In massive news for travel to the Philippines, Jetstar intends to launch new routes between Australia and the Southeast Asian nation – specifically Brisbane-Cebu and Perth-Manila flights – in November this year.
If it goes ahead, the new Brisbane-Cebu service would mark the only nonstop link between Australia and the Philippines’ second-largest city, Cebu City – and the only direct flights to the Philippines outside of Manila.
The Perth-Manila service would join Philippine Airlines flights on the same route.
A new service to Cebu would also boost tourism to the country, much of which is based in and around the province of Cebu – like Bohol, famous for its Chocolate Hills and tarsiers, and Cebu itself, which is renowned for its beaches and culture.
In a letter from Qantas Executive Manager, Policy Industry and International Affairs Anna Pritchard to the International Air Services Commission (IASC), an application for capacity states that Jetstar plans to launch the routes from 27 November 2025, with each service running three times per week.
“The services will be operated with an Airbus 321NEO configured with 232 seats,” the letter says.
With the application of 696 weekly seats on the routes, Qantas states that capacity would be fully used by 8 February 2026 and may be utilised by Qantas, Jetstar or another carrier wholly owned by Qantas Group.
According to the document, Brisbane-Cebu flights (JQ101) would operate on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday, departing BNE at 12.30pm and arriving at CEB at 5.15pm (local time). The return flight (JQ100) would depart on the same day, leaving CEB at 7.15pm and landing at 4am the next day.
Perth-Manila flights (JQ81) would operate on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, departing PER at 9.30pm and arriving in MNL at 4.35am. Return legs would run on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, flying out at 6am and touching down at 1pm.
Currently, Qantas operates 11 weekly flights to Manila, with a daily Sydney-Manila service and a four-times-weekly Brisbane-Manila service.
Philippine Airlines also flies from Manila to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, while low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific flies from the Philippine capital to Sydney and Melbourne.
Jetstar’s last flights to the Philippines were in 2010, when it flew between Darwin and Manila.
Karryon has contacted Jetstar for further comment. For more information on the airline, visit www.jetstar.com.
The Aussie carrier’s most recent new route – between Sydney and Port Vila (Vanuatu) launched in December 2024.
