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Qantas just put 2 million seats on sale – here’s where the value is

Credit: Joseph Bobadilla

Emily Murphy Emily Murphy
Your time to fly business has come.

Qantas has opened its biggest domestic sale of the year, discounting more than two million economy and business seats across 101 routes and 60 destinations. It closes on Tuesday 25 August, unless the seats go first.

The fares start at $99 one way, for routes including Melbourne to Adelaide, Sydney to the Gold Coast and new services from Brisbane and Melbourne to the new Western Sydney International Airport (WSI).

That last one carries a condition worth reading. Flights between WSI and Brisbane and Melbourne don’t start until 28 March 2027, and Qantas’s fine print notes they remain subject to government and regulatory approval, with the schedule subject to change.

Where the value really shines

Qantas aircraft during flight
You could fly business from $269. (Credit: Josh Withers)

The more interesting number in this sale isn’t $99. It’s $269 – the sale’s cheapest one-way business-class fare from Brisbane to Gladstone and Brisbane to Rockhampton.

On some of the east coast’s more popular routes, the prices are a small step above that, with $299 business fares from Melbourne to Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, Sydney or WSI. It’s the same for Sydney to Brisbane, Canberra or the Gold Coast, and from Brisbane to Emerald, Mackay, Newcastle or WSI.

Compare that with economy for the same routes and the gap isn’t going to break the bank. Sydney to Brisbane and Sydney to Melbourne are both $119 in economy, making the upgrade $180. Economy fares from Melbourne to Adelaide and Melbourne to WSI are both $99, a $200 jump.

Fly west and the difference is a little more noticeable, with economy flights from Perth to Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney setting you back $299, as opposed to $849 in business to Brisbane or $999 to Sydney. That’s $550 or $700 for the upgrade on the domestic routes that are actually long enough to justify a business seat.

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The regional fares

Qantas aircraft during flight
Economy fares start at $99. (Credit: Izyan Sultanali)

The $99 tier extends well past the capitals: Adelaide to Kangaroo Island; Brisbane to Hervey Bay; Sydney to Orange; Melbourne to Launceston; Cairns to Townsville. Sydney also has $99 fares to Ballina, Coffs Harbour, Dubbo and Tamworth.

Qantas domestic CEO Markus Svensson said that booking early is the best way to secure a great fare. “The sale goes well beyond capital cities to include one-stop connections across regional Australia, making it easier for more Australians to explore new corners of the country," Svensson said.

Some of the fare prices need a bit of decoding, though. Gold Coast to Merimbula, Albury, Bendigo, Orange or Wagga Wagga is listed at $199, but each of those requires a stopover. So does Melbourne to Kangaroo Island at $189, Canberra to Coffs Harbour at $199, and Hamilton Island to Adelaide or Canberra at $259.

What you can book

Qantas aircraft wing during flight
Book your 2027 flights while they’re on sale. (Credit: Joseph Bobadilla)

Travel dates run until August 2027, which means Christmas and New Year, the summer school holidays, Easter, Anzac Day and the winter school holidays are all inside the window. So, this week is when next year’s travel plans get locked in.

Two caveats. Selected travel dates and days apply, and Qantas hasn’t published which peak dates are excluded, so the fare you see may not exist on the day you want. And the seat count is the sale’s headline, not a promise: more than two million seats across 101 routes says nothing about how many sit at $99. All sale fares include checked baggage and food and drinks.

Explore the Qantas sale before the seats sell out.

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Emily Murphy
Emily Murphy is Australian Traveller's Email & Social Editor, and in her time at the company she has been instrumental in shaping its social media and email presence, and crafting compelling narratives that inspire others to explore Australia's vast landscapes. Her previous role was a journalist at Prime Creative Media and before that she was freelancing in publishing, content creation and digital marketing. When she's not creating scroll-stopping travel content, Em is a devoted 'bun mum' and enjoys spending her spare time by the sea, reading, binge-watching a good TV show and exploring Sydney's vibrant dining scene. Next on her Aussie travel wish list? South Australia and The Kimberley.
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    Craig Tansley Craig Tansley
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    Video credit: Tourism Australia

    From pink salt landscapes to oases fringed by forests of red gums, the lakes of this rural region are astounding. 

    You’re going to find peace and quiet when you take a road trip through the lakes of the Wimmera Mallee region. Whether it’s mirror-like pink salt lakes that look like an inland sea, or lakes fringed by forests of red gums that showcase Victoria’s arid beauty, there’s a lake for you out here somewhere.  

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    Lake Tyrrell
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    Located in the dead heart of the Mallee, Victoria’s largest salt lake, Lake Tyrrell, is a landscape photographer’s dream – especially at sunrise and sunset when the pink salt flats look like a gigantic mirror. It’s easy to camp or park a caravan nearby, too, though the tiny town of Sea Lake is just south (with accommodation). In winter, shallow water covers the salt, creating surreal reflections of the sky.  

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    Lake Bringalert
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    Lake Lascelles
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