Travel Updates by DailyStraits.com

Melbourne Gets New Bali Flights

Melburnians can soon fly directly to Bali with TransNusa, as the Indonesian airline prepares to launch daily services between Melbourne and Denpasar alongside its new Premium Plus offering.
The new route will begin on Oct 19, with introductory one-way fares starting from AUD299 for basic seats and AUD699 for Premium Plus.
The expansion follows TransNusa’s growth in the Australian market, including its Perth operations, where the airline says it secured a 20 per cent market share within 12 months.
The Melbourne service will operate daily. Flight 8B 18 will depart Bali at 8.45pm and arrive at Melbourne Airport at 5.40am the following day. The return flight, 8B 19, will leave Melbourne at 6.25am and arrive in Bali at 9.40am.
The launch will also mark the debut of TransNusa’s Premium Plus product, positioned between its standard offering and traditional business-class travel.
Only 20 Premium Plus seats will be available on each flight, with passengers receiving additional baggage allowance and priority benefits.
TransNusa describes itself as a premium-service carrier rather than a conventional low-cost airline, with its standard tickets including baggage, water, snacks and additional legroom.
The Melbourne route is also designed to make Bali a connecting point for Australians travelling farther into Indonesia and Asia.
Passengers will be able to connect through Bali to Indonesian destinations including Wakatobi, Manado, Bima and Lombok, while international connections include Singapore, Phuket and Guangzhou.
The Melbourne expansion follows TransNusa’s push into the Australian market through Perth and forms part of the airline’s broader international growth strategy.
Tickets for the Melbourne-Bali service are now on sale through TransNusa and authorised booking platforms.

Qantas Opens Adelaide Innovation Centre

Qantas has officially opened its new Product Innovation Centre in Adelaide, with plans to create more than 400 digital and technology roles over the next three years.
Located in the Adelaide CBD, the purpose-built centre will bring together product managers, digital experience designers, software engineers, and data and AI specialists to develop new technology and digital experiences for Qantas customers.
The first 50 employees have moved into the centre, while Qantas is recruiting for another 40 positions. The project is supported by the South Australian Government.
A pilot team established in March has already been developing real-time customer feedback tools and new digital experiences, including applications using Qantas-built AI and the airline’s own data.
Qantas is also partnering with Adelaide University to establish graduate recruitment pathways, with the first graduates expected to start in February next year.

Scoot Launches Everywhere Sale

Scoot has launched its Everywhere Sale, offering Australians discounted one-way fares across its Asian network from Sept 15 to Sept 20.
The sale covers departures from Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, with travel periods extending from October 2026 through August 2027, subject to selected dates and blackout periods.
Travellers looking beyond Indonesia’s traditional holiday destinations can fly to Belitung from $225 one-way from Perth, while Padang starts at $215 and Labuan Bajo from $265.
Other sale destinations include Da Nang from $230 and Phuket from $205 from Perth. Longer-haul Asian city breaks include Osaka from $320 and Seoul from $350.
From Sydney, sale fares include Belitung and Padang from $280, Da Nang from $270, Phuket from $290, Seoul from $320 and Osaka from $360.
Melbourne fares include Belitung and Padang from $280, Da Nang and Phuket from $300, Labuan Bajo from $330, Seoul from $360 and Osaka from $375.
The airline is also promoting destinations including Fuzhou in China, Amritsar and Coimbatore in India, Kota Bharu and Kuantan in Malaysia, and Pekanbaru and Semarang in Indonesia.
Scoot recently added Guiyang in China to its network.
The sale ends Sept 20, with fares and availability subject to travel dates and applicable blackout periods.

Korean Air Mileage Merger Approved

Korean Air has received final approval from the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) for its mileage integration plan with Asiana Airlines, following a 15-month review that began after the framework was submitted in June 2025.
Under the approved plan, newly accrued miles will go directly into Korean Air’s SKYPASS programme once the integrated airline launches. Existing Asiana miles will transfer across but remain in a separate balance for 10 years, giving customers the choice to keep them separate or convert them to SKYPASS miles at any time; those who keep a separate balance can still redeem it under Asiana’s existing chart.
Elite members will have their Asiana status automatically matched to an equivalent Korean Air tier, with current validity periods preserved. A new “Morning Calm Select” tier — offering SkyTeam Elite Plus benefits — will also be introduced alongside the existing Million Miler, Morning Calm Premium and Morning Calm tiers.
Mileage conversion will follow a dual structure: flight-accrued miles convert 1:1, while partner-accrued miles convert at 1:0.82. Korean Air has also committed to keeping award seat availability at or above pre-integration levels, with long-haul routes to the Americas, Europe and Oceania offered at or above the highest levels seen in the past decade, and annual redemption capacity set to exceed the combined pre-integration volume of both airlines by at least 20%.
A dedicated mileage integration website, oneskypass.koreanair.com, launches September 15 to guide customers through the transition.

Skywards Doubles Miles

Emirates Skywards is offering members double Miles on eligible Emirates and flydubai flights booked between Sept 15 and 30, 2026.
Members must register for the promotion and book an eligible flight during the offer period, with travel to be completed between Sept 15 and Nov 30.
The promotion gives members a 100 per cent bonus on the Skywards Miles they would normally earn and applies across eligible flights throughout the Emirates and flydubai networks.
On Emirates, the offer covers Economy Class, Premium Economy, Business Class and First Class, while flydubai passengers can earn double Miles in Economy and Business Class.
Existing Skywards members must register before booking to qualify. Travellers who are not yet members can join the loyalty programme during the promotional period, register for the offer and book an eligible flight.
The additional Miles can be put towards future flight and lifestyle rewards available through Emirates Skywards.

Emirates Adds UAE’s Jaywan Card for Flight Payments

Emirates has partnered with Al Etihad Payments to introduce Jaywan, the UAE’s national card scheme, as a payment option for flight bookings.
From 16 September, UAE-based customers can use Jaywan cards when booking Emirates flights online or at Emirates Retail stores. Accepted cards include Jaywan Royal Debit, Jaywan Prestige Debit and Jaywan Prepaid cards.
Jaywan cardholders will also have access to special fares across all cabin classes and most fare types on one-way and return journeys from Dubai. The offer applies to bookings made from 16 September 2026 to 31 August 2027, for travel until 29 February 2028.
The partnership forms part of Emirates’ broader push to expand digital payment options in the UAE. The airline has previously worked with Dubai Finance on the Dubai Cashless Strategy and introduced Crypto.com Pay for eligible UAE residents.
Jaywan was introduced by Al Etihad Payments as the UAE’s domestic card scheme, designed to strengthen the country’s local payments infrastructure. Cards are issued by major UAE banks and are accepted across a growing range of businesses, including transport, hospitality, healthcare and retail.

Korean Air Seals Boeing Deal

Korean Air has finalized a USD 44.8 billion aircraft and engine procurement agreement as part of its long-term fleet modernization strategy.
The deal includes USD 36.2 billion for 103 Boeing aircraft: 20 Boeing 777-9s, 25 Boeing 787-10s, 50 Boeing 737-10s and eight Boeing 777-8F freighters.
Korean Air also signed agreements worth approximately USD 8.6 billion with GE Aerospace and CFM International covering 21 spare engines and a 15-year engine maintenance contract for 28 aircraft.
The agreements complete the procurement plan announced in Washington D.C. in August 2025, with a signing ceremony held in Seoul on September 15.
Korean Air said the investment will provide a predictable fleet introduction schedule as it expands capacity following its integration with Asiana Airlines. The newer aircraft are also expected to improve fuel efficiency and support the carrier’s carbon reduction goals.