Qantas has announced a travel bonanza with slashed airfares and the launch of a new flight route for its low-cost airline Jetstar.
Jetstar announced on Monday it would introduce two new trans-Tasman routes with flights from Queensland to New Zealand.
The planes will begin flying from Maroochydoore to Auckland in December, while flights from Cairns to Christchurch will begin from April next year.
The low-cost airline launched a 24-hour sales campaign to celebrate the announcement, while its parent company Qantas cut prices on one million domestic flights.
Queensland Tourism Minister Michael Healy said the new routes launched by Jetstar were a big win for tourists.
Tickets for flights between Cairns and Christchurch (pictured) cost from $229, and the discounted airfare is part of a 24-hour sales campaign launched by the low-cost airline on Monday.
The sale also includes reduced airfares for flights from Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast to Auckland (pictured) from $215.
“We are excited to see another international service booked for Cairns with a three-year commitment from Jetstar for three weekly services from Christchurch to Cairns, starting in April 2025,” he said.
“The flights will go some way to easing the pain of losing Bonza Airlines from the local market.”
Tickets for flights between Cairns and Christchurch start from $229.
Queenslanders can choose from more than 130,000 low-cost seats when services begin.
The sale only covers fares for a one-way trip and checked luggage is not included. All other conditions apply.
Meanwhile, Qantas has put almost a million domestic flights on sale with airfares starting at $109 for a one-way ticket between the Gold Coast and Sydney.
Prices on more than 30 routes have been reduced to under $150, including flights from Brisbane to the Whitsunday coast from $129.
Flights from Adelaide to Melbourne will cost just $139, while a trip from Albury, on the New South Wales-Victoria border, to Sydney costs just $149.
Passengers flying business class can also choose from discounted airfares with flights from Canberra to Melbourne starting at $399.
Other reduced fares include business class seats from Brisbane to Sydney from $449.
Australians can book a one-way ticket from the Gold Coast (pictured) and Sydney from just $109, as part of Qantas’ million-seat sale.
Qantas has dropped prices to under $150 on 30 domestic routes, including flights from Brisbane to the Whitsunday coast from $129 (file image)
Places will be discounted until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, June 30, unless they are sold out before.
Jetstar Group chief executive Stephanie Tully said the new flight routes will give the airline the biggest boost in more than a decade.
“We are excited to expand our operations in Queensland with the launch of new trans-Tasman services from Cairns and the Sunshine Coast,” Ms Tully said.
“The new services will attract more New Zealand tourists to the state, helping to boost the tourism economy and supporting local tour operators, hotels and hospitality establishments.”
The new flight routes are the 33rd and 34th travel routes funded by the Queensland Government’s $200 million Aviation Attraction Investment Fund.
The program was created in 2022 to help Sunshine State tourism operators recover from the effects of the Covid pandemic that crippled international travel.
The Cairns to Christchurch service will begin in April 2025 with flights twice a week before increasing to three times a week.
The Sunshine Coast to Auckland service will operate on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
More than 1.2 million Australians visit New Zealand each year, making Australia New Zealand’s largest overseas tourism market.
