Jetstar Asia To Cease Operations After 21 Years

June 11, 2025

SINGAPORE, 11 JUN | Low-cost carrier Jetstar Asia, based in Singapore, will cease all operations after 21 years of service on July 31, 2025. The airline first began operations on 13 December 2004 as the 2nd low-cost carrier based in Singapore, after Valuair which was later integrated into Jetstar Asia.

Only 16 intra-Asia routes will be impacted by the closure of Jetstar Asia with no changes to Jetstar Airways and Jetstar Japan services into Asia. Jetstar Airways will continue to operate its regular services between Australia and Singapore. With this closure, more than 500 employees have been affected and will lose their jobs.

Throughout the past 21 years, the airline has faced fierce competition from other low-cost carriers in the region such as Scoot and AirAsia. This has fundamentally challenged the low-cost airline"s ability to deliver returns comparable to the stronger performing core markets in the group. Prior to the closure, Jetstar Asia is expected to post a $35 million underlying EBIT loss this financial year.

The closure of Jetstar Asia will unlock up to $500 million in fleet capital to be recycled within the airline group and improve long-term returns. The airline's fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft (with average age of 13.3 years) will be progressively redeployed to core markets in Australia and New Zealand to support fleet renewal and growth and create more than 100 local jobs and more low fares, including replacing leased aircraft in Jetstar Airways' domestic operation to reduce its cost base.

Not only will this affect those who booked flights on Jetstar Asia, but also affects customers planning to book their travel to and from Singapore in the near future. With the absence of Jetstar Asia, Singapore Airlines Group will have a monopoly on several routes across Asia which could potentially increase flight prices. There are also several routes operated by Jetstar Asia solely, which will also be impacted.

Singapore to Wuxi (WUX), Okinawa (OKA), Labuan Bajo (LBJ) and Broome (BME) are currently only operated by Jetstar Asia, with no operators on the route once it terminates.

Singapore to Phuket (HKT) will only be operated by Singapore Airlines and its subsidiary, Scoot once Jetstar Asia ceases operations.

All of their other routes have another carrier on it, but most of them are only full-service carriers, with limited low-cost competition.

Jetstar Asia will continue to operate flights for the next seven weeks on a progressively reduced schedule, before its final day of operation on 31 July 2025. For those who have booked flights past 31 July, the airline will contact customers directly with the option of a full cash refund, and some customers may be offered seats on an alternative flight offered by Qantas-owned airlines, depending on what is available. Customers who booked through a travel agent or another airline should contact them instead of Jetstar Asia.

© 2025 Planeopedia LLP
Written by: Sohail Sawlani
All Rights Reserved
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Sources

- Qantas (Press Release)
- Planespotters.net
- Wikimedia Commons
- Wikipedia
- Channel News Asia