American Airlines has completed its longest direct flight, AAL7, from Dallas-Fort Worth to Brisbane, covering over 8,300 miles in nearly 16 hours.
The inaugural flight, which took off at 9:57 p.m. CDT and landed 33 minutes early, featured a crew of three pilots and 11 flight attendants, transporting 285 passengers, though the exact number on board was not disclosed.
The flight was live streamed, attracting over 12,000 viewers.
At a gate event in Dallas, passengers received gift bags including koala plushies and vouchers for a sanctuary in Brisbane.
The new route aims to boost tourism and strengthen ties between Texas and Queensland, with five weekly flights initially, increasing to daily service from December through March.
The Brisbane Airport’s CEO highlighted the potential for economic growth and tourism benefits from this new connection.