Travellers are set to be among the biggest winners from Singapore Airlines new Capital Express services linking, Singapore with Canberra and Wellington, New Zealand.
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Tickets will go on sale on January 25 and, if approved by federal regulators, flights will start on September 21.
Return economy tickets between Canberra and Singapore will cost from $650 and passengers travelling between Canberra and Wellington will pay fares from $469. Business class fares will start from $3166 and $1450 respectively.
Singapore Airlines chief executive Goh Choon Phong announced on Wednesday that flights from Singapore will arrive in Canberra on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 8.35am. Passengers travelling on to the New Zealand capital will depart from Canberra at 9.50am.
In the other direction, flights from Wellington will arrive at Canberra Airport on the same days at 10.05pm and departing for Singapore at 11.30pm.
Passengers will fly a retro-fitted Boeing 777-200, which offers more business class seats and fewer economy fares.
Singapore owns nine of the planes. The new flights will be numbered SQ292 and SQ291.
The Boeing 777s will include 38 semi-flat business class seats in a 2-2-2 configuration and 228 economy class seats in a 3-3-3 configuration. All have individual in-seat entertainment systems and Singapore's KrisWorld audio and video platform on demand.
Passengers will arrive and depart from new lounge, set to cost Canberra Airport $25 million.
Canberra Airport's international section is next door to the existing Virgin Australia lounge, above gate 6 in the new terminal building. Construction of new customs and immigration screening facilities will begin within six weeks.
Singapore offers passenger connections throughout Asia and Europe through flights into its Singapore Changi Airport hub. Virgin, which will code share the new international flights, has a trans-Tasman partnership with Air New Zealand.
The plan will see Virgin Australia customers able to access 89 Singapore Airlines and SilkAir services around the world.
Members of Virgin's frequent flyer program will earn points on the new Singapore Airlines flights and some members will have access to premium services including additional baggage allowance and entry into Singapore Airlines lounges around the world.
Canberra Airport chairman Terry Snow said the announcement meant Canberra passengers would be able to avoid flying through Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane."We called ourselves the Canberra International Airport," he told an announcement ceremony on Wednesday.
"We cut it out recently because it was a bit of a joke - but we called ourselves an international airport because that was our aspiration."
Canberra Business Chamber chief executive Robyn Hendry said the new flights would drive tourism, exports and business.
"Having direct international flights to Canberra will enable the region to leverage off its reputation as an innovation and knowledge hub and attract more international conferences," Ms Hendry said.
"It will also pull people to the city from the region – they will come here to start or end their overseas journey. This will have potential benefits for local retailers as they are likely to shop, eat or stay here before they leave or on their return."
