United Airlines Officially Starting Historic Route on Dec. 11

Back in April, United Airlines announced planned expansion of its international schedule. Included among the new routes was a historic addition to its Australian service

This Thursday, Dec. 11, United will become the first American air carrier to launch nonstop service to Adelaide, Australia. The company's first direct flight from San Francisco to the South Australian city will leave late Thursday night.

What to know about United's new Adelaide route

The first aircraft will leave San Francisco International Airport at 11:05 p.m. ET Thursday and land in Adelaide at 9:30 a.m. Saturday morning. In total, it is scheduled to be a nearly 16-hour journey.

A round-trip economy ticket will cost $2,639, according to United's website. United will offer direct service to Adelaide Airport three times per week.

This new route will debut just in time for Australia's summer season. The official Adelaide Airport Instagram account teased the expansion in a post back in October.

"The countdown for @united is so ON! The first-ever Adelaide to San Francisco service takes flight on Saturday 13th December! Just in time for Christmas, the new #UnitedAirlines route will operate seasonally every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday until March 2026," the caption for the post reads.

United continues its expansion

Adelaide will be United's fourth Australian destination, joining Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.

United also recently added service to Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and Manila, three locations that were announced at the same time the carrier revealed it would be flying directly to Adelaide.

"At United, we're changing the way people think about where they travel – by offering the greatest access to see and explore the world, whether it's for relaxation, adventure or business," said Patrick Quayle, United's SVP of Global Network Planning and Alliances. "We offer more than the best schedule and travel options – we connect customers to sought after destinations and opportunities to explore new, vibrant cities."