Qantas is preparing to relaunch its Sydney to New York flights from June 2023, with a stopover in Auckland (AKL), New Zealand. 

This is the first time in three years that the carrier will be servicing the route, which was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The thrice-weekly service, with flight numbers QF3 and QF4, will be operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.  

To mark the occasion, and for a limited period, Qantas has prepared a few treats for passengers flying on the ultra-long-haul route, where the longest segment, between Auckland and New York, takes around 17 hours. 

Qantas has enrolled the services of designer Rebecca Vallance, who has created a special design that combines the iconic Qantas “Roo” logo with a heart, a symbol often identified with New York City. Her creation will decorate the pyjamas and amenity kits that are handed out to business class passengers.  

A limited number of these pyjamas have reportedly been made available for purchase on the Qantas website but, at the time of publication, these appear to already be out of stock.  

This is not the only exclusive perk that will be enjoyed by passengers on this route. Qantas introduced new culinary options across the board in March 2023 and now, to mark the relaunch of the Sydney to New York flights, a special menu aimed at showcasing that aims to showcase New York’s diverse culinary culture will be offered on board. 

These will include dishes such as New York-style spaghetti and meatballs, the classic Reuben sandwich, bagels with lox and cream cheese, General Tso’s chicken, a classic beef hot dog with sauerkraut, and New York-style baked cheesecake with blueberry compote, among other specialities. 

Qantas business class lounges at Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL) and Auckland (AKL) will also offer one New York-inspired dish of the day. 

On May 30, 2023, Qantas revealed several details about its strategy and the products it will be rolling out across its network for the near future.