Qantas has resumed flights to New York, with services from Sydney taking off for the first time in more than three years but via AKL instead of LAX.

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QF3 will initially operate three days per week with the Boeing 787 increasing to four from October, offering more than 1,800 seats on the route each week.

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said that “while the world has changed dramatically since the start of COVID, one thing that hasn’t changed is the lure of New York City.”

“Since international borders re-opened, New York has been one of the most popular destinations for our customers who have been connecting on our partners from Qantas flights arriving into Los Angeles and Dallas, so it’s not surprising that we’ve seen very strong demand since our New York flights went on sale.

“The launch of the route has been made possible by the delivery of new 787 aircraft in recent weeks and brings us closer to returning our international capacity to what it was before COVID.”

The Qantas Group said it expects to return to around 100 per cent of its international network pre-COVID capacity by March 2024, up from around 85 per cent of pre-COVID levels today.

“Flying via Auckland makes it easier for travellers from all parts of Australia to access New York, with the choice of 11 daily flights across the Tasman from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, said Mr Joyce.

“Offering more room and fewer seats than most of our competitors, the cabins onboard these aircraft have been designed with long-haul travel in mind.”

Qantas now operates three of the top five longest flights in the world, including Perth-London and Dallas-Melbourne, as it increases its focus on direct routes that are also among its most popular. The airline said that the Perth-London service has the highest customer satisfaction rating on its international network.

Qantas said it is also progressing with plans for a major overhaul of its Auckland International Lounge as part of a $100 million investment in new and upgraded lounges.