Qantas has announced the return of direct flights between Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) and Port Moresby Jacksons International Airport (POM), with the service set to launch in March 2026. The service resumption comes as Papua New Guinea prepares to join Australia’s premier rugby league competition.
The twice-weekly service will operate on Boeing 737 aircraft, adding almost 35,000 seats annually to Papua New Guinea and complementing Qantas’ existing daily Brisbane Airport (BNE)-Port Moresby flights.
The route is being restored in response to anticipated demand driven by PNG’s entry into the National Rugby League in 2028, along with continued growth in business and leisure travel between the two countries.
Qantas had temporarily suspended the Sydney-Port Moresby service earlier this year.
Building momentum ahead of NRL debut
According to Qantas, the direct link to Sydney will provide easier access for sporting fans, business travelers, and tourists, while offering onward connections to Qantas’ domestic network across Australia and New Zealand.
“We’re seeing growth in business travel between Sydney and Port Moresby and that’s building further as PNG ramps up preparations for Australia’s premier rugby league competition in 2028,” said Cam Wallace, Qantas CEO International.
“The preparation work alone is generating travel, and once the team starts playing and fans and teams are traveling for matches, we expect that to increase significantly,” Wallace further said.
Wallace also said that the restored service gives customers more options. “Combined with our daily Brisbane service, PNG has great connections to Australia’s two largest cities and access to our broader network,” he said.
Government and industry welcome
The Australian government welcomed the announcement, viewing it as a way to strengthen ties between the two nations.
“The Australian Government welcomes Qantas’ decision to reconnect Sydney and Port Moresby, strengthening the links between our two countries as PNG prepares to enter the NRL in 2028,” said The Hon. Matt Thistlethwaite MP, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs. “These new flights will bring our communities even closer together making it easier for fans, families, businesses and students to travel, share experiences and support PNG’s NRL team on home and away soil.”
Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton described the route’s return as positive for both passengers and the broader community.
“Qantas’ return to the Sydney–Port Moresby route is great news for passengers and the broader community,” Charlton said. “This renewed connection gives passengers greater choice and convenience across the region, while also strengthening the important economic and cultural ties between Australia and Papua New Guinea. From supporting tourism and business travel to enhancing people-to-people connections, the reinstatement of this route is a positive step for both countries.”
Route history
The Sydney-Port Moresby service will operate year-round as QF203/204 on Mondays and Fridays.
Qantas has a long history with Papua New Guinea, having operated to the country since the 1940s when two light aircraft were stationed in Lae for local operations. The airline’s four-engine DC4 Skymaster began flying the Sydney-Port Moresby-Lae route in 1950. By 1959, Port Moresby was being used as a refueling point for Qantas flights to Hong Kong.
