United Airlines launches first flight to Adelaide, Australia: TPG is with you every step of the way

Ah, AvGeeks.

In my opinion, there is no more passionate group of travelers on the planet. They possess curious talents, from being able to recognize any type of aircraft at a glance, to knowing all the fare codes for every airline, to casually using the NATO alphabet (alpha, bravo, charlie) every day.

I just met many of them on a historic flight: United Airlines’ inaugural flight from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Adelaide, Australia.

It is the first flight to connect cities in the United States and South Australia, and is the latest in a series of high-profile destinations that United has added in recent years as it hopes to encourage travelers to use points and miles to visit new and exciting places around the world.

Flights for AvGeek

One particularly lovely feature of the AvGeek community is that it is completely egalitarian. You’ll meet ordinary men and women, young…and not-so-young. While some are aviation industry insiders, most are just Joe or Jill down the street who happened to look up at the sky as a kid, saw an airplane and fell in love.

Once the conversation starts flowing among the group, it builds and it’s absolutely impossible to ignore the buzz of energy. This sense of community is intoxicating.

That was the vibe I felt in San Francisco on Thursday night, as travelers gathered for the more than 15-hour flight to Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, about 850 miles west of Sydney.

I was initially surprised by the excitement of boarding the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner used by United Airlines for this 15-plus hour trans-Pacific route.

But then it dawned on me: I am a new United Premier 1K member who completed my status match earlier this year after holding American Airlines Executive Platinum membership for decades. I’m still exploring United’s fleet, especially its ever-expanding route network, which includes routes to some truly off-the-beaten-path destinations.

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From a more personal perspective, being invited to take part in such a historic flight was nothing short of a humbling career milestone. My uncle Peter, a long-time United flight attendant who had been flying long-haul routes like this before the pandemic, was also excited to have me on the plane.

However, my own excitement was nothing compared to that of Warren Rieutort-Louis from Cupertino, California, who arrived at the gate wearing a custom-made kangaroo costume.

It turns out Little-Lewis was part of an enthusiastic group specifically seeking out United’s inaugural flight. “We love taking these flights together. Some of us try to catch almost all of United’s flights throughout the year,” he told me.

This year, he flew to a slew of new United destinations, from Bangkok to Greenland and Mongolia.

I also met Chuck Powers and Jamie Richards, who were traveling to Australia for the first time, although it certainly wasn’t their first time on United’s maiden flight. In fact, TPG’s senior aviation reporter Sean Cudahy recently met them on United’s inaugural flight to Nuuk, Greenland, in June.

When I asked Powers why he booked the first flight instead of a date of his own choosing, he said, “I think the whole vibe of people taking these new flights is an energy that doesn’t happen every day, which is really cool.”

Richards agreed, adding that it’s not just travelers who are optimistic.

“The people who live in the destination are energized by it,” he said, referring to a trip to Nuuk where locals waved on the tarmac when the first United plane landed.

There was an interesting and large group of people at the gate who were regulars traveling together on these inaugural flights. Some gave sentimental gifts such as ornaments and sweet mini puzzle pieces of a flying emu.

All of which should make Patrick Quayle, United’s executive responsible for route planning, immensely proud. I don’t know of any more compelling evidence that he and his team are choosing destinations that United passengers dream of than having a network of die-hard fans attend every inaugural flight.

Not everyone succeeds. Flights to Senegal and Sweden will be canceled in 2026, but most flights remain, helping to build enthusiasm for United’s announcement of abandoning new routes.

Quayle attended a pre-flight party at the airline’s SFO Polaris Lounge, where he addressed passengers at the gate and thanked them again on the plane.

“Today’s flight marks the first direct flight between the United States and Adelaide,” he said in a gate speech touting his airline’s position in the market. “United is the leading airline in the Pacific and the only airline to offer nonstop service between four major cities in the United States and Australia.”

Meanwhile, United’s American rivals have upped their ante in the South Pacific. American Airlines, for example, will add its most premium heavy-lift Dreamliners (with latest-generation flagship suites) to some routes in Australia and New Zealand this winter, although, as Quayle noted, United still has the edge in capacity over the Pacific.

