Jetstar has lit up the trans Tasman market with a fresh New Zealand sale, releasing 20,000 discounted one way fares from Australia to key Kiwi destinations starting at $164.
Limited Four Day Sale Targets Peak Holiday Windows
Jetstar’s latest offer, unveiled on 17 February 2026, gives Australian travellers a narrow booking window to lock in discounted seats across the Tasman. The sale runs for four days, with bookings available until 11.59pm AEDT on Friday 20 February 2026, or until all 20,000 fares are snapped up. The airline is positioning the promotion as an opportunity for value conscious travellers to secure their New Zealand trips well ahead of the busiest months.
The discounted fares cover travel from mid March through to late September 2026, aligning with popular periods for autumn road trips, winter ski holidays and early spring city breaks. By spreading eligible dates across several seasons, Jetstar aims to appeal to a broad mix of travellers, from families planning school holiday escapes to skiers eyeing the 2026 snow season.
The sale is focused on one way economy fares, which are web only and exclude checked baggage as standard. Travellers can add extras such as luggage, seat selection and in flight bundles at additional cost, giving price sensitive customers the option to keep costs to a minimum or upgrade their experience as needed.
Key Routes Include Queenstown, Auckland and Emerging Gateways
The promotion centres on Jetstar’s growing network of direct services between Australia and New Zealand, with several standout routes leading the campaign. The headline fare of $164 one way is available on flights from Sydney to Hamilton, a North Island gateway that connects travellers to the Waikato region, Rotorua and the central North Island.
Other discounted routes include Sunshine Coast to Auckland from $179 one way, opening up easy access to New Zealand’s largest city for travellers from south east Queensland. Gold Coast based passengers are being targeted with fares from $174 to Wellington, $184 to both Dunedin and Hamilton, and from $189 to Auckland. Jetstar has also highlighted Gold Coast to Queenstown fares from $219, catering to snow seekers and adventure travellers.
Brisbane travellers are being offered seasonal flights to Queenstown from $214 one way, timed to capture demand for the 2026 ski season. Cairns to Christchurch fares from $199 one way are also included, broadening links between tropical north Queensland and New Zealand’s South Island for those looking to combine contrasting climates in a single trip.
Sale Underscores Jetstar’s Aggressive Trans Tasman Growth
The New Zealand sale follows a period of sustained expansion for Jetstar across the Tasman corridor. The carrier revealed it transported more than 700,000 customers between Australia and New Zealand during 2025, representing a nine per cent increase on the previous year. That growth has been underpinned by new routes, increased frequencies and a focus on low fare, point to point services.
In 2025 Jetstar added several new trans Tasman routes, including Sydney to Hamilton and Gold Coast to Hamilton, as well as Gold Coast to Dunedin. Additional capacity on existing services, combined with these fresh links, created more than 145,000 new low fare seats between Australia and New Zealand within a year. Industry observers note that the latest sale is both a reward for growing demand and a lever to keep aircraft full across shoulder and off peak periods.
The carrier’s strategy aligns closely with the broader Qantas Group push to expand in New Zealand and on trans Tasman routes. While Qantas continues to focus on full service operations, Jetstar acts as the low cost spearhead, targeting budget conscious leisure travellers and younger segments who are particularly responsive to sharp sale fares and simple product offerings.
Tourism New Zealand Partnership Aims to Convert Browsers to Bookers
The sale is being launched in tandem with a new marketing partnership between Jetstar and Tourism New Zealand, aimed at stimulating inbound travel from Australia. Australia remains New Zealand’s largest international visitor source, and both partners are betting that price remains a critical driver of conversion from trip dreaming to booking.
Tourism New Zealand has been working to spread visitor flows beyond the traditional hotspots of Auckland and Queenstown, encouraging travellers to explore secondary regions and lesser known landscapes. Routes such as Sydney and Gold Coast to Hamilton, and Cairns to Christchurch, feed directly into this strategy by making it easier and cheaper to reach regional gateways that are closer to wine country, geothermal attractions and alpine areas.
By tying the campaign to a limited time sale, Jetstar and its tourism partner are seeking to create urgency among travellers who may have been considering New Zealand but had not yet committed. The combination of sharp pricing, multiple origin points along Australia’s east coast and strong regional storytelling is designed to tip undecided shoppers into finalising their plans for 2026.
