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With Easter travel looming (and Covid jitters in Brisbane and northern NSW) Qantas has seized the moment and injected a shot of optimism into the market in the form of discounted fares to any Qantas and Jetstar domestic or regional destination for travel for the rest of 2021.

At midnight last night, Qantas and Jetstar released half-price fares to 15 destinations as part of the Federal Government’s ‘Half Off Flights – Full on Holiday’ program announced earlier this month.

Qantas said yesterday the program focused on getting tourists to regions hardest hit by international borders being closed including Cairns, Townsville, Whitsunday Coast/ Hamilton Island, Sunshine Coast, Darwin, Alice Springs, Hobart, Launceston, Devonport, Broome, Avalon, Merimbula, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and the Gold Coast.

Fares are on sale through each airline’s website and through travel agents until the end of July (unless sold out earlier) for travel until the end of September, with the discounted fares to be clearly marked through the booking process.

Qantas and Jetstar have also lanched network-wide sales (dubbed the ‘Everywhere Else’ sale) with discounted fares to more than 50 destinations across more than 200 routes.

The network-wide sale started this morning and runs until 8 April for travel until the end of the year.

Qantas Domestic and International chief executive Andrew David said the sales would help people plan for future holidays.

“While the Brisbane lockdown has unfortunately impacted some Easter holiday plans, we know this is a temporary setback and the vaccine rollout will help make border restrictions a thing of the past. With this sale, now is a great time to book your holidays and weekends away for the rest of the year,” he said.

“Almost every destination that Qantas and Jetstar flies to is on sale, including plenty of chances to grab half price fares as part of the Government’s tourism stimulus package.

“Most fares are outside peak times, which is when these regions need more tourists to visit. They mean more people will stay in hotels, go to restaurants, and book tours and they also mean we can get more of our people back to work.”

The Government program drove interest in travel as soon as it was announced, with Qantas seeing a 75% spike in visits to its website and a 40% spike in bookings immediately after. Qantas recently launched a limited series of mystery flights to regional destinations – which sold out within 15 minutes – as part of encouraging more people to take an adventure in parts of Australia they may not have been to before.

Qantas is offering unlimited flight changes through to at least February 2022, for flights booked until at least the end of April 2021. The flight date can be changed to any available for sale at the time (up to 355 days in advance). Qantas will waive the change fee however a fare difference may apply. Jetstar offers the option of purchasing FareCredit on bookings which allow passengers to cancel flights for any reason. If Qantas or Jetstar cancels a flight, all affected customers will be contacted directly with alternative options (which could include a refund depending on the circumstances).

David added: “People know exactly what to expect when they book with Qantas, whether its complimentary food and drinks, baggage, fast Wi-Fi or access to dozens of lounges around Australia, and with Jetstar it’s everyday low fares to a vast network of holiday destinations.”

Qantas has reopened 35 Qantas Club and Business Lounges across Australia.

Jetstar sale fares include:

Adelaide-Avalon from $32* (Half Off Flights sale)
Sydney-Gold Coast from $35* (Half Off Flights sale)
Melbourne-Launceston from $35* (Half Off Flights sale)
Sydney-Ballina from $39* (Jetstar sale)
Melbourne-Gold Coast from $49* (Jetstar sale)
Sydney-Cairns from $69* (Jetstar sale)

Qantas sale fares include:

Adelaide-Melbourne from $88* (Half Off Flights sale)
Sydney-Sunshine Coast from $92* (Half Off Flights sale)
Canberra-Gold Coast from $95* (Half Off Flights sale)
Sydney-Melbourne from $99* (Qantas sale)
Melbourne-Newcastle from $109* (Qantas sale)
Sydney-Coffs Harbour from $109* (Qantas sale)

*Terms and Conditions apply.

Edited by Peter Needham