From July 1st through September 26, 2021, Qantas is launching seasonal winter service on three new routes for the ski season. The carrier will offer three weekly flights between Sydney and Cooma, twice-weekly Brisbane-Cooma service and three weekly flights between Brisbane and Albury.
Today (March 9, 2021), Qantas announced the launch of winter seasonal service to three popular ski destinations from July 1st through September 26, 2021. The carrier will offer three weekly flights between Sydney and Cooma, two weekly flights between Brisbane and Cooma as well as three-times weekly service from Brisbane to Albury. Customers traveling to Cooma will enjoy access to the popular resorts of the Perisher Valley, Thredbo and Charlotte Pass in New South Wales, while visitors to Albury will enjoy access to the Falls Creek and Hotham resorts in Victoria. Flights on the routes will be operated with Q400 turboprop aircraft (now De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400s), offering over 15,000 seats through winter.
In Tuesday’s announcement, QantasLink’s CEO, John Gissing, said,
“With international border closures meaning more Australians are planning their next holiday closer to home, we are creating more travel options where there is demand. We’re expecting these flights will be popular with skiers and snowboarders who might not have been able to hit the slopes through COVID last season in Australia or overseas. Our new direct flights to Cooma and Albury will mean ski enthusiasts can spend less time on the road and more time on the mountain.
“We’ll be working with the major ski resorts and transport operators to promote these new flights to millions of our frequent flyers around the country, with connections from our large domestic network through Sydney or Brisbane making a trip to the snowfields more accessible. These new flights are also good news for local businesses, hospitality and tour operators in the region, helping drive tourism and reviving the industry that has been hurting from COVID-19.”
Qantas has timed the flights from Sydney to Cooma to allow travelers to depart after work on Thursdays or Fridays and return on Sunday evening. Queenslanders flying from Brisbane will also enjoy the only direct airline flights to the snowfields this winter season. Fares on the Sydney-Cooma route are available from $170 one-way, while flights from Brisbane to Cooma can be booked from $239 one-way. Reward seats can be booked by Qantas Frequent Flyer Members from Sydney to Cooma for 8,000 points one-way and from Brisbane to Cooma and Albury for 12,000 points one-way (plus taxes, fees and carrier charges).
Guests traveling on the new routes will benefit from Qantas’ premium service with complimentary food and drinks and lounge access prior to departure. Ski and snowboarding equipment may also be included as part of the checked bag allowance. As previously announced, Qantas allows unlimited flight changes through at least February 2022, for flights booked through at least April 2021, without change fees, though a fare difference may apply.
Source: Qantas