Southern Cross Route

{{Short description|Term for UK–Australia flights via the US}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2014}}{{EngvarB|date=November 2022}}

The '''Southern Cross Route''' is the name given to the commercial passenger air route connecting Australia and the United Kingdom via the United States.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=30 April 1966 |title=Only Qantas offers this exclusive travel quartet |url=https://papyrus.exacteditions.com/issues/122801/page/4%3Frc%3Dfff7c675-8f54-4c60-96ce-da9fdff88fbc |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260214091349/https://papyrus.exacteditions.com/issues/122801/page/4%3Frc%3Dfff7c675-8f54-4c60-96ce-da9fdff88fbc |archive-date=14 February 2026 |access-date=14 February 2026 |work=The Illustrated London News |pages=4}}</ref> The term was coined by British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines in 1949 to refer to its new trans-pacific route from Australia to North America.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> The name was chosen by BCPA in honour of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith's historic 1928 flight in the aircraft ''Southern Cross''.<ref>{{cite web |date=18 May 2014 |title=QANTAS Airways celebrates 60 years of flying to the United States |url=https://worldairlinenews.com/tag/southern-cross-route/ |access-date=23 January 2022 |publisher=World Airline News}}</ref>

In 1954, Qantas acquired BCPA and expanded the term's definition as it also expanded the route, even trademarking it for a number of years,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Trade Mark 330918 {{!}} IP Australia {{!}} Trade Mark Search |url=https://search.ipaustralia.gov.au/trademarks/search/view/330918 |access-date=2026-02-12 |website=search.ipaustralia.gov.au}}</ref> as the official name of its air routes connecting Australia and the United Kingdom via the United States.<ref>{{Cite news |date=20 October 1959 |title=Round the world at 9 miles a minute |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002134/19591020/250/0011 |access-date=14 February 2026 |work=The Birmingham Daily Post |pages=11}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | title=Tying Down the Kangaroo | issn=0007-4039 | series=John Ryan Comic Collection (Specific issues). | issue=4826 | location=Sydney, N.S.W | publisher=John Haynes and J.F. Archibald | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1335022141 | id=nla.obj-1335022141 | access-date=14 February 2026 | via=Trove|last=Crouch|first=Wally|date=1972-10-21|work=The bulletin.|volume=094|pages=72}}</ref> Qantas would go on to pair up the Southern Cross route with its existing famous counterpart route the "Kangaroo Route" connecting Australia and the United Kingdom via the Eastern Hemisphere to form its newly titled "Round the World" service.<ref>{{Cite news |title=London to Perth: Everything you need to know about the first non-stop flights from Britain to Australia |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/oceania/australia/articles/london-to-australia-direct-flights-facts-everything-to-know/ |access-date=2017-12-30 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB}}</ref>

