Overview
Back in early May, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said that when interstate travel was allowed once again, flights could drop as low as $19. Today, Friday, June 19, he's delivered on his promise. Qantas and Jetstar have just announced a huge tourism recovery sale with 200,000 discounted fares across the two airlines — including 10,000 flights on Jetstar for just $19.
The domestic flight sale kicks off at 9am today and runs until midnight on Monday, June 22, or sold out. In the sale, you'll find cheap flights on more than 35 routes to 15 destinations across NSW, Victoria, South Australia, the NT and Queensland — but, before you book, we suggest you check in on when interstate borders are opening.
Travel between NSW, Victoria and the ACT is currently allowed, but Queensland is working towards reopening to visitors from other states on July 10, although that hasn't been officially confirmed as yet, while the Northern Territory announced it'll reopen on July 17 — and South Australia is slated to do the same on July 20.
Neither WA nor Tasmania have yet to announce reopening dates — but flight deals to these destinations are expected to be added when they are.
Regional travel within your state is allowed, too, and you'll also find cheap flights from Sydney to Byron Bay (for $19), and Brisbane to Mackay (for $49). Other discounted flight routes include Sydney to Hamilton Island ($79), Brisbane to Darwin ($79) and $19 one-way flights on 22 routes, such as Melbourne to Sydney, Sydney to Gold Coast, Melbourne to Byron Bay, Brisbane to Whitsunday Coast and Adelaide to Cairns.
Flights are available between July 14 and October 31.
Whitsunday Beach by Tourism and Events Queensland
With Australian borders likely to remain closed to international travel until 2021, the Government has been telling Aussies to get out and explore their own backyards, which Joyce hopes this sale will also encourage. "We know that these low fares will encourage even more people to get on a flight to take a short holiday or visit family and friends. We've already seen our flights from Sydney to Cairns fill up on the days after the proposed Queensland border opening date of 10 July 2020, so we're adding more," Joyce said in a statement. "This is a great opportunity to go to the amazing places in our own backyard that you haven't got around to seeing like the Barossa Valley or the Great Barrier Reef."
As we are still in the middle of a pandemic, flying will be a little different to normal. Qantas and Jetstar have introduced a range of safety measures, including hand sanitisation stations, contactless check-in and masks provided to all passengers (but wearing them is not mandatory).
Qantas and Jetstar's domestic sale runs from 9am on Friday, June 19 until 11.59pm on Monday, June 22 or sold out.