State Government tips in $4 million to extend regional airfares zone cap scheme to mid-2026

The State Government has allocated an extra $4 million to the regional airfares zone cap scheme to extend the program to mid-2026.

The government on Friday said a review of the scheme and renegotiation of terms would start in the middle of this year, with the six-month extension until mid-2026 ensuring there would be no gap in the service while this occurred.

The scheme introduced in July 2022 allows residents of WA regional towns to buy return fares between their location and Perth at reduced rates from a range of airlines.

The program prices tickets from towns with 1000km of Perth at $199 one-way, and $299 one-way from towns more than 1000km away from the State capital.

The government said regional residents had embraced the scheme, with more than 420,000 capped airfares having been flown, significantly reducing the cost of return flights to Perth for personal reasons, including for specialist appointments and family visits.