Air Canada plans to launch year-round flights to Australia’s third-largest city starting next June.
The airline will make Vancouver the only Canadian airport offering direct flights to Brisbane when it begins three times a week service starting June 16, 2016.
"The new route increases our presence in the Asia-Pacific market at a time when trade and travel in the region and between North America is growing, with a further boost expected from the Trans-Pacific Partnership now under negotiation," said Air Canada president and CEO Calin Rovinescu."
"Already, Air Canada commits $2 billion worth of aircraft to the Pacific market each day and Brisbane is the third new Pacific route we have announced in the past year, after Toronto-Tokyo Haneda and Vancouver-Osaka."
The Vancouver Airport Authority predicts direct flights linking Brisbane will add about $9 million annually to the local economy.
Inbound tourism from Australia grew more than 6% during 2014.
"YVR welcomes this new service and thousands of excited travellers with open arms," said Vancouver Airport Authority’s Craig Richmond.
"It’s a perfect route – Australians love to visit our ski hills and cities while Brisbane and the Great Barrier Reef are a constant draw for Canadians."
Air Canada said it will operate Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft on the route.
