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Rex will complement its newly-launched Boeing 737 flights between Sydney and Melbourne with new routes to Adelaide and Gold Coast from the end of March.
Starting from 29 March 2021, Rex will fly twice per day direct from Melbourne to the Gold Coast using Boeing 737-800s. Tickets are on sale from $79 one-way in Economy, or $349 one-way in Business class.
On 31 March 2021, Rex will also commence twice-daily jet services from Melbourne to Adelaide. Flights on that route are on sale from $69 in Economy or $299 in Business.
The following day, on 1 April 2021, Rex will also start two day Sydney-Gold Coast flights with tickets starting from $79 in Economy or $299 in Business.
These prices exclude Rex’s online booking fee and credit card surcharges, which can only be avoided by paying cash for the ticket at a Rex airport counter.
The routes will begin just in time for the Easter school holidays, which are expected to be a busy travel period in Australia as long as there are no further state border closures due to COVID-19 outbreaks.
Rex prioritises Gold Coast over Brisbane
Rex had previously announced it was planning to initially begin Boeing 737 flights on the “golden triangle” routes between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, with Sydney-Brisbane flights poised to begin by Easter. But Rex has chosen to initially serve Gold Coast Airport instead of Brisbane.
The CEO of Queensland Airports Limited (QAL), which owns the Gold Coast, Townsville, Mt Isa and Longreach airports, chalked it up as a win for Gold Coast Airport.
“This is a vote of confidence in the Gold Coast. People want to travel again, and the Gold Coast is at the top of their wish list. Clearly Rex sees the opportunity this presents,” QAL CEO Chris Mills said.
Rex’s new routes to the Gold Coast are being supported by Queensland Airports Limited and Destination Gold Coast.
“We are particularly impressed with how proactive and forward thinking QAL has been and it was one of the first parties that actively sought us out once our domestic plans were announced. We believe that our shared heritage and similar DNA will bode well for a successful collaboration in the years ahead,” Rex Deputy Chair John Sharp said.
Virgin Australia has matched Rex’s airfares on the Melbourne-Adelaide, Melbourne-Gold Coat and Sydney-Gold Coast routes, as it did when Rex began selling discounted Melbourne-Sydney flights. However, most Virgin flights don’t have any of the sale airfares available during the Easter school holidays as those flights are in high demand and the cheapest fare classes have already sold out.
Later in the year, Rex is also expected to launch domestic flights on the Sydney-Brisbane, Melbourne-Brisbane, Sydney-Adelaide and Sydney-Canberra routes.
Rex lounges reopen
Rex currently operates three airport lounges in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide – which will all have regular Boeing 737 jet services by the end of this month. These lounges had been closed since March 2020, but started to reopen yesterday.
Rex offers Business class on its Boeing 737 flights, with Business class passengers entitled to 2 hours of complimentary lounge access before their flight (if a Rex Lounge is available).
Rex had previously signalled plans to open a new lounge in Brisbane as well, although that is unlikely to happen before Rex commences Boeing 737 flights to the Queensland capital.
Join the discussion on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum: Rex to fly between Australian capital cities
