New routes, more flights from Launceston Airport
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By Andrew Curran.
Launceston Airport is adding two new destinations to its departures board, with Link Airways about to start Launceston (LST) – Canberra (CBR) flights and Sharp Airlines saying it will begin non-stop services between Tasmania's second largest city and King Island (KNS).
Link Airways announced its new flights in late February. However, Sharp Airlines only announced its new service late last week.
No other airline currently flies either route. Both new services offer passengers an alternative to connecting through Melbourne (MEL) when flying between Launceston and Canberra, or Burnie (BWT) when flying between Launceston and King Island.
Link Airways to fly to Launceston from Canberra
The Link Airways flights begin on May 6, 2026, and will operate four times weekly using Saab 340Bs. The service will be the airline’s first and only scheduled service to Launceston Airport. However, Link Airways has an established presence at Canberra Airport, flying to Hobart (HBA) and Newcastle (NTL) year-round and seasonally to Coffs Harbour (CFS).
Launceston Airport CEO Katie Cooper said the flights would provide passengers and exporters with another direct link to the mainland.
“Starting with a year-round four days a week service shows the level of commitment that Link has to the Launceston market,” she said.
The media material released by the airport confirms that Link Airways’ Launceston flights are happening with Tasmanian State Government support.
Sharp Airlines builds out its Launceston operations
Launceston Airport is an existing base for Sharp Airlines, from where it flies to Burnie (BWT) and Flinders Island (FLS). It adds King Island to the list on May 1.
“This new non-stop service marks an important step forward in regional connectivity, reducing travel time between Launceston and King Island to just 55 minutes,” the airline’s website reads.
The twice-weekly round-trips will be the first time Launceston and King Island have had a non-stop scheduled air service. Sharp Airlines flies 19 passenger Fairchild-Swearingen Metroliner aircraft.
The airline says the route will provide improved access for King Islanders travelling to Launceston for appointments, services and retail; more efficient travel for business and professional services; and greater convenience for visitors flying to King Island.
Launceston Airport’s Head of Commercial Jana Goelz said the airport was pleased to have Sharp Airlines expanding its Launceston offering.
“Not only will this open up faster passenger and cargo connections to King Island, but Launceston Airport's growing domestic schedule provides the opportunity for easy onward connections for passengers to and from capital cities across mainland Australia,” she said.
Growth at Launceston Airport
Launceston is Tasmania’s second busiest passenger airport, and Australia’s 11th busiest, according to the most recent Australian Government statistics. The airport processed 146,500 passengers in December 2025 and 1,465,930 passengers across calendar 2025.
Launceston handles a mixture of scheduled passenger, charter, cargo, aeromedical, government and private aircraft. Qantas, Jetstar, and Virgin Australia operate scheduled flights to mainland airports and dedicated freight aircraft regularly move in and out of Launceston.
In addition, the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Tasmanian Division) has a base and aircraft there and has just started building a new multi-million-dollar aeromedical facility at the airport.
Photo: Launceston Airport
Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific.co