Current fleet QantasLink flights, except those flown by the Embraer E190s, are operated by the individual airlines that make up the group – National Jet Systems, Network Aviation and Sunstate Airlines. All flights use QF
IATA codes. All airlines except Network Aviation operate under the
ICAO callsign QLK ("Q-LINK"). Until 5 January 2009, Sunstate operated under its own callsign, and in 2025 for National Jet Systems.
Network Aviation aircraft continue to operate under their own callsign NWK ("NETLINK"). , QantasLink operates the following aircraft:
Fleet development Throughout the mid 2000s, QantasLink increased capacity by replacing many of its smaller Dash 8-100 and Q200 aircraft with
Q400s. QantasLink continued to acquire the Q400 despite landing gear problems experienced by other airlines during this period. This problem also saw a grounding of five Q400s during August 2010, though all were deemed safe and returned to service. From 2005, QantasLink 717 services in Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory and Tasmania were contracted to National Jet Systems, using the QantasLink brand. The hubs for QantasLink under the contract are in
Perth,
Cairns,
Brisbane,
Sydney,
Canberra, and
Hobart. In December 2005, as part of its further expansion, QantasLink entered the South Australian market with flights from
Adelaide to
Port Lincoln and
Kangaroo Island. Interstate flights were also introduced between Kangaroo Island and
Melbourne. Due to low passenger loads, services to Kangaroo Island ceased operation at the end of June 2006. On 1 August 2006, Qantas replaced its daily Melbourne-
Launceston mainline service with a three times daily QantasLink Dash 8 service. This has now been increased to a four times daily service, supplemented in peak service periods by QantasLink 717 services. In May 2008, QantasLink announced that it would order nine mid-life 717s. In mid August 2008, it was announced that
Tamworth would be the first New South Wales regional airport to be serviced by the Q400. On 8 December 2009, QantasLink announced that it would re-enter the Adelaide to Port Lincoln market from February 2010, using Q400 aircraft flying 23 return services a week. On 29 March 2010, QantasLink and the Qantas Group announced that it would start the first international QantasLink route, from Cairns to
Port Moresby, utilising Q400 aircraft already based in Cairns. The service commenced in July 2010. A QantasLink spokesperson stated that "the airline would not turn into a fully fledged international airline, but could operate international routes in the future". In November 2014, QantasLink became the first airline to fly to the newly opened Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport, establishing direct Q400 services to Sydney. In February 2016 as a result of strong demand, QantasLink increased weekly services by two flights to fifteen weekly returns. On 18 December 2014, QantasLink announced that it would add
Whyalla, South Australia, to its network, with double daily flights to commence on 13 April 2015. The route is serviced by the 50-seat Q300. In July 2016,
Alliance Airlines delivered the first of three additional Fokker 100s, with two more delivered by the end of the year. In December 2017, QantasLink announced a resumption of flights from both Melbourne and Adelaide to Kangaroo Island after a 11 year hiatus. Network Aviation has steadily increased its use of ex-Jetstar Airbus A320s with a current fleet of 15. In December 2021, Qantas announced an initial order for 20
Airbus A220-300 aircraft with additional purchase options to replace its Boeing 717. On 29 June, Qantas announced it was exercising 9 purchase right options for the A220-300, taking the total number of A220-300s on firm order to 29, which will begin arriving from late 2023 to 2027. In February 2023, Qantas announced an order for 5 mid-life Airbus A319 aircraft to increase short term capacity and support the growth of the resource sector in Western Australia for delivery from 2024. Qantas announced in February 2024, following a strong performance in the resources sector that 4 additional A319 aircraft had been purchased, bringing the total to 9. On 25 June 2024, Qantas announced an order for 14 mid-life Dash 8-400 (Q400) aircraft to begin phasing out the Q200 and Q300 aircraft. However due to a shortage of aircraft around the network, the last 717, VH-YQW, got an unexpected re-activation. The aircraft flew between Perth and Paraburdoo from the 6th to 26 November, Sydney to Hobart on select days until 11 December and lastly Melbourne and Canberra on select days until 29 December. The aircraft was retired on 30 December 2024, being ferried from Canberra to Brisbane. The aircraft was donated to the Qantas Group Engineering Academy to be used as a training aid. On 28 October 2024, QantasLink and
Skytrans announced a partnership for the operation of Lord Howe Island flights. This would see QantasLink's three De Haviland Canada Dash 8-200 acquired by Skytrans for them to carry out these operations until March 2030. These flights will be code-shared by Qantas, with the flights to operate out of Qantas Terminal 3 at Sydney Airport. On 16 May 2025, QantasLink operated its last flight with the Q200, it flew between Lord Howe Island and Sydney as QF2265. All of the Q200 aircraft are now registered with Skytrans, however the Qantas flight number will continue to be used on the Lord Howe Island route until the end of the route license transition period on 25 February 2026. To commemorative the retirement of the Q300, QantasLink operated QLK300, a celebratory flight for staff and crew, where the aircraft completed a scenic flight around Sydney and the Harbour Bridge. Following this flight,
Eastern Australia Airlines is no longer the registered operator of any aircraft on behalf of
Qantas, with all regional turboprop flights operated by
Sunstate Airlines Q400 aircraft. File:QantasLink (National Jet Systems) British Aerospace BAe-146-100 PER Smith-1.jpg|
BAe 146–100 in 2003 File:QantasLink (Southern Australia Airlines) British Aerospace BAe 146-200A CBR Gilbert.jpg|
BAe 146–200 in 2003 File:VH-NJN 146-300 QF Airlink-Natl Jet PER 29SEP99 (6050717687).jpg|
BAe 146–300 in 1999 (operating as Airlink) File:Qantaslink VH-YQY Boeing 717-2K9 Melbourne International Airport (MEL YMML) (50589266778).jpg|
Boeing 717–200 in 2017 File:Bombardier Dash 8-102, QantasLink (Eastern Australia Airlines) JP324823.jpg|
De Havilland Canada Dash 8-100 in 2004 File:QantasLink (VH-TQX) de Havilland Canada DHC-8-202Q Dash 8 at Sydney Airport.jpg|
De Havilland Canada Dash 8-200 in 2018 File:Qantaslink VH-SBG De Havilland Canada DHC-8-300 Dash 8 8Q Melbourne International Airport (MEL YMML) (51812836100).jpg|
De Havilland Canada Dash 8-300 in 2022 ==Destinations==