Qantas has fired the starter’s pistol on the southern-summer travel season, discounting more than 300,000 seats on 55 international routes in what it calls the “Red Tail Sale”. For seven days — until 11:59 p.m. AEDT on 5 November or until sold out — return economy fares start at AU$559 (Melbourne–Denpasar) while one-way trans-Tasman hops drop to AU$299 (Brisbane–Christchurch). Flagship long-haul routes have also been trimmed below psychological price points, with Sydney–Los Angeles dipping under AU$1,000 and Brisbane–New York (via LAX) as low as AU$1,399.
Qantas International chief executive Cam Wallace said the sale responds to “record demand” and the airline’s fastest-growing international schedule since the pandemic. The group has 18 additional wide-body jets either on order or entering service by mid-2026, allowing capacity on U.S., Japan and South-East Asian routes to eclipse pre-COVID levels. Business travellers will notice a 40 per cent lift in premium-seat availability year-on-year as refurbished A380s and 787-9s re-enter the fleet.
The promotion is strategically timed around two pieces of market-moving news for Australians. First, the Chilean government has gazetted a unilateral visa-waiver that takes effect immediately, allowing Australian passport holders up to 90 days’ visa-free entry for tourism or short-term business. Santiago is Qantas’ gateway to South America (via one-stop partners) and the airline is advertising Santiago–Sydney returns from AU$1,599 to capitalise on the policy change. Chile joins Argentina and Brazil in operating visa-waiver or ETA-style entry for Australians, simplifying trans-Pacific itineraries for mining, agritech and renewable-energy executives.
Second, Qantas confirmed it will add 40 extra return flights across the Tasman this summer, mainly to Christchurch, Wellington and Queenstown, as corporate and leisure demand rebounds. SMEs using Qantas Business Rewards can stack the sale with flexible fare classes introduced earlier this year, allowing date changes without fees until 30 June 2026 — a nod to lingering travel-policy caution inside multinationals.
Practical implications: mobility managers have a one-week window to lock in 2026 kick-off meetings and incentive trips at year-low pricing. Travellers heading to South America should update duty-of-care registers to reflect Chile’s visa-free entry and ensure passport validity is at least six months. Companies with carbon-offset targets may also welcome Qantas’ expanded Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) purchase option, now automatically offered at checkout on all sale fares.
Qantas International chief executive Cam Wallace said the sale responds to “record demand” and the airline’s fastest-growing international schedule since the pandemic. The group has 18 additional wide-body jets either on order or entering service by mid-2026, allowing capacity on U.S., Japan and South-East Asian routes to eclipse pre-COVID levels. Business travellers will notice a 40 per cent lift in premium-seat availability year-on-year as refurbished A380s and 787-9s re-enter the fleet.
The promotion is strategically timed around two pieces of market-moving news for Australians. First, the Chilean government has gazetted a unilateral visa-waiver that takes effect immediately, allowing Australian passport holders up to 90 days’ visa-free entry for tourism or short-term business. Santiago is Qantas’ gateway to South America (via one-stop partners) and the airline is advertising Santiago–Sydney returns from AU$1,599 to capitalise on the policy change. Chile joins Argentina and Brazil in operating visa-waiver or ETA-style entry for Australians, simplifying trans-Pacific itineraries for mining, agritech and renewable-energy executives.
Second, Qantas confirmed it will add 40 extra return flights across the Tasman this summer, mainly to Christchurch, Wellington and Queenstown, as corporate and leisure demand rebounds. SMEs using Qantas Business Rewards can stack the sale with flexible fare classes introduced earlier this year, allowing date changes without fees until 30 June 2026 — a nod to lingering travel-policy caution inside multinationals.
Practical implications: mobility managers have a one-week window to lock in 2026 kick-off meetings and incentive trips at year-low pricing. Travellers heading to South America should update duty-of-care registers to reflect Chile’s visa-free entry and ensure passport validity is at least six months. Companies with carbon-offset targets may also welcome Qantas’ expanded Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) purchase option, now automatically offered at checkout on all sale fares.
