Dismal prospects for trans-Tasman competition

Over the last few months we’ve seen Qantas and Jetstar come out swinging with new routes and capacity increases across its trans-Tasman network. This includes Qantas’s forthcoming returns to Perth-Auckland and Adelaide-Auckland in addition to seasonal increases across its existing network. In addition to increases across its existing network, Jetstar has also added several new routes including Cairns-Christchurch, Gold Coast-Hamilton, Gold Coast-Dunedin, Sydney-Hamilton, and Brisbane-Queenstown. In 2025/26, Qantas and Jetstar will add more than 800k seats to its trans-Tasman schedule, a 20% increase compared to 2024/25, already their highest ever annual capacity. While we always encourage capacity increases, the reasons for these increases are concerning, painting a dismal picture for competition on trans-Tasman flights in the coming years. Let’s explore …