Last month, the federal government announced that it would be subsidising a range of domestic flights. Under the arrangements, Jetstar, Qantas, and Virgin would provide half-price airfares on a number of routes.
These routes include a range of regional destinations that have done it tough during the pandemic. The fares are available for purchase from April 1 through to the end of July. You can travel pretty much anytime through to the end of September.
Qantas and Jetstar
Qantas and Jetstar will be offering half-price tickets to 15 destinations across their networks. Half price fares on the two carriers include
Qantas half-price fares
- Adelaide-Melbourne: from $88
- Sydney-Sunshine Coast: from $92
- Canberra-Gold Coast: from $95
Jetstar half-price fares
- Adelaide-Avalon: from $32
- Sydney-Gold Coast: from $35
- Melbourne-Launceston: from $35
In order to take advantage of these fares, head over to the Qantas website between 1 April 2021 and 31 July 2021 (or until sold out)
.
Virgin Australia
Virgin Australia is also offering a number of half-price fares. The seats will be discounted by 50 percent off Virgin Australia’s February lead-in price of tickets. They will be available between 1 April – 31 July 2021, for travel from mid-April to 30 September 2021.
Virgin will be offering the following fares
| Region | Route | February lead-in airfare
(Economy) |
Discounted airfare
(Economy) |
| Gold Coast | Adelaide-Gold Coast | $179 | $90 |
| Canberra-Gold Coast | $189 | $95 | |
| Melbourne-Gold Coast | $155 | $78 | |
| Sydney-Gold Coast | $119 | $60 | |
| Adelaide | Brisbane-Adelaide | $219 | $110 |
| Canberra-Adelaide | $245 | $123 | |
| Melbourne-Adelaide | $139 | $69 | |
| Perth-Adelaide | $289 | $145 | |
| Sydney-Adelaide | $179 | $90 | |
| Cairns | Melbourne-Cairns | $265 | $133 |
| Sydney-Cairns | $215 | $108 | |
| Sunshine Coast | Melbourne-Sunshine Coast | $175 | $88 |
| Sydney-Sunshine Coast | $139 | $70 | |
| Alice Springs | Adelaide-Alice Springs | $239 | $120 |
| Brisbane-Alice Springs | $379 | $190 | |
| Whitsundays | Melbourne-Hamilton Island | $205 | $103 |
| Sydney-Hamilton Island | $205 | $103 | |
| Launceston | Melbourne-Launceston | $109 | $55 |
| Sydney-Launceston | $135 | $68 | |
| Hobart | Brisbane-Hobart | $215 | $108 |
| Melbourne-Hobart | $145 | $73 | |
| Sydney-Hobart | $159 | $80 | |
| Darwin | Brisbane-Darwin | $279 | $140 |
| Melbourne-Darwin | $289 | $145 | |
| Perth-Darwin | $355 | $178 |
Note that these are ‘Getaway’ fares. In the Velocity program, these earn 5 Velocity Points per dollar, with no additional status bonus. In addition, they will earn between 7 and 15 Status Credits per one-way flight.
Head over to virginaustralia.com to make a booking.
