New MEL-NRT Capacity in December~March (QF49)

[encryptededdy]

Seems QF has added an additional Japan flight MEL-NRT for the holiday season, first flight 02/12/26, last flight 26/03/27 (end of IATA Winter I guess) on an A332.

Outbound is QF49 2330-0750 (Su, M, W, F), return is QF50 0920-2145 (M, Tu, Th, St).

Lots of I and Q space on these flights, WPs may be able to get some reward seats released (I was looking for releases on this route last week, but gave up and booked a cash flight 3 days ago - you can thank me for Qantas dropping this now )

As far as I can see there's no existing classic awards in Dec/Jan on these flights.

 

[Saab34]

I assume this is the BNE-SIN capacity being moved.

 

[Dmac59]

I like the idea of daytime flights both ways
QF79 over and QF50 home

 

[elanshin]

I assume this is the BNE-SIN capacity being moved.

More likely SYD-HND shuffling one 330 to MEL-NRT now that the AY bird is taking over one of the pairs.

Just put the 380 on the route so theres more reason to fly from MEL

 

[Mattg]

From 2 December 2026, Qantas will add another MEL-NRT service. QF49 will operate MEL-NRT overnight, while QF50 does NRT-MEL during daylight hours. Operating 4x weekly using an A330-200.

This will operate in addition to the daily QF79/80 service which operates during the day to Narita and back overnight.

Qantas Expands Melbourne – Tokyo Flights in NW26 — AeroRoutes

Published at 0000PDT / 0700GMT 30JUN26 Qantas during Northern winter 2026/27 season plans to expand Melbourne – Tokyo Narita flights, where it plans to operate 11 weekly flights from 02DEC26, instead of 7 weekly. This route is operated by a mix of A330-200/-300 aircraft. QF079 MEL0925 – 1740NRT

www.aeroroutes.com

 

[markis10]

Already discussed New MEL-NRT Capacity in December~March (QF49)

 

[aaa99]

Is this where the aircraft from QF97 (BNE-MNL) is going after that route gets down gauged to A321XLR?

 

[aikman]

I've always wondered how QF/JQ can justify 2x daily BNE-NRT but only 1x daily from MEL.

 

[Captain Halliday]

I've always wondered how QF/JQ can justify 2x daily BNE-NRT but only 1x daily from MEL.

They have a monopoly. No JL or NH services to BNE.

 

[AIRwin]

Official media release:

https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-increases-mel-tokyo-adds-seats-tasman-june-2026

 

[Himeno]

I've always wondered how QF/JQ can justify 2x daily BNE-NRT but only 1x daily from MEL.

There was a period prior to the 2011 Tohoku earthquake where the only Qantas flights to Japan were SYD-NRT and PER-NRT with MEL-NRT having been pulled in 2008. ANA wasn't flying to Australia and JAL was flying NRT-SYD and NRT-BNE.
ANA getting the Japanese part of the Australia night slot HND allocation prompted their return to the AU market at a time when JAL was recovering from their bankruptcy and the removal of the BNE flight.

Now, QF has daily flights to TYO from BNE and MEL, twice daily from SYD, seasonal SYD-CTS and this new 4 weekly MEL-NRT
NH has twice daily SYD-HND and 3 or 4 weekly PER-NRT (upgraded to year round from seasonal last year)
JL has daily SYD-HND and 3 weekly MEL-NRT (with seasonal increases)
and whatever JQ is doing to NRT and KIX.

It looks like most of the QF49/50 flights are on days that JL774/773 doesn't operate.

 

[elanshin]

There

There was a period prior to the 2011 Tohoku earthquake where the only Qantas flights to Japan were SYD-NRT and PER-NRT with MEL-NRT having been pulled in 2008. ANA wasn't flying to Australia and JAL was flying NRT-SYD and NRT-BNE.
ANA getting the Japanese part of the Australia night slot HND allocation prompted their return to the AU market at a time when JAL was recovering from their bankruptcy and the removal of the BNE flight.

Now, QF has daily flights to TYO from BNE and MEL, twice daily from SYD, seasonal SYD-CTS and this new 4 weekly MEL-NRT
NH has twice daily SYD-HND and 3 or 4 weekly PER-NRT (upgraded to year round from seasonal last year)
JL has daily SYD-HND and 3 weekly MEL-NRT (with seasonal increases)
and whatever JQ is doing to NRT and KIX.

It looks like most of the QF49/50 flights are on days that JL774/773 doesn't operate.

Was also that brief period where JQ flew overnight MEL - NRT around 2014 or so. I always thought of it as a precursor for QF to fly the route.

 

[aikman]

I thought that QF/JQ just expected Melbournians to connect in BNE/SYD hence no need for more nonstop flights.

 

[Himeno]

There

Was also that brief period where JQ flew overnight MEL - NRT around 2014 or so. I always thought of it as a precursor for QF to fly the route.

I got that flight, on the QF codeshare, once (for a musical in Tokyo ). Back when they had the A330s.

 

[elanshin]

I got that flight, on the QF codeshare, once (for a musical in Tokyo ). Back when they had the A330s.

Yeh i took it as well, was one of the first time i did a dom - intl at MEL.

 

[NSun]

I personally appreciate having the option to have a daytime flight home from Asia and this new route is possible given one of the ex-FinnAir A330s will be on QF25/QF26. For others who prefer overnight flights, this gives an alternative – albeit only a few days a week for a few months. Although the return arrival at nearly 10pm Melbourne time will mean any domestic connections will be impossible even if you might be able to sleep in a little more compared to QF26 which leaves at 6.50am.

 

[aikman]

Having recently flown to Haneda and back on the daytime flights, I have been turned off daytime flights. Transport to the airport early in the morning was difficult and the windows on the plane stayed shut the whole time. I pretty much lived in darkness for 36 hours taking into account the night before departure and after arrival.

 

[markis10]

Having recently flown to Haneda and back on the daytime flights,

I like them and have just booked more. My favorite hotel is Mercure Haneda so that negates the transport hassles.

 

[Nank]

I like the idea of daytime flights both ways
QF79 over and QF50 home

Same here. For the past few years when we’ve gone to Japan to ski I’ve stayed an extra night in Tokyo before jumping on QF26 HND-SYD and then connecting to MEL whilst the rest of our crew took the redeye QF80 out of NRT.
I absolutely despise redeye flights and often go to insane lengths to avoid them, so it’s great to see a direct MEL daytime flight being added now. Just wish it was out of HND instead, NRT is miles from anything and everything.
Regardless of what airport though it’s definitely needed. Every flight I’ve taken out of Tokyo in mid Feb has been absolutely chockers, not a single spare seat left. My family has reported the same for each QF80 flight they’ve been on too.
As Japan continues to rise as the premier medium haul overseas holiday destination for Aussies it’ll be interesting to see if we eventually get double daily flights out of every major city across to Tokyo, or at least the ones that are currently served by QF.
Perhaps these new A321XLRs will make additional flights possible from other cities too, like ADL, CNS, PER, OOL etc. that may have demand but not enough to fill an A330.
Time will tell I suppose.

 

[Assassin]

Having recently flown to Haneda and back on the daytime flights, I have been turned off daytime flights. Transport to the airport early in the morning was difficult and the windows on the plane stayed shut the whole time. I pretty much lived in darkness for 36 hours taking into account the night before departure and after arrival.

Why not book a window seat and then you can keep the shade up?

I like them and have just booked more. My favorite hotel is Mercure Haneda so that negates the transport hassles.

I agree having stayed in Jan - beautiful hotel.