For travellers wanting to experience United Airlines Business Class, this is a great expansion for both the airline and for Australian passengers.
South Australia will get its first direct flight to the USA with United’s service between Adelaide and San Francisco. Flights will begin in December 2025, with the seasonal service expected to run through to late March 2026.
With three direct flights per week, it means United Airlines Business Class passengers in South Australia can now skip the time, trouble and expense of doing a stopover in Sydney or Melbourne on their way to the USA. From its San Francisco hub, travellers can use United to connect to over 75 US destinations.
Flight UA208 will depart Adelaide at 14:55 on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. It will arrive in San Francisco in the morning at 11:05. On the way back, United Airlines Business Class passengers will be on UA207. This leaves San Francisco at 23:05 and arrives in Adelaide at 9:30 in the morning.
This expansion gives United the title of the only airline with a non-stop US service to four Australian capital cities- Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and now Adelaide. United now also has more Australia-Us routes than Qantas does.
Peter Malinauskas, SA Premier, has spoken about United’s new service.
“For many years, the ambition of a direct route between South Australia and the US has been out of reach,” says Mr. Malinauskas. He cites the AUKUS defence agreement as “set to drive unprecedented investment into South Australia.”
This service will have further appeal for Virgin Australia loyalists, given the partnership between Virgin and United. Passengers can earn Velocity Points and Status Credits while also delivering perks such as lounge access and additional checked luggage for Velocity Gold and Platinum frequent flyers.
Talk to an airfare specialist to find out more about the new service.
United Airlines Business Class guests will be on the 787 Dreamliner, which features the ‘Polaris’ Business Class cabins. These state-of-the-art seats convert into fully flat beds. You’ll be provided with luxury bed linen, pyjamas (on request) and premium amenities by Therabody. The 1-2-1 layout with alternating ‘together’ and ‘apart’ middle seats and high partitions create for further privacy onboard. After a delicious main meal service, you can enjoy United’s infamous, signature made-to-order ice cream sundae cart service!
Read more about the Polaris cabin on United Airlines Business Class in our review here.
To be one of the first to fly the new direct route from Adelaide, view our United Airlines Business Class deal here. For more information, chat to an airfare specialist!
