QANTAS has announced a new route and expanded services between Melbourne and the US, which it said would boost trade with Victoria’s second-largest trade partner.

A new direct passenger route will fly between Melbourne and Dallas Fort Worth, beginning this December with four services a week. It will be the first time a flight has connected Texas with Victoria.

Qantas is also increasing its flagship Los Angeles to Melbourne service from four to eight flights per week.

The additional flights support the trade partnership between the US and Victoria, with two-way goods trade valued at $12.2 billion in 2020-21, and a key source of investment into Victoria.

Victorian minister for industry support and recovery and minister for trade Martin Pakula said more international flights are key to Victoria’s economic growth.

“Today’s announcement will help boost visitor numbers from the US and create more jobs in our tourism and aviation sectors,” he said.

“The new flights will also provide more opportunities for Victorians to do business with companies based in one of the US’ fastest growing state economies.”

The US economy provides Victorian businesses with significant export opportunities in digital and medical technologies, pharmaceuticals, good and agriculture, defence and aerospace, and tourism.

The introduction of the Dallas Fort Worth service follows the success of Qantas’ longstanding Sydney-Dallas Fort Worth route.

New routes and additional flights are also expected to create more than 800 local tourism and aviation jobs in Victoria.

With 12 flights to the US every week, Qantas expects to bring around 105,000 visitors from the US to Melbourne each year.

“As well as being a destination in its own right, Dallas Fort Worth is one of the biggest hub airports in the United States and is located less than a four-hour flight from every major US city,” Qantas Group chief executive of customer services Stephanie Tully said.

“These new flights … allow Melbourne to tap into an enormous inbound tourism market from cities like New York, Chicago, Boston, Houston, Washington DC, and Miami, as well as saving hours of travel time,” she said.

“We thank the Victorian Government and Melbourne Airport for their support and assisting in the recovery of tourism to Melbourne and the regions.”