Flight Centre tips ‘price war’ as first direct Melbourne to LA Delta flights go on sale

The latest competitor on a key route between Australia and the US has put its first seats up for sale.

Flight Centre is predicting a price war as Delta Air Lines muscles into another key Australia to US route.

On Saturday, the major American airline announced direct trips between Melbourne and LA would begin in December, bringing a third competitor into the mix against Qantas and United Airlines.

“When an airline enters a new market like this, it typically offers eye-catching specials to announce its services and get bums on seats,” Flight Centre global leisure chief executive James Kavanagh told NewsWire.

“Other airlines then compete with the newcomer, which can lead to a price war.”

Delta Air Lines will fly A350s on direct flights between Melbourne and LA. Picture: Supplied / Chris Rank

“We expect to see this latest move trigger a reduction in fares as we did recently when Delta announced its seasonal service to LA out of Brisbane.

“Flights on that route dropped to as low as $860 return, which is cheaper than many domestic flights between the east and west coast of Australia.”

Delta has now listed its first non-stop flight from Melbourne to LA for December 5. The cheapest seat on that flight is $901, but that is without a meal on the 15-hour flight. Qantas’ cheapest direct December flight costs $1189 – on December 11 – and United’s cheapest option is $1100 on the same day.

Flight Centre is noting strong travel numbers between the US and Australia since the pandemic.

The Victorian government is spruiking the new Delta flights as a win for tourism and business. Picture: NewsWire / David Crosling

“Demand from Aussie holiday-makers for travel to the USA has been strong over the past year with our data pointing to an 8.5 per cent increase in travel between the countries in the second half of 2024 compared to the same period the prior year,” Mr Kavanagh said.

Delta will fly three times a week each way between Melbourne and Los Angeles.

The airline began Brisbane-LA routes with the same frequency in December 2024. These seasonal California to Queensland routes will run until the end of March.

Initial offerings on these flights were on sale for $867 return. That was in stark contrast to peak one-way Brisbane to LA flights in late 2023 when the cheapest options began at $2745.

As of this month, there are 29 flights each week from Sydney to LA but only 12 from Melbourne.

Originally published as Flight Centre tips ‘price war’ as first direct Melbourne to LA Delta flights go on sale