Jetstar heralds new Qld-NZ routes with fares from $215

Queensland’s Kiwi connection has just strengthened with the launch of direct flights from two Sunshine State airports.

Queensland’s Kiwi connection has just strengthened with the launch of direct flights from two Sunshine State airports.

Jetstar will on Monday officially announce new routes between Cairns and Christchurch as well as a Sunshine Coast-Auckland service, with a 24-hour sales blitz to celebrate the launch.

The two flights are expected to create an extra 130,000 seats flying across the Tasman in a move which will be worth millions to the Queensland tourism sector and help ease the pain of the demise of budget carrier Bonza.

New Zealand has long been one of Queensland’s biggest international visitor sources, with the new low-cost fares expected to appeal to Kiwis itching for a slice of Queensland paradise.

The Sunshine Coast-Auckland route will fly three times a week starting in December, operating on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sunday, offering year-round connections across the ditch in Jetstar’s first international route out of the region.

Air New Zealand operates “seasonal” flights three times a week to Auckland between late June and October, but Jetstar will fill the void when that service stops for the year, as well as offering a lower price point.

Meanwhile, Jetstar has also committed to the first Cairns-Christchurch flights, which will start in April, running twice weekly initially before ramping up to three times a week.

Queensland Tourism Minister Michael Healy said the new flights were a win for holiday-makers on both sides of the Tasman and would help fill the gaping hole in the regional Queensland aviation space left by Bonza’s collapse.

“The flights will go some way to alleviating the pain of losing Bonza Airlines from the local market,” he said.

The new flights will be the 33rd and 34th routes secured through the State government’s $200 million Attracting Aviation Investment Fund which was formulated in the wake of pandemic to entice the return of international travel.

Jetstar Group CEO Stephanie Tully said it was exciting to be expanding operations in Queensland with the launch of the new trans-Tasman services.

Sunshine Coast Airport boss Chris Mills said Jetstar’s Auckland service would offer “choice and flexibility for travellers from both regions”.

“New Zealand represents the region’s largest contingent of overseas visitors, and this new service will boost tourism, support local business and connect loved ones across the Tasman,” he said.

Cairns Airport CEO Richard Barker said he was “thrilled to be welcoming the historic new service”.

“Connecting travellers directly from Christchurch to Cairns will entice a new market of travellers across both destinations, creating a seamless gateway between New Zealand’s picturesque South Island and the many wonders of Tropical North Queensland,” he said.

“Commencement of these flights in April next year will also connect more families and friends ahead of the Easter holidays and offer ideal winter getaway options for locals chasing the snow or Kiwis seeking a warmer climate.”

To mark the launch of the new routes, Jetstar will launch a cut-price promotion with fares from Sunshine Coast to Auckland from $215 and Cairns to Christchurch starting from $229.

The sale runs from 10am Monday until 10am Tuesday.