QantasLink is a full-service, regional brand of Australian flag carrier airline Qantas. As of 2025, QantasLink provides over 2,000 flights each week to 65 metropolitan, regional and remote destinations across Australia, as well as short-haul international services to the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, New Zealand and East Timor. Flights are operated by the Qantas-owned subsidiaries of National Jet Systems, Network Aviation and Sunstate Airlines, with Embraer E190s wet-leased from Alliance Airlines. QantasLink is an affiliate member of the Oneworld airline alliance.
Contents
History
QantasLink's origins as a single brand for Qantas' regional airline subsidiaries go back to October 1993, when Qantas acquired Australian Airlink Pty Ltd and its fleet from parent company National Jet Systems, which up to that point had been operating flights on major regional routes for Australian Airlines. The Australian Airlink name remained and the fleet was repainted in Qantas livery, and National Jet Systems was subsequently contracted by Qantas to operate Australian Airlink aircraft.
Prior to 2001, Qantas' various subsidiaries operated under their own names, eventually adopting the Australian Airlines, and later, Qantas liveries. In 2002, a common brand was created, encompassing AirLink (a franchise, operated by National Jet Systems), Sunstate Airlines, Eastern Australia Airlines, and Southern Australia Airlines; Southern Airlines has since ceased operations.
For a short while, QantasLink took over some of Qantas' non-trunk routes, such as Sydney – Sunshine Coast, using Boeing 717s that were inherited after Qantas acquired Impulse Airlines. QantasLink ceased operating some of these routes after Qantas formed low-cost subsidiary Jetstar, transferring the Boeing 717 aircraft and routes to the new airline. From 2005 to 2006, eight of the 717s were returned to QantasLink following Jetstar's acquisition of Airbus A320 aircraft, with the 717s to be operated in Western Australia, Northern Territory and far north Queensland by National Jet Systems.
On 31 July 2015, Network Aviation was rebranded to QantasLink. This was announced by Qantas with the unveiling of a Fokker 100 in QantasLink colours.
On 20 May 2020, Qantas announced the purchase of Cobham Australia's National Jet Systems subsidiary, which had operated the Boeing 717-200 on behalf of QantasLink for 15 years, bringing both employees and the fleet in-house. In August 2020, National Jet systems closed the Perth and Cairns bases of their operations, with Western Australian operations to be taken over by Network Aviation.
On 4 February 2021, Qantas announced an initial 3 year deal with Alliance Airlines to wetlease 3 Embraer E190 aircraft with the option for up to 14 aircraft to operate on routes like Adelaide–Alice Springs, Darwin–Alice Springs, and Darwin–Adelaide. Qantas has steadily expanded upon its lease agreement and use of the aircraft around its east coast network, to a peak 30 aircraft in use as of February 2025. In August 2026 following Alliance Airlines posting a financial loss, the contract was renegotiated with a reduction to 23 aircraft throughout FY27, with Qantas utilising newly delivered Airbus A220 aircraft on more of its routes.
Fleet
Current fleet
QantasLink flights, except the Embraer E190s wet-leased from Alliance, are operated by the individual airlines that make up the group – National Jet Systems, Network Aviation and Sunstate Airlines. All flights use QF IATA codes. All airlines except Network Aviation operate under the ICAO callsign QLK ("Q-LINK"). Until 5 January 2009, Sunstate operated under its own callsign, and in 2025 for National Jet Systems. Network Aviation aircraft continue to operate under their own callsign NWK ("NETLINK").
As of July 2026, QantasLink operates the following aircraft:
Fleet development
Throughout the mid 2000s, QantasLink increased capacity by replacing many of its smaller Dash 8-100 and Q200 aircraft with Q400s. QantasLink continued to acquire the Q400 despite landing gear problems experienced by other airlines during this period. This problem also saw a grounding of five Q400s during August 2010, though all were deemed safe and returned to service.
From 2005, QantasLink 717 services in Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory and Tasmania were contracted to National Jet Systems, using the QantasLink brand. The hubs for QantasLink under the contract are in Perth, Cairns, Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, and Hobart.
In December 2005, as part of its further expansion, QantasLink entered the South Australian market with flights from Adelaide to Port Lincoln and Kangaroo Island. Interstate flights were also introduced between Kangaroo Island and Melbourne. Due to low passenger loads, services to Kangaroo Island ceased operation at the end of June 2006.
