It’s one of Australia’s biggest shortcomings that we are so very far from the rest of the world. There’s no envy quite like that of watching our friends across the pond country-hop like they’re headed on a casual weekend out of town. Most of us fortunate enough to have made the long-haul journey to Europe have had to endure the near-24 hour transit time, which often entails hours sitting on the floor of the Abu Dhabi International airport in a daze, waiting to alight an even longer flight than the one we just endured.
However, there is a growing number of direct flights becoming options for peripatetic Aussies who want to fast-track their way to a European vacay. Below, we round up a list of every city in Europe you can fly to direct from Australia right now (and some routes to keep your eyes peeled for, as they’ll be arriving very soon).
Airline: Qantas
Flight time: 16 hours, 45 minutes
Yes, you can hop on a plane at Perth International Airport and head straight to London town in approximately 18 hours. There are an average of seven flights per week making the journey, for prices that begin around $1,129AUD (round trip). The cheapest month to fly this route right now is November, and July (in time for European summer) is understandably one of the busiest.
Airline: Qantas
Flight time: 22 hours (approx.)
Qantas is scheduled to begin direct long-haul flights from Sydney to London starting in late 2027. The flight (in an Airbus A350) will be the longest commercial passenger flight at up to 22 hours. (Though Aussie travellers know that still shaves hours off current travel times between the two destinations.) There will be a reduced passenger allowance (only 238 instead of the usual 485) to make room for the added fuel carried. Flights will also have dedicated ‘Wellbeing Zones’ where you can stretch and move during the journey.
Airline: Qantas
Flight time: 17 hours, 20 minutes
Perth also operates direct flights to Paris (CDG) that take roughly 17 hours. Return airfares generally range from $1,900AUD. There are up to four direct flights per week, and November is currently the cheapest month to fly this route.
Airline: Qantas
Flight time: 16 hrs, 33 mins
Flights from Perth to Rome (FCO) take approximately 16.5 hours for nonstop routes and round-trip economy fares generally start from around $1,900AUD, depending on the season, and how far in advance you book. There’s an average of seven flights making this journey per week, and once again, November is the cheapest month of the year to fly it.
Airline: Turkish Airlines
Flight time: 19 hours
After launching its Sydney to Istanbul route in 2024, Turkish Airlines has stepped things up with new daily flights between the two cities with a brief refuelling stop in Kuala Lumpur. Even more exciting, the airline plans to introduce nonstop services between the two from late 2026, which would make it one of the longest nonstop flight routes between Australia and Europe. Flights start at approximately $1,239 AUD round-trip.
Heading to Europe next summer? Travel expert Mark Trim gives you his best travel tips and answers the essential questions for securing the best fares to Europe.