More broadly, United has made a name for itself in recent years by expanding its route map to non-traditional destinations not typically served by North American airlines. Recent notable additions include:

More cities are coming in 2026, including Split, Croatia; Bari, Italy; and Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

In Adelaide’s case, it adds another dimension to the airline’s existing Australian gateways, which already include Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney.

Adelaide offers flexibility to travelers

United recently claimed that it was the world’s leading airline in the trans-Pacific region as measured by available seat miles, having served more than 6 million passengers in 2025 alone. That’s an impressive statistic, but most travelers only care about one thing: their own trip to their bucket list destination.

United already flies to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, so where does Adelaide fit in?

For United, the airline sees it complementing its overall product portfolio — perhaps allowing travelers to fly to one city and then return home from another while visiting the county. Although Adelaide is not as well-known as other well-known Australian cities such as Sydney and Melbourne, Adelaide has its own range of museums, restaurants and shops, and is within easy reach of nearby attractions such as the town of Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills, known for its German heritage, Cleland Wildlife Park and Glenelg Beach.

It’s also close to famous destinations including the Barossa Valley wine region and Kangaroo Island, home to Flinders Chase National Park (home to the iconic Admiral’s Arch and Remarkable Rocks).

United Airlines launches first flight to Adelaide

Manchester United’s founding celebrations always cause a stir and this one was no exception. Airline and airport employees joined officials, media and this group of die-hard fans from Australia in the Polaris Lounge.

The evening noted the airline’s special relationship with Australia, which has been strengthened during the pandemic when the airline has maintained full services and acted as a lifeline for Australians during this difficult time.

Passengers heard prepared remarks from Quayle and others before a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony with executives, airport staff, Australian dignitaries, Capt. Mark Champion, United’s vice president of flight operations and general manager of training, and the crew of the upcoming Boeing 787.

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Andrea Rotondo/Scoring Expert

Flying to Adelaide on a United Airlines Boeing 787-9

United uses Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners at many of its flagship destinations, and Flight 207 from San Francisco to Adelaide is no exception.

After arriving at my seat, Manchester United thoughtfully prepared several gifts.

There are a few features I like about the business class cabin on this plane:

• It features a 1-2-1 layout with open aisle access to each of the cabin’s 48 seats.
• Four rows of mini cabins behind the boarding door provide maximum privacy.
• Window seats for solo travelers, alternating between window or aisle seats (choose odd-numbered seats if you want to sit as close to the window as possible).
• Large privacy partition for center seat pair.
• Each seat reclines into a 75-inch flat bed.

In 2026, the airline will upgrade the Polaris cabin on its 787-9 fleet to the next-generation United Elevated Interior. In the bulkhead area, the Polaris Studio has a more spacious area, an ottoman (so companions can visit or dine with you), and sliding doors for privacy. The cabin will also feature 56 Polaris Business Class suites, each with privacy doors.

The aircraft also has 21 Premium Premium seats in a 2-3-2 configuration, 39 Premium Economy seats in a 3-3-3 configuration, and 149 Economy seats also in a 3-3-3 configuration.

There is a special dinner menu on the first flight, and the food is delicious. I had a crab salad to start, followed by a grilled mix of southern Australian rock lobster and barramundi served with herb butter, served with balsamic Brussels sprouts and gratin potatoes with leeks.

How to book United Adelaide flights using points and miles

You have a few options when it comes to booking new United flights to Adelaide, South Australia using points and miles.

United’s own MileagePlus loyalty program naturally offers this route, but one-way redemptions can be a bit pricey, depending on travel dates. During the Australian summer I saw 55,000 miles redeemable one way in Economy, 70,000 miles one way in Premium Plus and 100,000 miles one way in Polaris business class.

Don’t forget to check redemption rates with United’s Star Alliance partners, who may offer the same flight for fewer points or miles. Search Air Canada Aeroplan as well as Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Avianca LifeMiles and more.

You can transfer flexible rewards currency from major credit card issuers to various Star Alliance programs, so if you don’t have enough miles, you can transfer more miles to your account.

You can fly from San Francisco to Adelaide three times a week with United Airlines.

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