First direct flights between Italy and Australia to take off in June.

Qantas Airways is to launch a direct flight route between Australia and Italy, with the first non-stop service between Rome and Perth starting on 22 June.

The new service will see Qantas use Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets, a move that is set to cut more than three hours off the current fastest travel time between Italy and Australia.

“Italy is the largest market for us in continental Europe for people visiting family and friends from Australia, and we think customers will love flying direct to one of the world’s great cities,” Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said in a statement.

“There is strong evidence the pandemic is making non-stop flights between Australia and the rest of the world even more desirable as we learn to live with the virus and its variants", said Joyce.

The move comes a month after Qantas re-launched non-stop flights between Perth and London.

The distance that Qantas Boeing 787s will cover between Perth and Rome Fiumicino is about 13,400 kilometres.

Those departing from Italy and intending to arrive in Sydney will have to make a stopover in Perth and then fly for another 3,300 kilometres.

• Airports in Rome: All you need to know about Fiumicino and Ciampino

The schedule includes departures from Australia every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, take-offs from Italy every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, reports Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

Flights will take off from Sydney at 17.55 (local time), stop in Perth to leave at 22.20 (local time) arriving in Rome at 08.45 the next morning.

Flights from Fiumicino will take off at 10.50 to arrive the next day in Perth at 08.35 and in Sydney at 16.05.