Qantas is making it easier to get to the Australian ski slopes this winter and spring with the launch of three new seasonal routes to Albury and Cooma in New South Wales.

From 1 July to 26 September 2021, Qantas will add flights to Cooma from Brisbane and Sydney, and Albury from Brisbane, key gateways to the snowfields in New South Wales and Victoria.

From Cooma, skiers and boarders can access the popular resorts of Perisher Valley, Thredbo and Charlotte Pass in New South Wales, while from Albury, customers can access Falls Creek and Hotham resorts in Victoria.

All flights will be operated by QantasLink’s turboprop Dash 8-Q400 aircraft, offering more than 15,000 seats on the routes through winter.

QantasLink CEO, John Gissing, said the new routes would make it easier for Australians to access the Snowy Mountains and the Victorian Alps this winter.

“With international border closures meaning more Australians are planning their next holiday closer to home, we are creating more travel options where there is demand,” he said.

“We’re expecting these flights will be popular with skiers and snowboarders who might not have been able to hit the slopes through COVID last season in Australia or overseas.”

“Our new direct flights to Cooma and Albury will mean ski enthusiasts can spend less time on the road and more time on the mountain.

“We’ll be working with the major ski resorts and transport operators to promote these new flights to millions of our frequent flyers around the country, with connections from our large domestic network through Sydney or Brisbane making a trip to the snowfields more accessible.

“These new flights are also good news for local businesses, hospitality and tour operators in the region, helping drive tourism and reviving the industry that has been hurting from COVID-19,” Gissing said.

He said flights from Sydney to Cooma have been timed to allow travellers to depart after work on a Thursday or Friday and return Sunday evening, while the flights from Brisbane will also offer Queenslanders the only direct airline connection to the snowfields this season.

Fares for flights between Sydney and Cooma are available from AU$179 one-way and flights from Brisbane to Cooma and Albury are available from AU$239 one-way.

James Wilkinson

Editor-In-Chief, Hotel Management