Qantas takes off with new ‘paradise express’ route

Nauru Airlines is out and Qantas is in: Australia’s national carrier recently launched direct flights between Brisbane and Palau.

Nauru Airlines held the contract for what’s been dubbed the Palau Paradise Express from May 21 to October 21 last year. Qantas won a tender process in October to take over the route until at least November 2025, although Nauru Airlines continues to fly to Palau via its Island Hopper service from Brisbane to Koror via Nauru, Tarawa, Majuro and Pohnpei.

Palau is still relatively undiscovered.Credit: Adobe Stock

It’s the fifth international route Qantas has opened from the Queensland capital in the past 12 months, following last year’s launch of services from Brisbane to Vanuatu and Manila.

“The reception so far has been nothing short of great,” Qantas regional general manager Anthony Penney said. “We saw an immediate surge in searches and we’re now seeing that translate into bookings.

“I think [Palau] is one of those untouched gems for a lot of people, and now being part of our network, it’s coming onto people’s radars.”

The inaugural Brisbane-Palau service took off in December. The six-hour route is flown weekly by Boeing 737-800s.

Flights depart Brisbane for Koror, Palau, on Saturday and return on Sunday. Palau hopes Australians will stay for the week to explore the Pacific nation’s more than 300 islands, which have become known for their pristine beaches and hidden lagoons.

“Everyone I’ve talked to about Palau – and these are intrepid travellers – seems to run out of superlatives to describe the place,” Penney said. “It’s one of those gems of the Pacific … as people travel the world, they want to discover new places, and Palau is certainly that for most.”

The Palau Paradise Express was launched as part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Republic of Palau Development Co-operation program, which is supported by the department’s Australia-Pacific Partnerships for Aviation Program. Both have been launched against the background of a comprehensive investment package in the Pacific by the Australian government.

“What we’re seeing across the board [with air travel] is a return to pre-COVID demand,” Penney said. “And like any good airline should, we’re raising our capacity to meet that demand.”