Jetstar adds Melbourne - Colombo

[Harrison_133]

Jetstar will launch 3 weekly flights between Melbourne and Colombo, Sri Lanka in August 2026.
Flight schedules
From 25 August 2026**

JQ5 Melbourne – Colombo	Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday	12:00	17:50
JQ6 Colombo – Melbourne	Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday	19:50	10:00+1

**Schedule valid for 25 August – 03 Oct 2026, other periods vary based on daylight savings.
*As the upgraded 787 are progressively rolled out, some flights will operate with upgraded aircraft and others with our existing 787 aircraft.
Source: https://newsroom.jetstar.com/jetsta...lights-to-sri-lanka-with-fares-from-just-315/

 

[moa999]

What route stops for this one (or switches to 321s?)?
Edit - From prior analyticflying analysis it possibly replaces SYD-HNL which ran in this slot last year.

 

[am0985]

Hoping there's some decent deals for their business product on this - it's equivalent to a very solid PE at a good price for some of their other destinations.

 

[aikman]

I wonder if SriLankan will reduce frequency or if the total market will just expand.

 

[Melburnian1]

I wonder if SriLankan will reduce frequency or if the total market will just expand.

While many travellers book in advance, often several months, the recent cyclone may (in time) discourage some leisure travellers from visiting Sri Lanka.

 

[Ade]

I wonder if SriLankan will reduce frequency or if the total market will just expand.

I hope UL won't reduce frequency to MEL/SYD because of this.

 

[aaa99]

And reward seats seem to be loaded on Qantas already!

29,900 points each way in economy and 73,800 in business.

Would be interesting to be on the inaugural especially if it is the new product!

 

[moa999]

Given the refurbs start in Jan, JQ should have quite a few of the refurbs by Aug, and I suspect they will be mostly used on the longer routes (like SYD-ICN and this one) where JQ gets more benefits from the dedicated crew rests rather than blocking off seats

 

[am0985]

Business is 2.6k r/t as a starter fare or 3k each way with status credits and points.

This compares to 5.1k direct with UL, though theirs is a business lie flat product rather than PE.

Competitive pricing though UL's product would definitely be better on the journey back to MEL.

 

[Saab34]

With the doubling of the Business Cabin, let’s remain hopeful that pricing in that cabin may get more attractive, especially last minute upgrades if the cabins are had empty.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

One way fare is slightly more attractive at $315 in economy and $1126 ex MEL in J.

Could combine that with a reward flight back on UL for flat bed.

 

[aaa99]

I wonder if Qantas will finally let us select CMB as origin online

 

[jase05]

One of the lads in my office is from Sri Lanka and he was ecstatic when I told him the news.

 

[clifford]

One of the lads in my office is from Sri Lanka and he was ecstatic when I told him the news.

He must be into self torture then. !0+ hours on a JQ 788?

 

[jase05]

He must be into self torture then. !0+ hours on a JQ 788?

He’s 5ft nothing and would weigh 50kg wringing wet I reckon so he’s probably going to enjoy it.
He currently swaps between SQ and MH out of ADL in Y but if he can save a few bucks he’d be very happy.
Definitely not for me in any class but some people love it

 

[clifford]

He’s 5ft nothing and would weigh 50kg wringing wet I reckon so he’s probably going to enjoy it.
He currently swaps between SQ and MH out of ADL in Y but if he can save a few bucks he’d be very happy.
Definitely not for me in any class but some people love it

He must be immune to pain then. But each to their own.

It will be interseting to see if this JQ venture is a success. From my own point of view, it's not a service I'd look at in any class, as I've been to Sri Lanka multiple times, and the airfares out of there towards Europe are no longer anything special.

 

[jase05]

He must be immune to pain then. But each to their own.

It will be interseting to see if this JQ venture is a success. From my own point of view, it's not a service I'd look at in any class, as I've been to Sri Lanka multiple times, and the airfares out of there towards Europe are no longer anything special.

Would come to price I guess for some people.
He goes back to Sri Lanka twice yearly with his wife and young son so I guess he (and the wife) would be happy to wear some pain to save dollars. He’s flown Air Asia to and from Australia and enjoyed it so

 

[SYD]

He must be immune to pain then. But each to their own.

It will be interseting to see if this JQ venture is a success. From my own point of view, it's not a service I'd look at in any class, as I've been to Sri Lanka multiple times, and the airfares out of there towards Europe are no longer anything special.

Ultimately, any form of competition is good for us all in the end.