Australia’s national airline Qantas has launched a new route from Bengaluru to Sydney, providing the first direct connection between Southern India and Australia by any airline.

QF68 will cut nearly three hours off the current fastest travel time between the two cities and significantly boost connectivity between India and New South Wales. Since the announcement of the new service earlier this year, the route has seen strong demand, with both the outbound and inbound inaugural flights sold out in all cabins.

The new services will provide new tourism opportunities for Bengaluru and India, with a direct gateway for Australian tourists to experience all that India has to offer. For people living in Bengaluru and southern India, it’s a convenient non-stop flight to Sydney for a dream holiday or to visit friends and family.

Qantas Domestic and International CEO Andrew David said the flights will boost tourism and economic relations and opportunities between Australia and India. “The addition of Bengaluru to our route map deepens our ties with India and follows the launch of direct services from Australia to Delhi last year which has also proven popular. Qantas is now the only airline offering direct flights between Australia’s two largest cities and the north and south of India.”

Qantas has recently launched the first phase of its codeshare partnership with IndiGo. There are currently 11 destinations available for Qantas customers to connect with on IndiGo to and from Bengaluru, including Mumbai, Goa, Kolkata and Chennai. The codeshare will continue to roll out over the coming months, broadening access and making it easier for Qantas customers in India to connect with the new direct flights to Sydney.

Qantas will fly an A330 aircraft from Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport to Sydney four times per week on a Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

qantas.com