United Airlines is set to commence direct flights between Adelaide and San Francisco from December 2025, the first ever direct route between South Australia and the United States of America.

Commencing as a seasonal service departing San Francisco on 11 December 2025 and subject to government approvals, the 15-hour flight will operate three times per week until March, “with a possibility to increase in the future as demand grows”, according to United.

The first flight will depart Adelaide for San Francisco on 13 December 2025 and it will be operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, with 257 seats, including 48 in United Polaris Business Class and 21 in United Premium Plus.

Flights will arrive into Adelaide at 9:30am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and departing the same day for San Francisco at 2:55pm.

South Australian Premier, Peter Malinauskas said he was thrilled to see the first ever non-stop services to California from his state.

“Today is an historic occasion for South Australians who have long wanted to fly direct to the United States,” Malinauskas said.

“For many years, the ambition of a direct route between South Australia and the US has been out of reach.”

When the new flight launches, United will become the only airline with nonstop service to four Australian cities — Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide — offering more routes between the two countries than any other carrier.

“At United, we’re changing the way people think about where they travel – by offering the greatest access to see and explore the world, whether it’s for relaxation, adventure or business,” said United Airlines Managing Director for APAC Airport Operations, Sam Shinohara.

“We know that direct flights are a big factor in people deciding where to travel and this game-changing new flight will add almost 25,000 more seats between the US and Australia each year and makes United the only airline to offer nonstop service between the US and four major cities in Australia.

“Our strong partnership with Virgin Australia and our comprehensive US domestic network provide unparalleled connectivity, making United the clear choice for customers’ travel between the two countries.

“We look forward to launching this new service in December and thank the South Australian Government and South Australian Tourism Commission for their support,” Shinohara said.

South Australia’s deal with United Airlines will see direct flights from the 3rd largest international visitor market for Australia.

For the year ending December 2024, there were 669,000 trips from the United States to Australia with visitors spending AU$2 billion.