Palau’s popularity among Australian travellers is surging, prompting Qantas to add a second weekly Brisbane–Koror flight and unlock four-day escapes for the first time.
From December 2026, the airline’s Palau Paradise Express will operate twice weekly between Brisbane and Koror for the first time, following a new agreement with the Federal Government to continue the service.
The additional frequency will run until the end of March 2027, with flights departing Brisbane on Wednesdays and Saturdays and returning from Koror on Thursdays and Sundays.
It creates something the once-weekly schedule could not: the option of a four-day Palau trip, departing Brisbane on Wednesday and returning from Koror on Sunday.
Palau’s popularity takes off
Qantas says the additional flight is a direct response to growing demand for the island nation.
Since the airline began operating its weekly service in December 2024, the route has carried more than 15,400 passengers. According to Qantas, passenger traffic to Palau from Australia and Oceania is now four times its pre-COVID level.
The Palau Visitors Authority says Australian visitation during the destination’s peak period has also grown 107 per cent year on year.
Qantas CEO International Cam Wallace described Palau as “one of the standout destinations in our short-haul international network since 2024”.
“The extra service is a direct response to growing demand for these incredible islands,” he said.
“Two services a week give Australians more choice about how long they spend in Palau. You can now fly out on a Wednesday, get four days on the reef and be home by Sunday.”
The Brisbane–Koror service takes around six hours and is operated by a Boeing 737-800, with connections available from across the Qantas domestic network.
While growing popularity is behind the added frequency, the route also forms part of a broader government-backed connectivity arrangement intended to support tourism, trade and links between Australia and Palau.
More than a diving destination
Made up of more than 300 islands in the Western Pacific, Palau is best known for its UNESCO World Heritage-listed Rock Islands and world-class diving.
Its marine environment includes wreck dives, reef walls, coral gardens and marine lakes, with much of the nation’s waters protected within the Palau National Marine Sanctuary.
The new schedule gives travel advisors greater scope to package shorter reef-focused breaks as well as longer stays combining Palau’s marine attractions with cultural and land-based experiences.
Palau Visitors Authority Director Kadoi Ruluked said the second weekly service would build on the destination’s momentum while giving travellers greater flexibility.
“This added seasonal frequency will build on that momentum by giving travellers the flexibility to enjoy a shorter Palau getaway for the first time,” Ruluked said.
“Greater connectivity like this supports our efforts to grow tourism sustainably, delivering more opportunities for our local businesses and communities.”
KARRYON UNPACKS: A twice-weekly schedule with a four-day option turns Palau from a niche week-long trip into a viable short break out of Brisbane, and a peak-season window with two departures gives advisors more room to package it. With passenger numbers already quadrupling, the demand signal is there for the diving and marine-life set.
