Australia's Best Domestic Budget Airlines: Travel to Top 9 Destinations for Less!

Most cities in Australia are quite far apart, making air travel a necessity, but flights between them often don't take too long. This has made "budget airlines" a popular choice for locals. There are 3 main budget airlines operating domestically in Australia: Tiger Airways, Jetstar Airways, and Virgin Australia.

Today, I'll be introducing an overview of Australian domestic air routes and recommended flight comparison websites, making your travels within Australia even smoother!

1. Overview of Australian Domestic Air Routes

When deciding to travel with a budget airline, one might wonder, "Which budget airlines fly to my destination?" and "Which budget airlines stop in my departure city?"

To help answer these questions, I have listed the 9 main cities served by budget airlines in Australia: Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin, and Cairns. By checking the "departure city" and "arrival city" columns, you can quickly find out which budget airlines operate on your desired route. The table focuses on direct flights to make booking easier.

Departure Arrival	Sydney	Brisbane	Gold Coast	Melbourne	Perth	Adelaide	Hobart	Darwin	Cairns
Sydney		Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Jetstar Virgin	Jetstar Virgin	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin
Brisbane	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin		None	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Virgin	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Jetstar Virgin	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin
Gold Coast	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	None		Tigerair Jetstar	Jetstar	Jetstar Virgin	Jetstar Virgin	None	Jetstar
Melbourne	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Tigerair Jetstar		Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Jetstar Virgin	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin
Perth	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Virgin	Jetstar	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin		Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	None	Virgin	Jetstar
Adelaide	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Jetstar Virgin	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin		None	Jetstar	Jetstar
Hobart	Jetstar Virgin	Jetstar Virgin	Jetstar Virgin	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	None	None		None	None
Darwin	Jetstar Virgin	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	None	Jetstar Virgin	Virgin	Jetstar	None		Jetstar
Cairns	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Jetstar	Tigerair Jetstar Virgin	Jetstar	Jetstar	None	Jetstar

It's worth noting that Brisbane and the Gold Coast are geographically close, and you can travel between them via public transportation. For more details on public transportation options, refer to the "Brisbane and Gold Coast Public Transport Guide."

2. Comparing Australian Budget Airlines

What if there's no direct flight? Which budget airline is the cheapest?

Although direct flights between two cities are generally the cheapest option, as the table above shows, some Australian cities don't have direct budget airline connections. In these cases, you'll need to make a stopover. In this section, I'll next introduce one main popular budget airline comparison engines in Australia: Skyscanner. The website not only allows you to find budget airline combinations for cities worldwide, but also compares prices to display the lowest available fares. I personally love using it so much!

Skyscanner

Skyscanner is the world's largest flight comparison platform and is also popular in Australia. Australians often use it to book flights, as it compares prices from budget airlines, traditional airlines, and many local third-party booking platforms. If you're booking a flight in Australia, Skyscanner is a must-use tool!

(Skyscanner also has a handy calendar and chart price feature, making it easy to see the lowest prices on any given day. This is particularly useful for travelers with flexible dates. Additionally, you can change the language and currency settings in the top right corner, making the site very convenient.)

In conclusion, this article provides an overview of domestic budget airline routes in Australia, as well as helpful tips for comparing prices and searching for flights. Budget airlines are a practical and popular choice in Australia, and with proper research, they can save you time and money during your travels. Happy traveling!