Qantas Increases Rome Flights

Qantas has confirmed plans to increase flying to Europe for 2026 as part of network connectivity improvements.

For 2026, the Australian flag carrier plans almost to double its capacity on the Perth to Rome service as demand continues to increase to serve Europe.

The seasonal flying between these two markets will now be extended by a further eight weeks, almost two months, from May 3 through to October 23.

The change will enable Qantas to capture the transition in Rome from late spring to early autumn. It will also ensure more opportunities for onward connectivity throughout Italy and Europe for a longer period of the year.

Additionally, Qantas says it’ll offer four flights per week during the peak season, up from the previously offered three, and this move alone will add 40 more extra services and 10,000 additional seats.

The revised schedule will initially offer three flights a week between May 3 and June 26, operating on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.

However, from June 27 through September 26, a fourth weekly flight will be offered on Saturdays. From September 27 through October 23, the service reverts to three flights a week, with the additional Saturday service suspended.

Rome service from Perth was first introduced to the Australian carrier’s network in 2022, marking the first non-stop flight between Australia and continental Europe by any airline.

Since service commencement, more than 70,000 passengers have been flown, proving to be the fastest route to Rome and easier for Italians and Europeans to travel to Australia without a stopover in the Middle East or Asia.

Qantas Speaks On Change

The airline’s CEO for the International division, Cam Wallace, took the opportunity to further discuss the route frequency change that will occur.

Wallace said that Rome, being one of the most iconic destinations in Europe, is certainly something visible through its customer booking trends, with a lot of demand between the two cities.

Over half of customers on Rome flights originate on the east coast of Australia as well, this follows a strategic move by the flag-carrier to develop Perth’s connectivity to Europe thanks to nonstop capabilities with the Boeing 787.

Long-haul flights are largely seen as game-changing for the state of Western Australia, with 2026 shaping up to be the biggest yet, with more than 300,000 seats connecting London, Paris and Rome to Perth without a single stop.

That network will change further when Project Sunrise launches, but for now, these moves just further cement Western Australia’s status as the gateway to Australia from Europe with nonstop connections.