On 1 August 2006, Qantas replaced its daily Melbourne-Launceston mainline service with a three times daily QantasLink Dash 8 service. This has now been increased to a four times daily service, supplemented in peak service periods by QantasLink 717 services.
In May 2008, QantasLink announced that it would order nine mid-life 717s.
In mid August 2008, it was announced that Tamworth would be the first New South Wales regional airport to be serviced by the Q400.
On 8 December 2009, QantasLink announced that it would re-enter the Adelaide to Port Lincoln market from February 2010, using Q400 aircraft flying 23 return services a week.
On 29 March 2010, QantasLink and the Qantas Group announced that it would start the first international QantasLink route, from Cairns to Port Moresby, utilising Q400 aircraft already based in Cairns. The service commenced in July 2010. A QantasLink spokesperson stated that "the airline would not turn into a fully fledged international airline, but could operate international routes in the future".
Former fleet
QantasLink previously operated the following types:
Destinations
QantasLink serves destinations through various different airlines, including Alliance Airlines, National Jet Systems, Network Aviation, and Sunstate Airlines.
Alliance Airlines
Australia
Australian Capital Territory
Canberra – Canberra Airport
New South Wales
Albury – Albury Airport
Newcastle – Newcastle Airport
Sydney – Sydney Airport
Northern Territory
Alice Springs – Alice Springs Airport
Darwin – Darwin International Airport Hub
Nhulunbuy – Gove Airport (charter)
Yulara – Ayers Rock Airport
Queensland
Brisbane – Brisbane Airport Hub
Cairns – Cairns Airport
Emerald – Emerald Airport
Gladstone – Gladstone Airport
Mackay – Mackay Airport
Mount Isa – Mount Isa Airport
Rockhampton – Rockhampton Airport
Townsville – Townsville Airport
South Australia
Adelaide – Adelaide Airport Hub
Tasmania
Hobart – Hobart Airport
National Jet Systems
Australia
Australian Capital Territory
Canberra – Canberra Airport Hub
New South Wales
Coffs Harbour – Coffs Harbour Airport
Sydney – Sydney Airport
Northern Territory
Alice Springs - Alice Springs Airport (ends 14 November 2026)
Queensland
Brisbane – Brisbane Airport
Cairns - Cairns Airport
Coolangatta - Gold Coast Airport
Hamilton Island – Hamilton Island Airport
Maroochydore - Sunshine Coast Airport
Townsville - Townsville Airport
South Australia
Adelaide - Adelaide Airport
Victoria
Melbourne – Melbourne Airport Hub
Tasmania
Hobart – Hobart Airport Hub
Launceston – Launceston Airport
New Zealand
Wellington - Wellington Airport
Network Aviation
New South Wales
Newcastle – Newcastle Airport
Northern Territory
Darwin – Darwin International Airport
Tasmania
Hobart - Hobart Airport
Western Australia
Broome – Broome International Airport
Busselton – Busselton Margaret River Airport (charter)
Exmouth – Learmonth Airport
Geraldton – Geraldton Airport
Kalgoorlie – Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport
Karratha – Karratha Airport
Newman – Newman Airport
Onslow – Onslow Airport
Paraburdoo – Paraburdoo Airport
Perth – Perth Airport Hub
Port Hedland – Port Hedland International Airport
Overseas Territories
Christmas Island - Christmas Island Airport
Cocos (Keeling) Island - Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport
Sunstate Airlines
Australian Capital Territory
Canberra – Canberra Airport
New South Wales
Albury – Albury Airport
Armidale – Armidale Airport
Ballina – Ballina Byron Gateway Airport
Broken Hill – Broken Hill Airport
Coffs Harbour – Coffs Harbour Airport
Cooma – Cooma–Snowy Mountains Airport (charter)
Dubbo – Dubbo City Airport
Griffith – Griffith Airport
Merimbula – Merimbula Airport
Moree – Moree Airport
Newcastle – Newcastle Airport
Orange – Orange Airport
Port Macquarie – Port Macquarie Airport
Sydney – Sydney Airport Hub
Tamworth – Tamworth Airport
Wagga Wagga – Wagga Wagga Airport
Queensland
Barcaldine – Barcaldine Airport
Blackall – Blackall Airport
Brisbane – Brisbane Airport Hub
Incidents and accidents
On 29 May 2003, Qantas Flight 1737, a domestic flight from Melbourne to Launceston operated by a QantasLink Boeing 717 registered VH-NXN, was subject to an attempted hijacking.