The deal is part of the $200 million Government fund set up to rebuild the $6 billion international tourism sector.

After two years of closed borders the Brisbane airport is back to 40 per cent of its pre-Covid levels and BAC chief executive Gert-Jan de Graaf said the deal would be a gamechanger for Queensland because every international flight into Brisbane generated about $1 million in economic activity.

He said the deal showed that the $200 million fund was working and the United announcement was only the start.

“We are competing for capacity with all the airlines in the world and we have a great product to sell. A lot of people are aware of that but with this money we are able to share a bit of the risk with the airlines for restarting or starting up operations to Brisbane Airport,” he said.

There were no details of how much the Government would be spending on the deal but it was expected to include a marketing component.

It will have the potential to deliver an extra 40,000 international seats and give Queenslanders another direct route into the US.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the deal with United Airlines would inject about $73 million into the economy and support 385 aviation jobs.

It would also be the first time United has flown into Queensland.

“The airline has more than 100 million loyalty members and is the largest and longest-serving US carrier in the Australian market,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

“The airline route is also of strategic importance for Queensland when it comes to growing our share of the international tourism market.”