Canberrans will be able to fly to the Sunshine Coast and Cairns from next month after a new airline announced it would fly out of the capital.
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Alliance Airlines will begin a twice-weekly service to the Queensland destinations from October 23.
The service will involve a direct flight from Canberra to the Sunshine Coast, before the same plane continues onto Cairns after a layover.
The announcement comes after Queensland reopened its borders to ACT travellers on Friday, just in time for the school holidays.
Canberra Airport head of aviation Michael Thomson said the partnership with Alliance Airlines was expected to be a long-lasting one with the potential of expanding services should passenger numbers meet demand.
"There is probably a capacity to sustain four flights a week once it gets up," Mr Thomson said.
"Like all airline agreements, there's an agreement for a period of time and you see how the route goes, but we're confident it will stay as a permanent arrangement."
It's estimated 50,000 people already travel between Canberra and the Sunshine Coast each year.
Previously, flights to the Sunshine Coast have only been possible through a connecting flight from Sydney.
The new routes will use the airline's Fokker 100 jets, which can seat 100 passengers.
Talks about establishing Alliance Airlines at Canberra Airport had been under way since the pandemic first hit in March.
"Discussions had been on and off for a number of months," Mr Thomson said.
"The Queensland border situation slowed that down, but as soon as Queensland opened up, [discussions] progressed extremely quickly."
Mr Thomson said the flights to the Sunshine Coast would also lead to more Queenslanders visiting the ACT.
"It goes in both directions, and it not only provides the opportunity for Canberrans to get out and enjoy a break somewhere warm, it also provides an opportunity for people in those regions [in Queensland] to explore what we got in Canberra and surrounds," he said.
With the addition of the Canberra routes, the Brisbane-based airline now flies to every jurisdiction in Australia with the exception of Tasmania.
Prior to the flights to the Sunshine Coast, Alliance only offered charter flights out of Canberra, including transporting the Canberra Raiders to interstate NRL games.
It comes as flights at Canberra Airport are set to almost double next week with the addition of flights to Queensland after the border reopened to travellers.
Next week will see 64 flights out Canberra, up from 34 a fortnight ago, with additional flights put on by Qantas and Virgin to the Gold Coast and Brisbane.
Discussions between the airport and other smaller airlines including Rex, Corporate Air and Pelican Airlines remain ongoing.
Andrew Brown
I've been part of the Canberra Times since 2016, after reporting at local papers in Sydney's north-west. Since starting at the paper I've had stints on the Sunday Times, on the early morning breaking news round, and now as a general reporter, covering the ins and outs of anything and everything happening in Canberra, with a focus on health.
I've been part of the Canberra Times since 2016, after reporting at local papers in Sydney's north-west. Since starting at the paper I've had stints on the Sunday Times, on the early morning breaking news round, and now as a general reporter, covering the ins and outs of anything and everything happening in Canberra, with a focus on health.
