Qantas aims to return to around 100% of its international network pre-Covid capacity by March 2024 as Sydney-New York flights resumed after more than three years.
The target for spring next year is up from about 85% of pre-pandemic levels today and just 45% a year ago.
The revived New York service is operating via Auckland in New Zealand instead of Los Angeles.
Flights will initially run three days a week using 236-passenger Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, increasing to four from October, offering more than 1,800 seats on the route each week.
Qantas now claims to operate three of the top five longest flights in the world, including Perth-London and Dallas-Melbourne, as it increases its focus on direct routes.
The non-stop Perth-London service has the highest customer satisfaction rating on its international network.
The flight time from Sydney to Auckland is three hours and five minutes, with the journey from Auckland to New York taking 16 hours and 15 minutes.
Qantas group chief executive Alan Joyce said: “Since international borders re-opened, New York has been one of the most popular destinations for our customers who have been connecting on our partners from Qantas flights arriving into Los Angeles and Dallas, so it’s not surprising that we’ve seen very strong demand since our New York flights went on sale.
“The launch of the route has been made possible by the delivery of new 787 aircraft in recent weeks and brings us closer to returning our international capacity to what it was before Covid.”