On Wednesday 14 June 2023, Qantas Flight QF3 arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City after an 8,829-mile, 15-hour, 36-minute flight from Auckland, New Zealand. 

Qantas' new “fifth freedom” service from Sydney to New York includes a stop in Auckland and brings the Australian carrier back to the Big Apple for the first time since the Chinese SARS-CoV-2 virus caused a global pandemic.  

The flight, on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, is the world’s fifth-longest flight, and is the same route that Air New Zealand began last Autumn. 

The Dreamliner carries 236 passengers across three classes: 

• 42 Business suites in a 1-2-1 configuration with a fully-flat bed and with aisle access
• 28 Premium Economy seats in a 2-3-2 configuration
• 166 Economy seats in a 3-3-3 configuration

Qantas' garnered a lot of media coverage in Sydney and across Australia ahead of the launch, but Auckland airport was where the real party was. Special bunting and and branding adorned the check-in areas and self-serve kiosks were updated with the inaugral branding.

A live saxophone player was also present, playing "New York, New York" in front of a pop-up pretzel kiosk that offered passengers a complimentary New York-style snack. The business class lounges served Waldorf salad, hotdogs, pizza and bagels.