It Just Got A Whole Lot Easier To Reach The Great Barrier Reef Thanks To This Airline's New Route

For many Americans, the idea of visiting Australia feels more like a fantasy than a realistic vacation plan. It's literally on the other side of the globe, and getting there can drain your wallet and energy. Add the extra effort required to reach the Great Barrier Reef — especially if you're the type who fantasizes about diving the reef's historic shipwrecks — and it starts to feel like a perpetual pipe dream. But there's good news: Fiji Airways has introduced a new way to make getting to this slice of paradise significantly easier. The airline launched a direct route from Nadi, Fiji, to Cairns, Australia, aka the "gateway to the Great Barrier Reef" — finally making it more reachable for travelers coming from North America.

While there's still no direct flight from North America to Cairns (at least not yet, anyway), Fiji Airways timed its Dallas-Fort Worth to Nadi service to sync with this new leg to Cairns, shaving off about three hours from the entire journey and, subsequently, eliminating extra layovers. The Nadi to Cairns route runs three times a week on Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, equipped with both business class and economy seats. The flight itself is a breezy four hours — just enough time to watch a movie, catch a nap, and start fantasizing about swimming with the whales in Australia. "This new route is a major milestone for Tropical North Queensland travellers and Australians eyeing a Fijian escape; the 333 islands cater to all types of holidaymakers," Fiji Airways Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Andre Viljoen said in a statement. And there's even more good news: Fiji Airways has also joined a new global airline alliance — meaning better connectivity, more perks, and smoother travel for jet-setters everywhere.

Aside from creating what is essentially a shortcut from North America to the Great Barrier Reef, Fiji Airways also became the newest full member of the Oneworld alliance in March 2025. This means that if you're part of American Airlines' AAdvantage program, your perks now travel with you — even 7,000 miles across the Pacific. We're talking priority check-in, early boarding, extra baggage allowance — the works, especially if you have status with the airline. Basically, you get all the perks that make flying economy more comfortable. Plus, considering how the airline already codeshares with American on several routes, your connection to the Pacific is even more seamless.

"The partnership between American and Fiji Airways is giving customers more ways to unlock new travel experiences. As part of the AAdvantage® program, members flying on either airline can immediately enjoy an elevated travel experience," said American's Senior Vice President of Alliances Anmol Bhargava. "Travel is better as an AAdvantage® member, and American extends a very warm welcome to Fiji Airways customers joining the program."

And for those of you hoarding frequent flier miles, you also have the option to earn and redeem AAdvantage miles on Fiji Airways flights. Higher-tier members rack up even more bonus miles, meaning the more you fly, the closer you get to scoring that "free" vacation to the land down under. Before you know it, your next trip to the South Pacific might just be on the house.