United Airlines’ return brings more tourists and jobs

United Airlines will restart its direct services to Melbourne from San Francisco, beginning with three flights a week from June 2022.

The flights will increase to a daily service by December 2022, providing almost 200,000 new seats to and from Melbourne each year.

The extra flights are expected to contribute $54 million to the Victorian economy and create approximately 570 new jobs in the aviation and tourism sectors.

San Francisco is United’s primary hub for flights to Asia and Australia and serves as a gateway between the United States (US) and the world. The city is also home to the country’s tech sector, Silicon Valley.

The US is Victoria’s second largest trade partner with two-way goods trade valued at $13 billion in 2021 and its economy provides Victorian businesses with significant export opportunities.

United joins a growing list of major airlines expanding their international offering from Melbourne including Emirates, Etihad, Bamboo Airways and Qantas - which recently announced a new direct route from Dallas Fort Worth and expanded services from Los Angeles.