== Significant dates in the Southern Cross Route's evolution == * {{Timeline-event|date={{Start date|1949|02|14|df=y}}|event=Initial operations (Australia to North America){{snd}}The term was coined by British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines (BCPA) when they were formed to begin the first commercial service from Sydney to Vancouver in February 1949.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article230242778 |title=GIANT AIRLINER ON PIONEERS' TRACKS |newspaper=The Sun |issue=12,186 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=16 February 1949 |access-date=23 January 2022 |page=10 (LATE FINAL EXTRA) |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2790475 |title=Huge Airliner to Fly Across to Vancouver |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=23 |issue=6822 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=17 February 1949 |access-date=23 January 2022 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>}} * {{Timeline-event|date={{Start date|1954|05|15|df=y}}|event=Multi-operator combined operations begin{{snd}}Aftering acquiring BCPA on April 1st 1954, Qantas quickly put into service their own operating of the route connecting Australia and North America, launching their first operated flight of the Southern Cross Route on 15 May to San Francisco.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18415309 |title=MERGER OF AIR SERVICES |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=36,267 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=18 March 1954 |accessdate=13 February 2026 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article278252242 |title=Advertising |newspaper=Daily Mirror |issue=4038 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=17 May 1954 |accessdate=13 February 2026 |page=26 (Late Final Extra 2) |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article248841213 |title=Qantas begins Pacific service |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |volume=XV |issue=26 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=16 May 1954 |accessdate=14 February 2026 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> British Overseas Airways Company (BOAC) retained its existing transatlantic operating rights and services from New York to London.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Higham |first=Robin |title=Speedbird: The Complete History of BOAC |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |year=2020 |isbn=978-1350160224 |pages=335}}</ref> BOAC subsequently sold connecting flights operated by domestic airlines from 1954 onwards, providing a multi-carrier operated route connecting Australia and the United Kingdom for the first time via North America.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 1955 |title=BOAC Timetable 1955 |url=https://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/ba2/ba5510/ba5510.pdf |access-date=13 February 2026 |website=TimeTableImages.com}}</ref>}} * {{Timeline-event|date={{Start date|1958|01|14|df=y}}|event=Qantas operates the entire route{{snd}}Qantas' Southern Cross route operations were extended to the United Kingdom following the signing of an air services agreement between Australia and the United Kingdom in 1957.<ref name=":2">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91239285 |title=Exchange Of Air Routes In New Agreement |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=31 |issue=9,293 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=7 October 1957 |access-date=23 January 2022 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> This extended commercial route was inaugurated on 14 January 1958 by Qantas using their Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellations.<ref name="Rimmer2005">{{cite journal |url=https://www.i-repository.net/contents/outemon/ir/501/501051212.pdf |title=Australia Through the Prism of Qantas: Distance Makes a Comeback |last1=Rimmer |first1=Peter J. |journal=Otemon Journal of Australian Studies |volume=31 |year=2005 |access-date=23 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91255225 |title=Inauguration QANTAS Round World Service |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=31 |issue=9378 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=15 January 1958 |accessdate=13 February 2026 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>}} * {{Timeline-event|date={{Start date|1973|04|01|df=y}}|event=Qantas continued to operate the full route to London until 1 April 1973, when it discontinued the New York to London leg of the route, leaving partner airlines to operate this part of the route.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110703516 |title=Qantas to end flight over U.S. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=47 |issue=13,338 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=22 January 1973 |accessdate=13 February 2026 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref name="Rimmer2005" />}} * {{Timeline-event|date={{Start date|2020|03|21|df=y}}|event=Qantas suspends all international flights{{snd}}Qantas suspended its entire Southern Cross service as Australia shut down all international flights in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our History - The Pandemic Years |url=https://www.qantas.com/en-au/about-us/history#pandemic-years |access-date=13 February 2026 |website=Qantas.com}}</ref>}} * {{Timeline-event|date={{Start date|2023|06|14|df=y}}|event=Qantas resumes flights to New York{{snd}}Qantas relaunched flights to North America, this time swapping out the traditional stop in the west coast of the United States, with a stop in Auckland, New Zealand, before continuing nonstop to New York. The final part of the Southern Cross Route to London continued to be operated by Qantas' partners such as British Airways and American Airlines.<ref>{{Cite news |date=31 May 2023 |title=QANTAS GEARS UP FOR NEW YORK FLIGHTS WITH NEW AIRCRAFT, DESIGNER PJS AND NEW MENU ITEMS |url=https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-gears-up-for-new-york-flights-with-new-aircraft-designer-pjs-and-new-menu-items |access-date=13 February 2026 |work=Qantas NewsRoom}}</ref>}}

==Other operators== While the "Southern Cross Route" term and route was originated by BCPA and continues to be used as the official term by Qantas, it is often genericised by the media and other operators to refer to all flights between Australia and the United Kingdom via North America. Many airlines have operated the Australia to UK route via North America over the years; a notable first operator was Pan Am who received rights as part of the same air agreements that gave Qantas rights to operate across the United States.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rimmer |first=Peter J. |title=Australia Through the Prism of Qantas: Distance Makes a Comeback |url=https://www.i-repository.net/contents/outemon/ir/501/501051212.pdf |journal=The Otemon Journal of Australian Studies |volume=31 |pages=135-157}}</ref>

