Sydney, June 10, 2026, 08:01 AEST
- Qantas Group said Jetstar is set to run the first commercial passenger flight out of Western Sydney International Airport on Oct. 25. QantasLink flights are planned to start in March 2027.
- Qantas shares closed at A$9.22 at 4:00 p.m. on June 9, up 0.3% ahead of the regular ASX session Wednesday.
- ASX data shows Qantas didn’t release any market announcements from June 4 to June 10.
Qantas Airways is in focus for Wednesday’s Sydney trade as investors watch a new capacity update. The airline said Jetstar will operate the first passenger flight out of Western Sydney International Airport when it opens on Oct. 25. Qantas shares last traded at A$9.22, up 0.3% as of 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, with the ASX in pre-open — the order-entry window before regular trade.
Qantas Group is moving on a key window, locking in a second Sydney basin hub and more freight access while keeping current operations at Kingsford Smith Airport. The company and Western Sydney International agreed to a five-year deal for domestic passenger and freight flights. Qantas also gets a low-cost passenger base in a high-growth region.
Jetstar, the low-cost carrier from Qantas, is set to operate JQ362 to the Gold Coast at 11 a.m. on Oct. 25 on an Airbus A320. The airline is aiming for up to 14 weekly flights to Melbourne, four to the Gold Coast and three to Brisbane from the airport. QantasLink flights will begin March 28, 2027, with four weekly services each to Melbourne and Brisbane on Embraer E190 jets.
S&P/ASX 200 slips 0.24%, futures edge up The S&P/ASX 200 finished Tuesday’s session down 0.24% at 8,604, with futures pointing 0.2% higher at 7 a.m. Sydney on Wednesday. The overall backdrop was mixed but not hostile.
Qantas Group Chief Executive Vanessa Hudson called the airport launch a “major milestone” and said the new hub could help make flying easier for Western Sydney passengers who usually go to Mascot. Western Sydney International CEO Simon Hickey described the domestic ticket launch as a “vote of confidence” in the airport. Qantas Newsroom
Jetstar is offering launch fares starting at A$59 for one-way flights to the Gold Coast, A$69 to Melbourne and A$75 to Brisbane. Qantas has put up fares from A$99 in economy and A$299 in business, flying to Melbourne and Brisbane. Fares depend on approval and seat availability.
Western Sydney International’s airline lineup remains limited. According to ABC, just four carriers have unveiled their plans: Jetstar, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, and Air New Zealand. Air New Zealand will start Auckland routes Oct. 26, while Singapore Airlines is scheduled to run daily flights to Changi from Nov. 23.
Virgin Australia is still not part of the first airline group booked at the new airport. Qantas gets Jetstar in early on domestic leisure flights, but that doesn’t mean it can set prices.
Qantas hasn’t lodged a new ASX announcement in the past week, the exchange’s search shows. That leaves the Western Sydney update as an operational development, not a formal price-sensitive filing, which is the kind investors often view as likely to move the stock.
Qantas’ balance sheet is in better shape than it was a few years back. The airline posted first-half FY26 underlying profit before tax of A$1.46 billion, up 5%. Statutory profit after tax was A$925 million, about flat, and it unveiled shareholder distributions of up to A$450 million, covering a fully franked interim dividend and an on-market buyback.
Risks are still out there. Qantas and Jetstar flights out of Western Sydney need more government and regulatory sign-off, the airport metro isn’t guaranteed before 2028, and airline margins depend on fuel – which has been jumpy with Middle East flight changes and oil swings.
First up for the stock is whether investors think Western Sydney offers real growth or if it’s just more exposure to planes, staff and fares in an expensive sector. That won’t show up in Wednesday’s headline, but will show in bookings, route margins and if competitors want their own gate at the site.
