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Jetstar will later this year become the first airline to fly direct between Adelaide and the Whitsunday Coast.
The service, starting in September, will operate three times per week using Jetstar’s A320 fleet, with ticket sales to begin next month. Jetstar estimates that it will create 58,000 seats per year between Adelaide and the popular tourist destination.
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“We expect these new flights to be hugely popular and we thank Adelaide Airport and Whitsunday Coast Airport for their support of the new route,” said Jetstar’s executive manager, customer, Jenn Armor.
According to Brenton Cox, managing director of Adelaide Airport, it will now be possible to fly between Adelaide and the Whitsunday Coast in less than three hours.
“This is our first ever direct flight to the Whitsundays and sixth direct Queensland service after Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Cairns and Townsville,” he said.
“Whitsunday Coast Airport is the perfect arrivals point for all of the wonderful activities available across the Whitsundays and just a 30-minute drive from Airlie Beach.
“The airport is also conveniently located just over an hour’s drive from Mackay for passengers travelling further afield.”
Whitsunday Coast Airport is currently served by Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin Australia, Bonza and Skytrans. Whitsunday Regional Council’s director of commercial businesses, Craig Turner, said the new Adelaide route was the result of months of negotiations.
“It is important we be proactive in taking every opportunity to explore new routes that would instantly boost the Whitsunday region’s economy,” he said.
“We have gone from two airline partners and three direct flight routes in the pre-COVID era to now connecting our community to eight direct destinations across five airline partners.
“Boasting direct flights to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Newcastle, Cairns, Sunshine Coast and Adelaide stamps us as one of Australia’s fastest growing regional airports.”
Whitsunday Coast was the first destination for low-cost carrier Bonza, whose inaugural flight from the Sunshine Coast took off on 31 January last year.
