Jetstar announces first direct Christchurch-Perth route

A Jetstar Airbus A321 lines up with other aircraft. The airline is lining up more New Zealand destinations. Photo / David Gray, AFP

Jetstar has announced the first Christchurch-Perth direct service, with flights starting later this year.

Christchurch Airport and Jetstar said the non-stop service would add more than 30,000 seats next summer.

The new route will initially run from October 27 to March next year, flying three times a week.

Flights from Perth will take about six hours and 10 minutes, and those from Christchurch about seven hours and 15 minutes.

Christchurch Airport said the service could make Perth a good option for people wanting to fly on directly to Bali, Delhi, Johannesburg, London, Paris or Rome with Jetstar’s stablemate Qantas.

The South Island airport said the upcoming Perth service would ensure Christchurch remained a strong, competitive gateway for the South Island.

“Australia is now fully recovered to pre-Covid travel levels and remains the airport’s largest and most resilient international market, highlighting the importance of continuing to expand choice and capacity.”

Flights will use Jetstar’s Perth-based fleet of Airbus A321LR (long-range) aircraft.

Those in Jetstar’s fleet started getting delivered in 2022.

“These quieter aircraft have lifted the bar for low-fares comfort with larger overhead storage compartments, seat back device holders, and in-seat charging,” Jetstar said.

Flights from Christchurch will leave at 8.15pm local time and arrive when it’s 10.30pm in Western Australia.

Return flights will leave Perth when it’s 7.45am there and arrive at 6.55pm New Zealand time.

Flights from Perth are faster due to the prevailing westerly winds.

All seats on the service will be in economy class.

Perth’s time zone in summer is five hours behind New Zealand’s.

The city has a significant Kiwi community, with a 2021 Census showing an estimated 60,000 Perth residents were born in New Zealand.

Jetstar chief executive Stephanie Tully said the airline had detected strong demand for low‑fares travel on both sides of the Tasman.

“And we’re excited to offer customers even more choice as we continue to expand our transtasman network,” she added.

The latest foray into New Zealand from Jetstar may place even more pressure on Air New Zealand.

Jetstar in September launched its biggest-ever transtasman route expansion, announcing a Brisbane-Queenstown seasonal service and more Auckland-Brisbane flights.

Air NZ last week reported an after-tax loss of $40 million for the half-year ending December 31 but the Qantas group posted a roughly $1 billion profit.

Air New Zealand flies from Christchurch to Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney year-round, and seasonally to the Gold Coast and Adelaide, but not directly to Perth.

Qantas in December launched direct Auckland-Perth services after landing Australian Government funding, competing with an existing Air New Zealand route.

Jetstar is launching a 24-hour sale at noon today with one-way fares from Christchurch to Perth starting from $299.

John Weekes is a business journalist covering aviation and court. He has previously covered consumer affairs, crime, politics and courts.

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