Singapore kicks off expanded Adelaide flights as demand soars

Inbound travellers get the choice of daily overnight red-eye flights, or one of five daytime services per week.

The South Australian government hopes the additional 1,328 seats per week will encourage more travellers to visit Adelaide, after seeing a 20 per cent increase in international passengers between June 2025 and June 2026.

Singapore Airlines regional vice president Foo Chai Woo said the increased services would support both increasing freight and passenger demand between South Australia and Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, South Australian exports to the Asia -Pacific region, of which Singapore is a major freight transport hub, have now tipped $3.82 billion, driven largely by seafood and meat exports.

“Reliable international airfreight is critical to our export success,” said Connie Bonaros, CEO of the Seafood Industry SA. “Singapore Airlines has been a trusted partner to the industry, and these additional export opportunities will help us meet growing international demand and get premium South Australian seafood to customers around the world.”

Emily Bourke, South Australian minister for tourism, said Singapore Airlines is now operating “more flights than any international carrier” ever has to Adelaide, after having held a presence at the airport for over 40 years.

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“This additional capacity demonstrates the growing appeal of our state as a visitor destination and the strong growth we’ve seen in the Asian market in the previous year,” she said.

“More seats mean more opportunities to attract international visitors, support local tourism and showcase everything South Australia has to offer to travellers from across Asia and the world.”

Adelaide Airport managing director Brenton Cox praised the “extraordinary commitment” of Singapore Airlines to the South Australian market.

“For more than 40 years, they have been an incredible partner with Adelaide Airport, pioneering one-stop connections to the UK and Europe,” he said.

“This expansion delivers unprecedented choice and flexibility to passengers looking to access Singapore and the airline’s vast global network, while providing our local exporters with the frequent, reliable connectivity needed to grow international markets.”

It comes as Adelaide Airport continues to report record passenger numbers despite fuel prices and cost-of-living pressures.

In August of this year, the South Australian gateway saw just under 1.25 million international passengers, an increase of 16.3 per cent compared to August 2025.

Meanwhile, domestic passenger traffic was also up 2.6 per cent year-on-year to over 7.9 million travellers.

The Singaporean passport was among the top 10 most common to pass through the airport in August, alongside India, China, New Zealand, Malaysia, the UK, and Japan.

The airport said it is gearing up to begin seasonal operations from this month, with peak flight operations to Shanghai, Hong Kong, San Francisco and Christchurch.