Regional Airfare Zone Cap

The Regional Airfare Zone Cap (Zone Cap) is a State Government initiative allowing WA regional residents to access a capped airfare for personal travel on eligible routes to and from Perth, subject to seat availability.

Who is eligible for Zone Cap fares and where can you travel?

• To be eligible to purchase Zone Cap fares you must be a regional resident of Western Australia. Regional residents are people who live outside of the Perth and Peel regions. 
   
• The Zone Cap airfares are for personal travel to Perth only, and not for business travel or for travel where the airfare is paid by your employer. If you plan to travel for business, you will need to buy a retail fare, or a community airfare, if available.
   
• Zone Cap fares must be booked as a return fare with travel originating from a regional destination, listed in the tables below, to Perth and back to the same regional destination. You will also be required to tick a declaration during the booking process stating that you are eligible for a Zone Cap fare. 
   
• The Zone Cap is designed so regional residents travel from their nearest airport; however, some exceptions will apply for those living in between two airports. For example, a Leonora resident will qualify for the Zone Cap fare when flying from Leonora or Kalgoorlie to Perth. Fitzroy Crossing residents will be able to purchase Zone Cap fare tickets from Broome or Kununurra to Perth.
   
• The Zone Cap fares are available on regional air routes directly operating to Perth, along with a few locations that don’t have a non-stop air route to Perth but have a stopover on the way (for example Perth-Laverton-Leonora). The eligible locations are listed in the tables below.
   
• Zone Cap fares only apply on direct or triangulated flights to Perth and return. The Zone Cap fares are not available for connecting flights booked as separate tickets.

Tickets for Zone Cap fares are available through the airlines.

Note: To get the Zone Cap fare you will need to book a resident fare with your airline. This resident fare will be capped at either $199 or $299 for eligible regional WA residents.

Step 1: Register with the relevant airline to access the Zone Cap fares through their respective resident fare program. 

You can find out more information through the links below, or by calling the following phone numbers:

• Airnorth - call 1800 627 474
• Nexus Airlines - the resident fare price option will be displayed when you search for your flight (link below) or call (08) 6155 4500
• Qantas Airways - you will need to join the Qantas Frequent Flyer program (link below) or call 13 13 13 (the program is free of charge for regional residents)
• Rex - the resident fare price option will be displayed when you search for your flight (link below)
• Skippers Aviation - call 1300 729 924
• Virgin Australia - you will need to join the Velocity Frequent Flyer program (link below) or call 13 67 89 (the program is free of charge for regional residents)

Step 2: Log into the airline’s resident fare portal or call them using the details above, to access a Zone Cap fare. The Zone Cap fare must be booked on a return basis. 

Step 3: Once you have your Zone Cap fare ticket, travel as you usually would. There is nothing else that you have do to in respect of your Zone Cap fare after you have flown.

The State Government has committed $40.5 million over three years until June 2025, to deliver the Regional Airfare Zone Cap scheme.  The Zone Cap fares make air travel to and from Perth more affordable and help increase the liveability for regional WA residents.

The Zone Cap is a partnership between the State Government and six airlines: Airnorth, Nexus Airlines, Qantas Airways, Rex, Skippers Aviation and Virgin Australia. The scheme builds on each of the airlines’ resident fare programs by reducing their resident fare prices to the Zone Cap fare of $199 for people living within 1,000 km (by road) from Perth or $299 for people living beyond 1,000 km from Perth. This means that regional residents will never have to pay more than the Zone Cap fare when they travel to Perth (subject to seat availability).  

To participate in the scheme, each airline needed to apply to the State Government and have a regional resident airfare program in place. 

Regional residents will still be able to access fares below the Zone Cap prices, such as sale fares. 

To access Zone Cap fares, residents will need to book a return fare with travel commencing in the regions. 

• The Zone Cap fares must be booked on a return basis. 
• The specific terms and conditions of an airline’s Zone Cap fare vary between airlines. For example, the number of resident fares you can purchase per year or the number of flight changes you can make free of charge may vary depending on the airline.
• Some resident fares are non-refundable. Please check with the airline before booking your flight. 

What will happen if I need to change the date of my return flight?

• Passengers can make one flight change free of charge when travelling on a Zone Cap fare. Some airlines may offer additional changes, with or without a fee. Please check the terms and conditions of your specific fare before you book.

How many trips per year can I book using the Zone Cap fare?

• In most cases, there are no limits on the number of Zone Cap fares which passengers can book. Where an airline does have a limit on the number of Zone Cap fares, a passenger can choose to fly with another airline if more than one airline operates on the route. 

Does the Zone Cap apply all year round or is it only for flights at non-peak times?

• The Zone Cap fare applies all year-round, including during peak times, such as public and school holidays, subject to seat availability. 
• If seats are not available on your preferred flight, you can consider other options, such as a different departure time or day, or flying with an alternative airline if possible.

Why do I have to be part of the respective airline program?

• Some airlines use their loyalty program to establish and check if you are eligible for the Zone Cap fare. 
• This allows them to use the address you supplied to them to ensure that you receive the right airfare price when booking a resident fare.

Do I need to be a member of the airline’s resident fare program in order to access the Zone Cap fares? What if I need to travel urgently and don’t have time to sign up to the program?

• To access Zone Cap fares, you are required to be a member of the resident fare program of the respective airline and have an address that corresponds to the applicable regional area. 
• If you are not a member of an airline’s resident fare program and need to travel urgently, please contact the airline to assess what fare options there may be for you.

Will it cost me any money to be part of the airline residential fare program?

• No. Airlines that usually charge to join their scheme/loyalty program are waiving the joining fee for people seeking to access Zone Cap fares. Check with the airline for more information.