Vanuatu is strengthening its air links with Australia, with Solomon Airlines launching a second weekly direct service between Brisbane and Espiritu Santo from April 2026.
The added capacity gives Australian travellers more flexibility to access Vanuatu’s largest island and comes as the destination continues rebuilding its visitor economy. It also reinforces Solomon Airlines’ position as the only international carrier operating direct flights from Australia to Espiritu Santo.
Second weekly flight lifts capacity and flexibility
The expanded schedule doubles capacity on the Brisbane-Santo route and opens up more practical travel options for holidaymakers, including week-long stays and shorter Pacific breaks.
The new service was marked on 4 April, when 112 passengers arrived on the inaugural second weekly flight into Santo Pekoa International Airport in Luganville.
Vanuatu Tourism Office chief executive Adela Issachar Aru said the added service was an important development for tourism in the country’s northern islands.
“Improved and reliable air access is essential as we continue to rebuild and grow our visitor economy, and this additional service is an important step forward for our northern islands,” Aru said.
Santo remains a key growth destination
Espiritu Santo is one of Vanuatu’s most important tourism hubs, known for its blue holes, dive sites, beaches and cultural experiences.
Aru said the revised schedule would make it easier for Australians to plan trips to the island while strengthening tourism partnerships and supporting local communities.
With a flight time of about 2.5 hours from Brisbane, the route gives Santo a strong short-haul advantage for the Australian market, especially for travellers looking for a Pacific island holiday without a lengthy journey.
Solomon Airlines backs long-term growth
Solomon Airlines chief executive Matthew Findlay said the second weekly service reflected growing demand for Santo and underlined the strength of the airline’s partnership with Vanuatu’s tourism sector.
He said the carrier would continue working with local stakeholders on joint marketing and operational alignment to support sustainable growth and improved connectivity.
The airline will operate the route with an A320-200 aircraft, with services running on Thursdays and Saturdays from April to June 2026, before shifting to Tuesdays and Thursdays from July 2026 to January 2027.
The added flights give Vanuatu another boost in the Australian market at a time when air access remains central to tourism recovery and regional dispersal beyond the better-known South Pacific gateways.
