Qantas domestic sale offers 1.9 million discounted seats, aiming to drive regional tourism to Byron Bay, Gold Coast, Hamilton Island and Kangaroo Island.
Summary: Qantas has launched its biggest domestic tourism promotion in five years, releasing 1.9 million discounted seats across Byron Bay (Ballina), Gold Coast, Hamilton Island, Kangaroo Island and 56 additional domestic destinations. Economy fares begin at $99 one-way; business class from $299.
Qantas domestic sale opens with 1.9 million reduced-price seats across regional and city routes as the carrier seeks to accelerate Australia’s domestic tourism rebound. The offer covers key leisure gateways including Byron Bay (Ballina), the Gold Coast, Hamilton Island and Kangaroo Island, plus fifty-six other destinations.
Deal specifics and booking window
Economy seats in the promotion start from $99 one-way, while selected business class fares begin at $299. Travel is valid on selected dates from October to December 2026, and bookings are open until February 16 or until the discounted inventory is exhausted.
Qantas says the sale is designed to fill seats and stimulate visits to regional centres, supporting the broader recovery that BITRE data shows: 60.24 million domestic passengers year-to-November 2025, a 1.9 percent increase year-on-year.
Boosting regional connectivity and leisure travel
The discounted fares target popular coastal and regional leisure markets. Examples include Byron Bay (Ballina)–Sydney from $99 and Gold Coast–Sydney from $119, intended to make beaches and hinterlands more accessible outside peak pricing periods.
- Sunshine Coast–Sydney: $139
- Launceston–Melbourne: $199
- Byron Bay (Ballina)–Sydney: $99
- Gold Coast–Sydney: $119
Business class access and trunk routes
The promotion also expands access to premium seats: Melbourne–Sydney business fares from $299 and Brisbane–Sydney from $449. These fares aim to attract corporate and bleisure travellers seeking lounge access and productivity-focused travel at lower cost.
Qantas’ wider network figures support the initiative: available seat kilometres sit at 88.05 billion, and revenue passenger kilometres rose 2.9 percent to 72.74 billion annually, alongside load factor improvements to about 82.6 percent.
Targeted higher-yield routes in the sale include Sydney–Hamilton Island from $619 (business) and Melbourne–Cairns from $749 (business), which support conference and incentive travel markets.
Islands and nature-focused routes
Island destinations feature prominently. Hamilton Island fares include Brisbane–Hamilton Island from $179 in economy and Sydney–Hamilton Island from $619 in business class. Kangaroo Island is promoted from Adelaide at $139, supporting wildlife and eco-tourism experiences.
Domestic demand metrics cited alongside the sale include an increase in monthly regional passenger movements to 2.12 million (up 1.3 percent) and a reported rise in certain monthly passenger counts of over three hundred fifty-three thousand (up 3.4 percent).
Outback, inland and northern connections
The sale also highlights inland and remote links to revive country tourism: Sydney–Tamworth from $149, Sydney–Wagga Wagga from $189, Sydney–Uluru business from $679, and Wellcamp (Toowoomba) from Sydney from $139.
- Mildura–Melbourne: $175
- Darwin–Melbourne: $289
- Townsville–Sydney: $235
- Cairns–Brisbane (business): $459
- Perth–Darwin (business): $729
BITRE figures referenced in the original coverage include cargo volumes of 27.3 thousand tonnes monthly and an annual aircraft trip total described as over six hundred one thousand, underlining aviation’s broader role in supporting tourism and freight links.
What this means for national recovery and sustainability
Qantas’ promotional push arrives as domestic aviation surpasses several pre-pandemic markers. November 2025 saw 5.55 million passengers, and initiatives like this are projected to lift available seat kilometres by about 1.4 percent while helping tourism operators assemble packages that multiply local economic benefits.
The carrier also points to fuel-efficient fleet deployment and route planning that support Australia’s net-zero aviation targets, with eco-focused services (such as promoted links to Kangaroo Island) pitched as contributing to conservation-aware tourism.
Tip: If you plan to travel between October and December 2026 on a promotional fare, book before February 16 or while discounted seats remain available.
Why this matters: For travellers, the sale expands affordable options to beaches, islands and regional experiences during the upcoming holiday window. For local economies and tourism operators, the promotion should help fill seats, boost visitor spending and support jobs across regional Australia. In short, the Qantas domestic sale is both an opportunity for cheaper travel and a strategic push to deepen the domestic tourism recovery.
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