United Airlines adds Adelaide to its network.

UNITED AIRLINES BOEING 787-9 N29981 (MSN 66142)

Starting today, United Airlines launched direct flights between Adelaide and San Francisco, marking the first-ever nonstop route connecting South Australia with the United States. In a historic milestone for South Australia, the new link between the two countries is set to give a major boost to the economy through tourism and trade, as well as business events and conferences.

It also means South Australians will no longer have to endure travelling to Melbourne, Brisbane or Sydney, often catching a bus to an international terminal just to connect to a US flight.

Commencing as a seasonal service UA207 departed San Francisco on the 11th of December, the 15-hour flight will operate three times per week until March – with a possibility to increase in the future as demand grows. The first flight will depart Adelaide for San Francisco on the 13th of December 2025.

The inaugural flight was operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner N29975 (MSN 66134) and after departing San Francisco 30 minutes late at 23.35, it touched down in Adelaide right on schedule at 9:30am. The service will arrive in Adelaide on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and departing the same day for San Francisco at 2:55pm as UA 208.

UNITED 207 OVERFLYING BRISBANE ON ITS WAY TO ADELAIDE

With this new flight, 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.

San Francisco is a major hub for United Airlines in the US, acting as the airline's primary West Coast and transpacific gateway, and as a major maintenance facility.

Travellers from Adelaide can take advantage of one-stop connections to more than 75 US destinations previously only reachable with two connections from the airline’s San Francisco hub, including New York City, Orlando, Las Vegas, Denver, Chicago, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

The flight also serves as a one-stop connection for travellers from Perth, who are currently not served by a US direct route.

Since 2022, United and Virgin Australia have teamed up, offering codeshare flights and mutual loyalty perks for Velocity Frequent Flyer and United MileagePlus members. 

The US is an important partner for South Australia, especially through the AUKUS agreement, but trade ties run deep, with major exports like wine, beef, fruit, vegetables, and nuts heading across the Pacific.