- Cook Labor Government's Affordable Airfares Program returning for another year
- Scheme set to cut the cost of leisure travel between Perth and Broome, Exmouth and Kununurra
- Adds to existing cost-of-living measures to make air travel more affordable for regional residents
The Western Australian Government's Affordable Airfares Program is back for its sixth consecutive year to make travelling within Western Australia more affordable.
As part of this year's initiative, funding has been allocated to Virgin Australia and Qantas to provide discounted airfares on services between Perth and Broome, Kununurra and Exmouth.
For the first time in the program's history, funding has also been allocated to Airnorth and Nexus Airlines, with both airlines set to provide discounted airfares on services between Broome and Kununurra.
The program will offer:
- Virgin Australia discounted airfares for $219 one-way between Perth and Broome and $259 one-way between Perth and Kununurra;
- Qantas discounted airfares for $199 and $209, dependent on date of travel, between Perth and Exmouth; and
- Airnorth and Nexus Airlines discounted airfares for $199 one-way between Broome and Kununurra.
It follows huge uptake in previous years, with nearly 29,000 tickets purchased in 2023 for services from Perth into Broome, Kununurra and Exmouth, potentially saving travellers hundreds of dollars.
The Affordable Airfares Program aims to improve the affordability of regional airfares throughout Western Australia and drive visitors to key tourism hubs that heavily depend on air access.
This program is in addition to the Cook Labor Government's groundbreaking Regional Airfare Zone Cap (RAZC) which supports regional residents with cost-of-living pressures by capping the total airfare amount they pay for flights to and from Perth to either $199 or $299 one-way, when booked as a return fare for personal travel.
Over 200,000 capped airfares have flown since that scheme's inception, helping to better connect regional residents to family and their community.
For more information about specified travel dates and bookings under the Affordable Airfares Program, please visit www.tourism.wa.gov.au/AffordableAirfaresProgram
As stated by Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti:
"With a State as vast as ours, air travel is an important form of transport for tourists as well as regional residents.
"We're really proud to be delivering the Affordable Airfares Program for another year, which will potentially save travellers' hundreds of dollars, encourage them to explore our incredible regions and help support our regional tourism operators.
"Importantly, this program builds on existing cost-of-living measures we have implemented, such as the Regional Airfare Zone Cap Scheme, which supports regional residents flying to and from Perth by capping their total airfare amount. That scheme has been very well-subscribed, with over 200,000 discounted airfares now flown since its inception."
As stated by Regional Development Minister Don Punch:
"The return of the Affordable Airfares Program in 2024 shows the Cook Government's commitment to driving recovery in the Kimberley after last year's floods and driving economic growth through tourism across our regional communities.
"By driving more tourists to the Kimberley and Gascoyne, we aim to boost regional economies, enhance vibrancy in regional communities and enhance the profile of our dynamic regional centres."
