Qantas announces mammoth 600,000 seat sale across Australia

Qantas and Virgin Australia have slashed the price of airfares, with thousands of seats dropping well below $200.

Despite the wintry weather starting to sweep across much of the country, there looks to be no better time to book your next holiday — with two of Australia’s major airlines both dropping mammoth sales events.

Qantas has announced the price of around 600,000 seats will be slashed across more than 300 of the carrier’s destinations.

Qantas have dropped a mammoth sale. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images.

With prices starting from just $105 (if flying from Launceston to Melbourne) and $109 (if you’re heading out of Ballina bound for Sydney) — the airline says there will be more than 50 routes on sale for less than $200 one way.

The sale, which kicked off today, will continue until 20 May unless sold out prior, with other highlights including Coffs Harbour to Sydney from $129, Cairns to Townsville from $139 and Adelaide to Kangaroo Island from $139 one way.

Around 600,000 seats will be slashed across more than 300 of the carrier’s destinations. . Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Rival airline Virgin Australia hopes to heat things up with a sale of its own, with a focus on the Sunshine State.

The airline announced on Monday that flights to the Gold Coast will start from just $69 per person, one way.

The sale, running for seven days only, is valid on select Gold Coast fares departing between Tuesday and Thursday (midweek) from Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra.

Some of the highlights include Sydney to the Gold Coast from $69, Melbourne to the Gold Coast from $85 Adelaide to the Gold Coast from $109.

Virgin Australia has also announced a sale. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar

Both sales come just weeks after budget airline Bonza — which had its biggest footprint in Queensland — entered voluntary administration.

Bonza flew to 10 cities and towns in Queensland, and 10 combined in the Northern Territory, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania.

Gold Coast was a key hub for Bonza; it offered flights to the Gold Coast for less than $100 from Albury, Melbourne, and Launceston, plus even cheaper deals from regional Queensland cities.

But two weeks ago a former investment partner of the discount airline’s private equity owner repossessed Bonza’s planes.

Administrators say passengers are unlikely to get refunds, 300 staff have been stood down while the airline remains in voluntary administration.