{{As of|2026|post=,}} there are three airlines operating the Southern Cross route (with seasonal destinations in ''italics''):

{| class="wikitable" |- !Airline !Origin in Australia !Intermediate stop !Destination in the United Kingdom |- ! Air Canada |style="text-align:right;" | Brisbane, Sydney | {{nowrap|{{flagicon|CAN}} Vancouver<ref>{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by AC via YVR) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/YVR?from=YVR&airlines=AC&countries=AU,GB&state=1 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |website=FlightsFrom.com}}</ref>}} | rowspan="7" | London–Heathrow |- ! rowspan="2" |American Airlines |style="text-align:right;" |''Brisbane'' |{{nowrap|{{flagicon|US}} Dallas/Fort Worth<ref>{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by AA via DFW) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/DFW?from=DFW&airlines=AA&countries=AU,GB&state=1 |access-date=3 June 2024 |website=FlightsFrom.com}}</ref>}} |- |style="text-align:right;" |Sydney |{{nowrap|{{flagicon|US}} Los Angeles<ref>{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by AA via LAX) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/LAX?from=LAX&airlines=AA&countries=AU,GB&state=1 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |website=FlightsFrom.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by DL via LAX) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/LAX?from=LAX&airlines=DL&countries=AU,GB&state=1 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |website=FlightsFrom.com}}</ref>}} |- ! rowspan="3" |United Airlines |style="text-align:right;" |''Adelaide'',<ref name="UnitedAdelaide">{{cite web|title=United Airlines adds Thailand, Vietnam and Australia flights in latest expansion|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/02/united-airlines-thailand-vietnam-adelaide-australia-flights.html|access-date=April 2, 2025|publisher=CNBC}}</ref> Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney | {{nowrap|{{flagicon|US}} San Francisco<ref>{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by UA via SFO) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/SFO?from=SFO&airlines=UA&countries=AU,GB&state=1 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |website=FlightsFrom.com}}</ref>}} |- |style="text-align:right;" |Melbourne, Sydney | {{nowrap|{{flagicon|US}} Los Angeles<ref>{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by UA via LAX) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/LAX?from=LAX&airlines=UA&countries=AU,GB&state=1 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |website=FlightsFrom.com}}</ref>}} |- |style="text-align:right;" |''Sydney'' | {{nowrap|{{flagicon|US}} Houston-Intercontinental<ref>{{Cite web |title=Direct nonstop flights (Operated by UA via IAH) |url=https://www.flightsfrom.com/IAH?from=IAH&airlines=UA&countries=AU,GB&state=1 |access-date=12 Feb 2026 |website=FlightsFrom.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/274676/united-adds-houston-sydney-service-from-jan-2018/|title=United adds Houston – Sydney service from Jan 2018 |publisher=Routes |date=7 September 2017 |access-date=23 January 2022 }}</ref>}} |} {{NoteFoot}}

==See also== *Kangaroo Route{{snd}}the Southern Cross Route's counterpart traveling via the Eastern Hemisphere *Wallaby Route{{snd}}route launched by Qantas in 1952 connecting Sydney to Johannesburg ==External links== *[https://londonairtravel.com/2022/05/02/history-of-flight-uk-australia Fiesta Route] – Qantas' route that existed from 1964 to 1975, connecting Sydney to London via Fiji, Tahiti, Acapulco, Mexico City, The Bahamas, and Bermuda.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-01 |title=The History Of Flight Between The UK and Australia From 1935 Onwards |url=https://londonairtravel.com/2022/05/02/history-of-flight-uk-australia/ |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=London Air Travel |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=April 16, 2019 |title=Quiz: Beach Boys Lyric or Qantas Route? |work=Qantas |url=https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/roo-tales/quiz-beach-boys-lyric-or-qantas-route/ |access-date=November 25, 2022}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Qantas}}

Category:Airline routes Category:Qantas Category:Aviation in New Zealand Category:Aviation in French Polynesia Category:Aviation in the United States Category:Aviation in Chile