Qantas has today launched new direct daily services from Perth to London, marking the very first nonstop flight to take off between Australia and the UK.

The new service will officially commence from Perth on 24 March 2018, with tickets now bookable online.

According to the Qantas website, Economy prices will start from $2,270 return, with flights to be operated on board a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.

Commenting on the new route, Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said there had been global interest in the Perth-London flights since they were announced in December 2016.

“It used to take four days and seven stops but now we’re able to link Australia and UK in a single hop. It’s a level of convenience Australians have never had before,” Joyce said.

“We’re conscious that this is a long flight, but not much longer than our Sydney to Dallas service. It’s the kind of route that the Dreamliner was created for, because of its built-in features to reduce jetlag and improve the overall travel experience.

Joyce said direct routes tended to stimulate new travel demand by making it easier to get to a destination – something that will benefit the West Australian economy and Australian tourism more broadly.

“This route makes Western Australia a new tourism gateway for Australia. We know from our research that there’s a lot of appetite to explore the West, not just from British and European visitors but also from Aussies on their way to London. A lot of business travellers, particularly in the resources sector, will stop off in Perth on their way to the UK,” he added.

Qantas has also announced that Flight QF9/10 will originate in Melbourne, with passengers to stop in Perth for a short 90 minute transit before heading off to London.