Qantas is planning a significant expansion of its global network, with increased flights to Tokyo, Los Angeles, and New York, as well as the introduction of new routes from Brisbane.

Starting from late October 2023, the airline will add approximately one million seats to its international network over the course of 12 months compared to its current schedule in order to provide customers with more options when travelling to popular destinations such as Asia, the United States, and the Pacific.

The increased capacity will be made possible through a combination of Qantas aircraft returning to service, the addition of new aircraft to the fleet, and a partnership with OneWorld partner Finnair, which will operate two Airbus A330 aircraft on two Qantas routes.

These network changes will result in the airline’s international capacity growing to around 100 percent of pre-COVID levels by March 2024, a significant jump from 44 percent a year ago and the current 84 percent.

Qantas chief executive officer, Alan Joyce, said the rebound in demand for international travel was incredibly strong and the network expansion would add hundreds of thousands of seats in time for the busy Australian summer holiday period.

“While airlines globally are working to restore capacity to meet demand, there is still a mismatch between supply and demand for international flying,” Joyce said.

“But with more of our aircraft back in the air, we’ve got more seats for our customers and more opportunity for Qantas crew as we increase our own flying.

“We know our customers are looking for great value and this additional capacity will also put downward pressure on fares.”

The announcement coincides with Qantas’ resumption of San Francisco flights and the upcoming launch of its inaugural service from Sydney to New York via Auckland in June. Additionally, seasonal services to Rome and flights between Melbourne and Hong Kong will also resume next month.