Fiji Airways to increase Adelaide-Nadi flights from two to three per week

A Pacific island escape and a gateway to connecting US services will be more accessible thanks to extra direct flights being put on from Adelaide.

Fiji Airways will expand its Adelaide-Nadi service from two to three flights per week from April next year.

The flights will depart Adelaide on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays using the 170-seat B737 Max 8 aircraft.

Adelaide Airport managing director Brenton Cox congratulated Fiji Airways for expanding the Adelaide service.

“The Fiji flights are fantastic for our market, both as a wonderful holiday destination and as a one-stop connection with the US west coast,” Mr Cox said.

Adelaide Airport managing director Brenton Cox.

“Flights will arrive in Adelaide late morning and depart shortly after midday, so it’s a family- friendly timeslot and avoids an overnight flight between the two cities.

“The flights also offer good connections via Nadi with the airline’s North American schedule, providing another option for South Australians heading to the US, and indeed US travellers heading to SA.”

Managing director and chief executive of Fiji Airways, Andre Viljoen, said: “We are excited to grow our Adelaide-Nadi service, making it easier for South Australians to experience the beauty of Fiji and to provide enhanced connectivity throughout our network – including North America and the Pacific Islands.

“Whether guests are heading to Fiji or beyond, we aim to provide a comfortable, reliable journey and reinforce our role as a key link between Australia and the Pacific region.”

Fiji Airways is increasing Adelaide-Nadi flights to three per week.

The service to Adelaide will depart Nadi every Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 7.30am and arrive at 11.35am. Flights depart Adelaide at 12.35pm and arrive in Nadi at 8.15pm.

Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison said the international visitor market was now worth a record-high $1.3bn to the state’s economy and the momentum was set to continue thanks to increasing international airline capacity.

The news comes as Adelaide Airport pursues ambitious goals under its Vision 2050 plan to offer 39 non-stop direct flights to cities around the world by 2050.

Adelaide Airport’s Vision 2050 plan.

According to airport figures, every month more than 50,000 travellers, or more than 40 per cent of all international departures from Adelaide, are forced to stop off in another Australian city before heading overseas due to limited direct connections.

As the airline industry recovers from the worst of the pandemic, China Southern has announced it will resume flights between Adelaide and Guangzhou three times a week from December 12 and Emirates recommences a daily service to Dubai from this month.

However, Vietjet will cease Adelaide flights from October 26, less than 12 months after they commenced, in a move officials hope is temporary and is blamed on fleet management rather than demand.