departs San Francisco at 11.05pm on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The flight lands at 9.30am two days later
- Flight UA208 departs Adelaide at 2.55pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. This flight arrives into San Francisco at 11.15am the same day
Velocity
As a result of the partnership between Virgin Australia and United, it’s good news for Adelaide based Velocity members. It will offer an option for earning and burning points on an international service without having to transit on the east coast.
In addition, elite Velocity members will be able to take advantage of the partnership. These members will have access perks such as lounges, priority check-in and extra baggage.
In terms of using points, Velocity members will be able to use points for Business orEconomy redemptions. These will be available for 48,000 points in Economy, or 102,000 points in Business (plus any applicable taxes and surcharges).
That said, while I was able to find Economy awards on the Velocity website – although it took a bit of hunting. I had no such joy with Business seats.
Other Flights
As noted, United will also be flying to Bangkok, Thailand, and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. In addition, United will be adding a second daily flight to Manila. The new flights will commence on the following dates:
- Bangkok: From 26 October
- Ho Chi Minh: City: From 27 October
- Manila: A second flight will commence from 25 October
