Jetstar Airways (JQ), the low-cost subsidiary of Qantas, was initially established to compete against Virgin Australia; today, it operates an extensive international and trans-Tasman network. It has become one of the busiest carriers between Australia and New Zealand and is number two for domestic operations in the South Pacific country. The Airbus A320 predominantly facilitates the airline’s operations.
International services for JQ were launched in 2005, with its first flight on December 1st, between Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) and Christchurch International Airport (CHC), from here the airline has steadily grown to now offer ten routes across the Tasman Sea.
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The start of international services
April 2009 saw international services commence from New Zealand’s largest city to and from Auckland Airport to the Gold Coast and Sydney. Shortly after, the airline took over Qantas’ Jetconnect domestic operations and commenced services between Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown.
Fast-forward to now, and with the post-pandemic boom, Jetstar is enjoying higher than-usual demand, with trans-Tasman operations for the carrier already 10% above pre-pandemic levels. To learn more Simple Flying contacted Jetstar Australia and Corporate Communications Manager Felipe Castillo said:
“Our trans-Tasman flying is currently 10% above pre-pandemic levels, which is great news for Aussies and Kiwis looking for low fares between the two countries. This growth comes after we started operating four weekly return flights between Auckland and Brisbane from March 2023, boosting the number of Jetstar routes linking Australia and New Zealand to 10, and added flights during periods of higher demand from July to October.”
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Plenty headed for the Gold Coast
JQ shuttles travelers across Tasman and into the three largest cities on Australia’s East Coast, alongside the popular tourist destination, the Gold Coast, famed for its theme parks, nightlife, golden sand beaches, and nearby rainforests and wildlife. In return, Jetstar’s extensive operations out of Queenstown, New Zealand, have appealed to Aussie travelers, who head south for world-class skiing, shopping, and an abundance of wineries and attractions in the Central Otago regions.
Domestically, New Zealand sees six different routes operated by the low-cost carrier, with Queenstown also remaining a popular choice for the leisure-focused airline. Castillo noted:
“The Gold Coast has been the most popular Australian destination for Kiwis, while Auckland and Queenstown have been the top destinations for Aussies. In the next 12 months, we expect to fly up to one million people between the two countries, which is higher than pre-COVID.”
Once upon a time, Jetstar also dipped its toes in the regions of New Zealand, establishing a base for Qantas subsidiary Eastern Australia Airlines, predominantly operating services out of Auckland to Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, and Palmerston North. The airline also hopped across the Cook Strait, serving Nelson to Wellington. These all commenced in December 2015; however, they were all axed in November 2019 after the airline announced the routes didn’t turn a profit.
Throughout the pandemic, JQ abandoned all operations domestically for New Zealanders, where the country went without from March 2020 until services resumed in September later that year.
In addition to its trans-Tasman services, Jetstar also maintains direct flights between Auckland and Rarotonga International Airport (RAR) and once even took off between AKL and Adelaide and AKL to Singapore. However, the latter two are no longer in operation.