When businessman Terry Snow bought the ACT's airport in the late 1990s, he ambitiously labelled it Canberra International Airport.
"We cut it out recently because it was a bit of a joke. But we called ourselves the international airport because that was our aspiration and we had no chance in hell of achieving it, we didn't think."
But with constant persistence and lobbying from the Capital Territory Government, Canberra's toe is peeping through the international flight door.
Singapore Airlines has signed a deal offering regular international flights, making the national capital its stopover point between Singapore and New Zealand's capital, Wellington.
The company's CEO Goh Choon Phong says September is the right time to launch the service.
"I think the discusion has taken place over the last few years and we have a very robust business case we believe now and we believe this is the right time to launch it."
Close to 200,000 people visit the ACT from overseas each year.
Tourism is worth more than two billion dollars annually to the region.
Canberra Airport CEO Stephen Byron says there are hopes international flights will see those figures rise.
"It'll grow the economy of Canberra. It'll grow the business of Canberra. It'll grow the spotlight for tourism on Canberra. This is certainly about one element but the greatest thing about it is the impact it'll have on the rest of the elements: on our city and our region."
Accessing Canberra by air has always been an expensive challenge.
The Territory's Chief Minister, Andrew Barr, who made five trips to Singapore to cement this deal, hopes competition will quickly follow this announcement.
"The opportunity is there for other airlines, as it has always been, to fly into Canberra. They'll all be looking at this announcement and reassessing their position in relation to flights into Canberra. I imagine some will adopt a conservative wait-and-see approach to see how the flights go."
Canberra Airport's curfew-free status was a major selling point, with the ability to offer so-called 'red-eye' flights for business travellers.
It is the only curfew-free airport between Melbourne and Brisbane.
Flights will start in September, arriving and departing from the nation's capital on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Andrew Barr says the move is likely to generate benefits beyond Canberra.
"It's not just about the 400,000 people inside the ACT and within about 90 minutes of this city: it's a magnificent economic development opportunity for surrounding New South Wales as well."
The decades-long delays over Sydney's second airport in the city's west could see Canberra become a viable option for some New South Wales travellers.
Twenty-five million dollars will now be spent to fit out the terminal with customs and immigration facilities.
