Qantas and Jetstar expand nonstop flights to Indonesia

Qantas and Jetstar are adding new nonstop services to Indonesia, including Perth to Jakarta and Brisbane to Bali. This expansion is supported by a significant increase in weekly seat capacity under a new bilateral air services agreement, the first update in 15 years. The agreement permits an additional 5,000 seats per week, with Qantas absorbing 4,500 of these for itself and its wholly owned subsidiaries like Jetstar. Qantas applied for 4,539 additional weekly seats between Australia and Indonesia, requesting the allocation for five years. The airline plans to operate the Boeing 737-800 on the new Perth to Jakarta route. The expansion aims to support business and connecting traffic to Jakarta from several Australian cities.

Jetstar will add a new nonstop service from Western Sydney International (Nancy Bird Walton) Airport to Ngurah Rai (Bali) International Airport. This will become Western Sydney's fourth international route, joining existing services to Auckland, Singapore, and Ho Chi Minh City. Qantas will also add a new route from Brisbane Airport to Bali. The new capacity is intended to support these new routes and frequency increases beginning in December 2026.

Timeline and Scheduling

The new routes are scheduled to begin operations in late 2026 and early 2027, with specific start dates confirmed for key services. A new daily Qantas service between Perth and Jakarta is scheduled to start on December 14, 2026. Jetstar plans to launch daily flights between Western Sydney International Airport and Bali on March 15, 2027.

Qantas services from Brisbane to Bali are planned to operate once a day from August 1, 2027. Also, Qantas plans to increase its four weekly flights from Melbourne to Jakarta to daily between March 28 and October 31, shifting from Airbus A330-200 to A321XLR aircraft. The airline also plans to restore Brisbane-Bali flights and increase Melbourne-Jakarta services before moving to daily Airbus A321XLR operations.

Industry Context and Demand

The expansion follows a period of no bilateral updates and is driven by strong demand. Bali remains one of Australia’s biggest overseas holiday destinations, with more than 1.6 million Australian visitors last year. Nonstop flights from Bali currently operate to 13 Australian destinations.

The additional seats are expected to be fully used by November 2027 if approved.

Regulatory and Political Support

The updated bilateral agreement has received ministerial support for enabling the new services. Australian Transport Minister Catherine King welcomed the new route announcements. The International Air Services Commission confirmed the application on October 2.

The article closes on the expected start date of the new daily Perth to Jakarta service on December 14, 2026.