Queenstown welcomes first direct Jetstar flight from Brisbane
Jetstar launched its first direct Brisbane–Queenstown service on June 15, adding a seasonal low-fare trans-Tasman link between Queensland and New Zealand's alpine south for the winter ski season.
Jetstar's inaugural Brisbane (BNE)–Queenstown (ZQN) flight landed at Queenstown Airport on June 15, 2026, to a full load of passengers. The seasonal service operates three times weekly on an Airbus A320, with a block time of under four hours, and is scheduled to run through October 2026 — covering the full New Zealand ski season.
Queenstown Airport CEO Shane O'Hare welcomed the launch: "This new service creates a great new option for local travellers, while making it even easier for Australians to visit us." Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff noted that New Zealand is Brisbane's largest two-way international market, with 1.3 million passengers over the past year.
Aviation Week confirmed the June 15 launch in its rolling daily updates, noting Air New Zealand will also add a seasonal 3x-weekly BNE–ZQN service from June 22 using the A320neo. Australian Aviation independently reported the inaugural's successful touchdown.
Jetstar CEO Stephanie Tully called the launch part of "our biggest trans-Tasman expansion yet," following three other trans-Tasman route additions in the past year (Dunedin–Gold Coast, Hamilton–Gold Coast, Hamilton–Sydney). In October, Jetstar will add Christchurch–Perth as its next trans-Tasman expansion.
Sources
- https://www.queenstownairport.co.nz/corporate/news-media/media-releases/jetstars-first-flight-from-brisbane
- https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airports-networks/routes-networks-latest-rolling-daily-updates-wc-june-15-2026
- https://australianaviation.com.au/2026/06/jetstars-brisbane-queenstown-link-gets-off-the-ground
Things to do at each end of the route
Top-rated tours & experiences in Brisbane and Queenstown.