Qantas is a partner airline in this year’s program. Photo: ANDREW KACIMAIWAI
The WA Government’s Affordable Airfares Program is back for its seventh year to make flights between Perth and Broome, Exmouth and Kununurra cheaper.
In a change this year, the government will subsidise airfares by Airnorth, Nexus Airlines, Qantas and Virgin Australia as well as increase discount seats to regional events like the Ord Valley Muster in Kununurra and Shinju Matsuri in Broome.
WA Premier Roger Cook says his government wants to make it easy for people across the country to visit his state’s regional towns and cities.
“This program provides a major boost to regional tourism, creating jobs and keeping local economies strong throughout the state,” he says.
Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti says renewing the program for another year will make WA travel more affordable and accessible for interstate visitors and residents.
“This program plays a vital role in driving visitors to our regional hubs, providing a boost to local tourism operators and businesses that depend on air access to thrive,” she says.
“With over 32,000 tickets sold last year alone, this program has proven to be a game changer, delivering significant savings for travellers and helping to grow tourism in some of WA’s most beautiful and remote areas.”
Since it began in 2018, the airfares program sold nearly 150,000 fares, including over 32,000 in 2024, for services into Broome, Kununurra, and Exmouth.
In the 12 months ending September 2024, overnight visitor spend in WA’s five tourism regions had reached $14.4 billion — a growth of 31 per cent since 2019.
This program is in addition to the government’s Regional Airfare Zone Cap, which supports regional residents by capping the total airfare they pay for flights to and from Perth to either $199 or $299 one-way when booked as a return fare for personal travel.
