International air travel is returning to Broome Airport for the first time since the COVID pandemic, with Jetstar Asia announcing on Thursday a direct route to Singapore.
The seasonal service will operate in the dry season — from June 25 to October 26, 2024 — and offer two return flights per week.
It is then slated to resume from April in 2025.
One-way fares beginning from $145 are being offered from 10am on Thursday as part of the promotion of the new route, which Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti described as a significant breakthrough.
“This Singapore to Broome service presents an incredible opportunity to turbocharge international visitor numbers to Australia’s North West, and inject millions into the region’s accommodation, hospitality and tourism businesses,” she said.
“It will also provide a new international entry point into Western Australia and offer many more itinerary options for overseas visitors from around the world, through Singapore’s Changi Airport as a major global hub, to help transform how visitors explore our magnificent state.”
Jetstar Asia is a low-cost carrier based out of Changi Airport and majority owned (51 per cent) by Singaporean company Westbrook Investments.
The remaining 49 per cent is held by Qantas Group, which is solely responsible for Australian budget carrier Jetstar Airways.
SilkAir — the regional wing of Singapore Airlines — began flying between Broome and Singapore in May 2018, marking the first international route to the Kimberley hotspot in more than two decades.
But the service was cancelled when COVID shut the State’s borders and has not returned.
Jetstar Asia chief executive John Simeone said the route highlighted the carrier’s commitment “to providing customers with a diverse range of destinations and incredible travel experiences”.
“Just over four hours away from Singapore, Broome is an amazing destination for those looking for a holiday of a lifetime,” he said.
Changi Airport Group executive vice president Lim Ching Kiat said Broome was the eighth Australian city now flying direct to Singapore.
“With Jetstar also launching Perth to Singapore services later this year, travellers will have even more options to travel between Western Australia and Singapore, as well as connecting to cities in the region,” he said.
