Jetstar Launches New Long-Distance One-Stop Flights
Jetstar, the low-cost carrier owned by Qantas, announced a new route starting in March. The service will connect Sunshine Coast, Australia's tenth-busiest airport, to Bali and then Singapore with one stop.
Route Details and Context
The new route covers 3,308 nautical miles (6,126 km) each way and will operate three times a week using Jetstar’s 232-seat Airbus A321LR aircraft. This all-economy plane offers very low seat-mile costs, enabling Jetstar to serve this long-distance route affordably.
Bali holds a comparable appeal to Australians as Cancun does for Americans and Malaga for Europeans. The new service follows similar developments, such as recent Bali flights added from Gold Coast and Newcastle—the latter now offering its longest-ever international connection.
Market and Operational Challenges
Due to exhausted traffic rights from Australia’s main cities to Bali, Jetstar has adapted by offering this one-stop route, leveraging significant financial incentives to support profitability. The airline’s strategy seeks to capture demand that currently drives travelers to Brisbane for nonstop flights, though booking data for the Sunshine Coast service is still limited.
“Booking data for Sunshine Coast to Bali and Singapore is virtually nonexistent. But this is for one reason: nearly everyone drives to Brisbane to have nonstop flights.”
Outlook
Jetstar’s new route is expected to stimulate growth in demand for air travel from Sunshine Coast, taking advantage of the efficient Airbus A321LR and financial incentives to offer a competitive service.
Summary: Jetstar introduces a long-haul one-stop route from Sunshine Coast to Bali and Singapore, using efficient A321LR planes and financial incentives to tap a currently underserved market driven to Brisbane for nonstop flights.