After an absence of close to two years, Jetstar Asia is to resume flying between Singapore and Darwin in December. Jetstar Asia is scheduling the thrice-weekly flights to restart on December 20.

Jetstar Asia to fly three times weekly between Singapore & Darwin

Until the travel downturn and border closures curtailed flights, Darwin was a handy jumping-off point for Jetstar and Jetstar Asia flights into Southeast Asia. In addition to the Singapore flights, Jetstar operated a rather neat short flight to Denpasar.

But all that stopped in March 2020. Now Jetstar is pleased to be reinstating at least one of those routes.

“With Singapore’s strong vaccination rate and Australia on track to see 80% of the

population vaccinated by the end of the year, we’re starting to plan the restart of our

international flights between these COVID-safe destinations,” Jetstar Asia CEO, Bara Pasupathi, said.

Commencing Monday, December 20, Jetstar Asia will start sending an Airbus A320-200 plane down to Darwin every Monday, Thursday, and Friday. The four and a half hour flight departs Singapore at 22:40 and arrives in Darwin just in time for sleep-deprived sunrise at 04:45 the following morning.

Jetstar Asia flights to Singapore kick off on Tuesday, December 21, and after that flies every Friday, Saturday, and Tuesday. Get yourself to bed early because Jetstar Asia flight 3K162 pushes back from Darwin at 05:30 before arriving into Singapore at 08:30 in time for brunch.

Jetstar-Asia-Singapore-Darwin
Source: GCMap.com

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The countdown is on to quarantine-free travel between Singapore & Australia

Jetstar Asia's all economy narrowbody Airbus aircraft are perfectly comfortable for a short morning flight. The overnighter down from Singapore might be a bit gruelling, but the flights are well-timed for a long weekend away in either city. Jetstar Asia said since first beginning to fly the Singapore - Darwin route in 2008, they've carried 1.2 million passengers on the sector.

"With the Qantas Group planning to recommence services into Singapore as soon as  travel bubble is formed, we are also looking forward to being able to connect customers to our fantastic Southeast Asian network once again while helping restore Singapore’s position as a leading global air hub,” adds Mr Pasupathi.

The likelihood of Australia allowing its citizens to come and go from selected countries by Christmas is increasing by the day. December 17 is flagged at the let-go date - when the continually extended ban on citizens leaving the country next expires.

Singapore has spent most of 2020 trying to negotiate a quarantine-free travel corridor with Australia. However, despite the PR spin, Australian authorities have been decidedly slow in getting one organized.

Now the countdown is on, and airlines are betting Singaporeans and Australians will be able to freely move between the two countries in December.

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With friendly service, Jetstar's short-haul daylight flights are a perfectly pleasant way to fly. Photo: Jetstar

Qantas reboots Singapore flights from mid-December

Jetstar parent airline Qantas is going double daily to Singapore from Sydney from December 18. Qantas is also rescheduling flights to Singapore from Melbourne and Brisbane from the same date - although the Brisbane flights may yet get axed unless the Queensland Government lifts its border bans.

Qantas, as it historically has done, is leaving the Darwin - Singapore sector to Jetstar Asia. Jetstar Asia notes the resumption of flights to Darwin remains contingent on present barriers to travel disappearing by December. As part of Jetstar's fly flexible policy, all passengers are allowed one fee-free date change.

We will remain flexible, but based on the pace of the vaccine rollout, we want to make sure we’re ready to reconnect family and friends," the Jetstar Asia CEO said.

Following the resumption of Jetstar Asia flights to Darwin, the Singapore-based airline is eyeing rolling out flights to other Australian destinations. Jetstar Asia's flights between Singapore and Darwin are now bookable on the Jetstar website.