Qantas, often dubbed the “Flying Kangaroo,” is Australia’s flagship airline and one of the oldest continuously operating airlines in the world. Founded in 1920 in the Queensland outback, it began as Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services, a modest air mail and passenger service connecting remote settlements that were otherwise isolated by vast, harsh landscapes.
Over the decades, Qantas grew from a rugged pioneer airline into a global aviation heavyweight. It played a key role in linking Australia to the rest of the world, especially during the post–World War II aviation boom when international air travel became more accessible.
Today, Qantas operates a vast domestic and international network, with hubs in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, and routes spanning Asia, Europe, the Americas, and the Pacific.
The airline is widely known for its strong safety record and engineering standards, often cited among the safest airlines globally. It has also been at the forefront of aviation innovation, including ultra-long-haul research flights like Project Sunrise, which explores non-stop commercial routes between Australia and cities such as London and New York.
Beyond transport, Qantas has become a cultural symbol of modern Australia—representing distance conquered, horizons connected, and a nation literally taking flight across the world’s largest island continent.