AUSTRALIAN AVIATION: What’s on the horizon for Air Travel in 2025?

With 2024 about to end, it is time to look at what might await the Australian airline industry in 2025. We have some things to look forward to.

Greener skies ahead in 2025

Good news for those who care about the planet—airlines are stepping up their game regarding sustainability.

In Australia, expect to see a more significant push for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), which can slash emissions by up to 80% compared to the usual stuff.

Qantas and Virgin Australia lead the charge, pouring money into SAF programs and carbon offsets. Qantas has partnered with biofuel producers to develop robust supply chains, while Virgin Australia is trialling SAF on selected domestic routes.

There’s exciting chatter about electric and hybrid planes, which sounded pie-in-the-sky only a while ago. Imagine short-hop flights between Sydney and Canberra powered by electricity—still a way off, but they’re now on the horizon.

2025 brings non-stop flights to faraway places

Let’s face it: Australia is a long way from just about everywhere. That’s why ultra-long-haul flights are such a game-changer.

In 2025, airlines are ramping up these marathon routes—not just Sydney to London non-stop, thanks to Qantas’ ‘long delayed ‘Project Sunrise.’

Turkish Airlines plans direct Sydney and Melbourne flights to Istanbul, possibly before Project Sunrise even launches. British Airways is said to be sniffing a direct kangaroo route, and the industry is speculating that other airlines have ultra-long-haul non-stop flights in their sights.

Expect direct flights between the East Coast of Australia and the East Coast of America, both North and South, from 2025, although they will probably actually land in 2026.

Flying gets some 2025 tech improvements

Air travel is about to get a lot smoother and more personal. Australian airlines are rolling out new in-flight entertainment systems, better, or just Wi-Fi on international flights, and even services tailored to your preferences.

Qantas is introducing seat-back screens with customizable playlists, while Jetstar is testing augmented reality apps for virtual sightseeing during flights.

You’ll also see more biometric check-ins and digital boarding passes—picture walking through the airport with just your smartphone or a quick facial scan—which means less time fumbling with paperwork and more time enjoying your trip.

Maybe not so welcomed if you care about your privacy.

Bargain flights on the rise in 2025

You may be in luck if you’re looking to save a buck. Budget airlines like Jetstar are expanding their routes, making it easier and sometimes cheaper to jet off to spots in Southeast Asia or the Pacific.

Improved access to Australian skies by Middle Eastern airlines like Qatar Airways will commence in 2025, pending regulatory approval. Virgin Australia is returning to long-haul international flying via a wet lease and codeshare agreements with Virgin Australia. It will add over 20 additional services between Abu Dhabi and Australia each week.

That should add to the downward pressure on airfares, along with the greater availability of aircraft and engines and improvements to supply-chain bottlenecks.

However, with Bonza’s demise and REX’s clipped wings, don’t expect much of a reduction in the cost of domestic and regional flights.

Dark shadows on the horizon

Another pandemic is predicted, and we may even be seeing its first signs.

Bird flu is becoming endemic in most continents and has spread from animals to humans. The way these things progress, it won’t be long before the virus has adapted for human-to-human transmission.

If that happens, the world will have to deal with a new pandemic virus. But this time around, people will be much less willing to accept infection controls like lockdowns and travel isolation.

More positively, we now have better and more adaptable weapons against viruses. The techniques of the mRNA vaccines, used to prevent the more unsavoury aspects of COVID-19, allow rapid vaccine development when faced with a new viral pandemic.

2PAXfly Takeout

We won’t be seeing anything as revolutionary as the Airbus A380 superjumbo in our skies in 2025, but we will see some incremental improvements.

Supply chain issues, especially in the equipment area, should start to ease. However, shortages of specialised personnel, such as aircraft engineers and pilots, will take longer.

Airfares should at least stabilise, and the same is true for demand. Expect to see more options for the traveller, some quicker and some cheaper. However, it’s unlikely that those two trends will be found in the same airfare!

Happy flying for 2025!