Long distance air services
To ensure that regional and remote Queensland communities have access to essential services such as health, education and employment, we regulate select air services.
We regulate services where demand is too low for the route to be commercially viable for the operators. Through regulation and service contracts with delivery partners, we deliver reliable air services with capped maximum fares to 23 regional Queensland communities.
An extensive, competitive open tender process was held during 2021 and starting 1 January 2022:
- some regional air routes are operated by a new operator
- some timetables have changed.
View the regional air services map.
Regulated air services—effective from January 2022
| Route name | Route details | Operator (from 1 January 2022) |
|---|---|---|
| Central 1 | Brisbane–Roma–Charleville | Regional Express (REX) |
| Central 2 | Brisbane–Barcaldine/Blackall–Longreach | QantasLink |
| Western 1 | Brisbane–Toowoomba–St George–Cunnamulla–Thargomindah | Regional Express (REX) |
| Western 2 | Brisbane–Toowoomba–Charleville–Quilpie–Windorah–Birdsville–Bedourie–Boulia–Mount Isa |
Regional Express (REX) |
| Northern 1 | Townsville–Winton–Longreach | Regional Express (REX) |
| Northern 2 | Townsville–Hughenden–Richmond–Julia Creek–Mount Isa | Regional Express (REX) |
| Gulf* | Cairns–Normanton–Mornington Island–Burketown–Doomadgee–Mount Isa | Regional Express (REX) |
*Gulf route may stop at Karumba during the wet season.
Bookings
Contact our service delivery partners for bookings and information:
- QantasLink—13 13 13
- Regional Express (REX)—13 17 13.
Our service delivery partners control all operational matters, including check-in, boarding, in-flight services and baggage services.
The maximum price caps are made by agreement between the Department of Transport and Main Roads and the operators. All fares below the maximum fare price are at the discretion of the operator.
Contact us
We are always looking at ways to improve services. You can provide feedback through:
- annual community forums
- customer satisfaction surveys—provided on-board flights
- directly to the operators
- directly to the department.
Contact us with any questions you have about regulated air services in Queensland:
- Phone: 13 23 80
- Email: aviation@translink.com.au
More information
- Declaration of air service contract routes—made 28 September 2002
- Revocation of service contract routes—3 routes were deregulated from 1 January 2015
- Long distance air services map
- Last updated 20 December 2023