The Connecting Queensland Fund 2025–2029 will support growth of service frequency, capacity and development of new international aviation routes into Queensland’s international airports.

About the fund

On 1 June 2025, the Queensland Government announced the Connecting Queensland Fund (CQF) as a key strategic priority under Destination 2045: Delivering Queensland’s tourism future. Destination 2045 is a 20-year plan to make Queensland a must-visit destination for domestic and international travellers. Destination 2045 aims to double the total visitor economy to $84 billion by 2045 and deliver lasting benefits to Queensland communities.

CQF is a partnership with the private sector to secure more direct international and domestic flights into and around Queensland and to rebuild and grow Queensland’s visitor economy with improved domestic connections to regional tourism attractions. This will provide more seats, more visitors (including international students), increased visitor expenditure, and support more jobs while also providing additional freight capacity for Queensland produce and other exports.

Private sector partnership

Under this partnership, the Queensland Government is providing a $75 million investment in CQF which will be at a minimum matched dollar-for-dollar by the private sector to secure more flights and grow Queensland’s $6 billion international tourism industry and $36 billion domestic tourism industry. The CQF will prioritise applications for new strategic air routes that are sustainable to ensure consistency in connections available.

The primary focus of CQF is to create and fund Queensland’s integrated aviation attraction strategy, in which government, airports, marketing bodies, other private sector entities and airlines work together to build deep aviation relationships, targeting sustainable routes while remaining agile and responsive to changing circumstances.

Applications

Applications for funding are considered on the merits of the route and how it meets the fund’s mandatory criteria.

Routes for consideration must demonstrate:

  • How the route will grow visitation from priority source markets – markets that are forecast to deliver above average growth in visitor expenditure in Queensland
  • Growth and long-term sustainability
  • How the government’s potential commitment leverages contributions from other partners to match funding requested
  • How the proposed route supports other opportunities and beneficiaries, including tourism, exports, airfreight, international education, trade and investment.

Mandatory criteria

The application will be assessed against the following criteria:

  • Strategic Investment – must represent a strategic benefit to Queensland’s aviation development and the Queensland economy.
  • Value for money – must represent the best value for money, achieving the greatest outcome at the least cost and risk to taxpayers.
  • Performance based – must demonstrate strong accountability safeguards to ensure risk is managed appropriately.
  • Evidence based – the route development proposal must justify the amount of support requested and methodology and data must be clearly outlined.
  • Matched funding – only proposals which have matched industry funding will be considered.
  • Incentivises viability, sustainability and growth – new or expanded services and long-term sustainability from key markets.

Roles and responsibilities

  • Airports are primarily responsible for initiating new route development proposals, with regular dialogue between airports, the department and Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) regarding new route priorities.
  • The department will work with airports to consider alignment of a new or expanded route to the fund criteria and discuss any potential issues.
  • The department and TEQ will work with airports to consider the level and type of marketing for the route development proposal.
  • The airport will usually be the proponent under the fund, working in partnership with airlines and industry partners.
  • Equality of opportunity – all Queensland airports are eligible to prepare a route development proposal.
  • Merit based assessment – applications will be assessed on merit against the fund’s eligibility criteria and other submissions.
  • Confidentiality – the department and TEQ will respect and protect the confidentiality of discussions with airports.

This fund builds on the success of the Attracting Aviation Investment Fund, connecting Queensland with the world.

Supported services

Announcements of resumed and new services secured through the fund include:

International Services

  • Qantas – Auckland to Gold Coast
  • Fiji Airways – Nadi to Gold Coast
  • Air New Zealand – Auckland to Brisbane
  • Air New Zealand - Christchurch to Brisbane
  • China Southern – Guangzhou to Brisbane
  • China Eastern – Shanghai to Brisbane
  • Jetstar – Singapore-Denpasar to Sunshine Coast

Domestic Services

  • Jetstar - Western Sydney to Gold Coast
  • Jetstar - Western Sydney to Brisbane
  • Qantas - Western Sydney to Brisbane

More Information

Contact details for the CQF Secretariat are:

Email: aviation@detsi.qld.gov.au

Contact:  Chief Aviation Advisor, Tourism Division, DETSI