Jetstar has announced the first non‑stop Christchurch‑Perth service, adding more than 30, 000 seats and restoring a direct link that expands travel options for New Zealand’s South Island travellers. Wednesday at 10: 00 a. m. ET — the seasonal service will operate from October 27 through March with three weekly flights, moomba 2026.
Jetstar to Deploy Airbus A321LR on Christchurch‑Perth Route
Flights will use Jetstar’s Perth‑based fleet of Airbus A321LR long‑range aircraft, which the airline started taking delivery of in 2022. The A321LR will operate in an all‑economy layout with capacity to seat up to 232 passengers and includes larger overhead storage compartments, seat‑back device holders and in‑seat charging, Jetstar said.
Moomba 2026: Seasonal October 27–March Schedule Adds 30, 000 Seats
The service is scheduled to run from October 27 through March (three flights weekly on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday), adding more than 30, 000 seats for the summer season. Gate‑to‑gate times are listed at about six hours and 10 minutes from Perth to Christchurch and about seven hours and 15 minutes on the Christchurch to Perth leg; flights from Christchurch depart at 8: 15 p. m. local time and arrive when it is 10: 30 p. m. in Western Australia.
Christchurch Airport Sees Perth as a Wider Network Hub
Christchurch Airport said the non‑stop service could make Perth a convenient onward option for passengers heading to destinations such as Bali, Delhi, Johannesburg, London, Paris or Rome with Jetstar’s stablemate Qantas. The airport called Australia its largest international market and said expanding choice and capacity helps keep Christchurch a competitive gateway for the South Island.
Perth also has a sizeable New Zealand community: a 2021 Census estimate shows about 60, 000 Perth residents were born in New Zealand, a detail that Christchurch Airport highlighted when discussing demand for the route. Jetstar chief executive Stephanie Tully said the airline had detected strong demand for low‑fare travel on both sides of the Tasman.
All seats on the service will be in economy class, and Jetstar noted flights from Perth are faster on average because of prevailing westerly winds. Perth’s time zone in summer is five hours behind New Zealand’s.
The service is scheduled to begin October 27; more details are expected by 10: 00 a. m. ET on October 27.