Value Proposition Built Around Low Base Fares and Add Ons
At the heart of the promotion is Jetstar’s familiar low cost model, in which base fares cover the seat and carry on baggage, while extras are available on a pay as you go basis. The $164 starting price for Sydney to Hamilton is for a one way, web only ticket that does not include checked baggage. Travellers can add luggage, meals, flexible fare conditions and seat selection for additional fees during the booking process.
For many leisure travellers, particularly those planning shorter breaks or who are comfortable travelling light, the stripped back fare can deliver a total trip cost significantly below traditional full service options. For families, skiers or long stay visitors who need more gear, the ability to customise inclusions can still represent good value compared with bundled fares, especially when sale pricing is applied to the base ticket.
Jetstar is also promoting the sale as an opportunity for members of its loyalty and subscription products to extract extra value. Club style programs typically provide early access to some promotions or additional discounts, while frequent flyers across the Qantas Group can accrue points on eligible Jetstar flights, adding another layer of appeal for regular trans Tasman travellers.
Competitive Pressure Builds on Rival Carriers
The New Zealand sale lands amid an increasingly competitive environment for trans Tasman travel. Virgin Australia has been running its own sharp international promotions, including discounted fares to destinations such as Queenstown and Fiji, while Air New Zealand and Qantas continue to vie for premium and corporate customers. Analysts suggest that Jetstar’s move to flood the market with 20,000 low fares will keep downward pressure on prices and encourage rivals to respond with targeted offers.
Industry watchers note that sales of this magnitude serve a dual purpose. They help fill seats during quieter travel weeks, such as the shoulder periods between school holidays, and they also keep Jetstar front of mind for consumers constantly scanning for deals. In an environment where travellers are increasingly value driven and travel budgets are under scrutiny, being perceived as the airline that regularly drops headline grabbing fares can be a powerful brand asset.
The timing of the promotion, with travel spanning from mid March to late September 2026, allows Jetstar to stimulate demand over an extended period without committing to deep discounts during the absolute peak of winter or school holiday dates. This balancing act between yield management and market share is central to how low cost carriers use sales as part of their broader revenue strategy.
New Routes Open Doors to Lesser Known New Zealand Experiences
Beyond the major centres, Jetstar’s expanding network is giving Australian travellers easier access to parts of New Zealand that were previously more time consuming or expensive to reach. Hamilton, which features prominently in the sale, is a gateway to the Waikato region, the Waitomo caves and the famed Hobbiton movie set, making it an attractive base for fans of film tourism and nature based experiences.
On the South Island, Dunedin flights connect visitors directly with the Otago Peninsula, renowned for its wildlife, heritage architecture and dramatic coastal scenery. Discounted fares from the Gold Coast to Dunedin are expected to appeal to travellers looking for a cooler climate escape, as well as those keen on combining urban culture with road trips through the wider region.
Queenstown remains the crown jewel of the South Island network, with sale fares from both Brisbane and the Gold Coast aiming squarely at skiers, snowboarders and adventure enthusiasts. The combination of direct flights, competitive pricing and extensive tourism infrastructure on the ground means Queenstown is set to remain one of the most hotly contested routes in the trans Tasman market.
Australians Urged to Move Quickly as Sale Fares Are Limited
With only 20,000 discounted seats available across the New Zealand network, Jetstar is warning that the lowest fares are likely to be snapped up quickly, particularly on marquee routes and popular weekend departures. Travel industry agents are advising customers who have fixed dates in mind to search and book as soon as possible, rather than waiting until later in the sale period.
As with most airline promotions, sale seats are capacity controlled and may not be available on every flight or day within the published travel window. Travellers who have flexibility in their departure dates, can travel mid week or are willing to consider alternate airports such as Hamilton instead of Auckland are more likely to secure the lowest advertised prices.
For Australians considering a New Zealand escape in 2026, the sale represents a timely opportunity to firm up plans, lock in airfares and then turn attention to accommodation and on the ground experiences. With competition between airlines still fierce and tourism agencies stepping up their campaigns, the trans Tasman corridor looks set to remain one of the most dynamic and deal rich international markets for Australian travellers in the year ahead.