Qantas to start flights from Darwin to Singapore

[exLXCXFF]

So, I finally bit the bullet and booked SYD - DRW - SIN on a saver fare at SGD 360 which I think is super reasonable (SCOOT direct w/o baggage, seat selection and food offers SYD - SIN for as low as SGD 218 as comparison).

What is the lounge situation in Darwin? Do you go to the Qantas Club at Gate 4, and then you go onwards for immigration before your flight?

Thanks!

 

[SJF211]

That’s correct. Use the dom QC as usual. When I’ve been there they’ve made an announcement when immigration and security screening opens.

 

[Captain Halliday]

So, I finally bit the bullet and booked SYD - DRW - SIN on a saver fare at SGD 360 which I think is super reasonable (SCOOT direct w/o baggage, seat selection and food offers SYD - SIN for as low as SGD 218 as comparison).

What is the lounge situation in Darwin? Do you go to the Qantas Club at Gate 4, and then you go onwards for immigration before your flight?

Thanks!

Yep.

Just don’t leave it too late to clear security and immigration.

We departed DRW International many times when we lived there and it usually takes less than 10 mins.

Once we struck a busy and chaotic day and it took almost 12 mins.

 

[Laptop Jockey]

So, I finally bit the bullet and booked SYD - DRW - SIN on a saver fare at SGD 360 which I think is super reasonable (SCOOT direct w/o baggage, seat selection and food offers SYD - SIN for as low as SGD 218 as comparison).

What is the lounge situation in Darwin? Do you go to the Qantas Club at Gate 4, and then you go onwards for immigration before your flight?

Thanks!

The customs/immigration queue in Darwin can be very dependent, it can be super quick because there might just be one 737 with 150 pax, or it can be painfully slow, and it seems there's a rule every international flight leaving Darwin must have a school class on it for some reason, which can gum things up.
Coming back in is a bit of a different matter, Darwin immigration have always thought they were Australia's last line of defence and can be very overzealous at their job; it can feel like trying to cross through Checkpoint Charlie into West Berlin.

 

[nancypants]

Departing Australia it’s Not so much immigration but the security check which can be painful (or sometimes fine)

Coming back in, the immigration queue can be painful but customs usually ok

 

[Harrison_133]

Service reducing to 3 weekly flights instead of 4 during various periods throughout 2026.

Source: Qantas 2026 Darwin – Singapore Frequency Changes — AeroRoutes

 

[Mattg]

Service reducing to 3 weekly flights instead of 4 during various periods throughout 2026.

Source: Qantas 2026 Darwin – Singapore Frequency Changes — AeroRoutes

SIN-DRW will switch from an early evening departure to a redeye too.

 

[Saab34]

Wonder if that’s now a crew return from Darwin, ie no more overnighting.

 

[jrfsp]

SIN-DRW will switch from an early evening departure to a redeye too.

The demise of 3K can’t have helped but a red eye ex SIN will make it an unattractive connection from LHR, can’t see it lasting tbh.

 

[CaptJCool]

Given the loading on the flight in December last year that I was on originally scheduled to depart at 2315 but switched to Arriving at midnight with no flight out til 6.15am

There’s no surprise here

 

[rigram]

No direct flights DRW-SIN-DRW available after 30JAN27, possibly the end of direct services...?

 

[Chrizztofa]

No direct flights DRW-SIN-DRW available after 30JAN27, possibly the end of direct services...?

Sad if true especially on the back of Air Asia withdrawing services to KUL and DPS next month, but I'm slightly surprised it's lasted as long as it has with a comparatively uncompetitive product (unless they're adjusting schedules so it can be operated by QFlink with an E190 or A220 as previously planned, or changing it to seasonal during the (EDIT: NS) season).

I think DRW is a bit like ADL in that SQ has cornered the market. Leaves DRW with only JQ to DPS (4 weekly), SQ to SIN (Daily) and QF/TL to DIL (10x weekly).

 

[rigram]

Sad if true especially on the back of Air Asia withdrawing services to KUL and DPS next month, but I'm slightly surprised it's lasted as long as it has with a comparatively uncompetitive product (unless they're adjusting schedules so it can be operated by QFlink with an E190 or A220 as previously planned, or changing it to seasonal during the NW season).

I think DRW is a bit like ADL in that SQ has cornered the market. Leaves DRW with only JQ to DPS (4 weekly), SQ to SIN (Daily) and QF/TL to DIL (10x weekly).

Also, numbers aren't great - travelled last week, only 18 pax total on 737-800 (3J & 15Y)

 

[CaptJCool]

Also, numbers aren't great - travelled last week, only 18 pax total on 737-800 (3J & 15Y)

Similar experience in December 2025

 

[Saab34]

Having a look at AirAsia’s DRW-KUL, similar sort of rubbish loads.

AUGUST: 35%
SEPTEMBER: 42%

 

[henrus]

No direct flights DRW-SIN-DRW available after 30JAN27, possibly the end of direct services...?

Unless a flight number change to move it to a E190 or A220 as was originally scheduled to operate the first and second attempts at the route?

 

[rigram]

Unless a flight number change to move it to a E190 or A220 as was originally scheduled to operate the first and second attempts at the route?

If so, would've thought availability would be visible on smaller aircraft, currently nothing visible for direct flights after 30JAN

 

[dajop]

I think DRW is a bit like ADL in that SQ has cornered the market. Leaves DRW with only JQ to DPS (4 weekly), SQ to SIN (Daily) and QF/TL to DIL (10x weekly).

Because DRW is such a small outbound market, and expensive, especially during the dry, the SIN-DRW and DRW-SIN origin/destination markets I imagine would be fairly small. What SQ can offer that QF can't is the world - Europe, North America, East Asia, SE Asia, India, South Africa. I can see why QF might struggle with limited feed to/from "the world" , especially now that 3K is gone. IIRC, it doesn't even line up with QF2.

 

[Chrizztofa]

Because DRW is such a small outbound market, and expensive, especially during the dry, the SIN-DRW and DRW-SIN origin/destination markets I imagine would be fairly small. What SQ can offer that QF can't is the world - Europe, North America, East Asia, SE Asia, India, South Africa. I can see why QF might struggle with limited feed to/from "the world" , especially now that 3K is gone. IIRC, it doesn't even line up with QF2.

Initially the flights were mid-afternoon departures ex-DRW which I think lined up with QF1/2 plus codeshare flights on AF to CDG (and maybe KL to AMS?), but this is no longer the case as the SIN-DRW flight depart too early.

I also forgot about CZ to CAN in my original reply, not sure what their load factors are like after they started ops in December.

 

[exLXCXFF]

Initially the flights were mid-afternoon departures ex-DRW which I think lined up with QF1/2 plus codeshare flights on AF to CDG (and maybe KL to AMS?), but this is no longer the case as the SIN-DRW flight depart too early.

I also forgot about CZ to CAN in my original reply, not sure what their load factors are like after they started ops in December.

But I wonder who would do the retimed DRW flight. Current QF48 arrives around midnight in Darwin. The retimed version gets into Darwin at 0430am. Not really a great time given that the flight is only 4+ hours. If you live in DRW, maybe but for connections onwards... not my choice.

When I was booking DCS runs SIN - SYD, this retimed flight always came up, sometimes about 1/2 price of SIN - SYD but looking at timings I had to say no.

I guess QF is struggling to fill the return flight. I was on QF47 twice last year (Mondays) and it had a solid loading.