Airlines in Australia:Which are most popular?
In September 2026, Jetstar was the most searched airline in Australia, accounting for 41.5% of all searches among the four airlines we track. When we checked with ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews, Jetstar and Virgin Australia were mentioned most often, in four of the five answers. Virgin Australia was recommended most often, coming first in one out of four responses that gave a list.
JetstarShare of searches 41.5%Mentioned in 4 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 3rd
QantasShare of searches 34%Mentioned in 3 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 2nd
Virgin AustraliaShare of searches 22.9%Mentioned in 4 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 1st
RexShare of searches 1.7%Mentioned in 0 of 5 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations –
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Top airlines in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In Brandwave's three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Jetstar and Virgin Australia were mentioned most often, in four of the five answers. Virgin Australia was recommended most often, coming first in one out of four answers that gave a list. Qantas was second, and Jetstar was third. Rex, which ranked fourth in searches, was not mentioned at all.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Virgin Australia1st
- Qantas2nd
- Jetstar3rd
- Rex–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Jetstar4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Virgin Australia4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Qantas3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Rex0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about airlines
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which airline should I fly with in Australia?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best airlines in Australia?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best value airline for domestic flights in Australia?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“flights”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“cheap flights”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in Australia on October 22, 2026.
Which airlines do people search for most?
This chart shows how often people search Google for each airline by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all four airlines we track, month by month, from searches in Australia.
Share of searches by month for Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin Australia. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Jetstar | Qantas | Virgin Australia | Rex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 41.5% | 33.7% | 22.8% | 2% |
| Nov 2025 | 41.6% | 33.9% | 22.8% | 1.7% |
| Dec 2025 | 41.5% | 34% | 22.9% | 1.7% |
| Jan 2026 | 41.6% | 33.9% | 22.8% | 1.7% |
| Feb 2026 | 36.7% | 36.7% | 24.8% | 1.8% |
| Mar 2026 | 41.6% | 33.9% | 22.8% | 1.7% |
| Apr 2026 | 41.5% | 34% | 22.9% | 1.7% |
| May 2026 | 44.3% | 29.6% | 24.3% | 1.8% |
| Jun 2026 | 39.5% | 32.3% | 26.6% | 1.6% |
| Jul 2026 | 36.8% | 36.8% | 24.8% | 1.5% |
| Aug 2026 | 41.8% | 34% | 22.9% | 1.4% |
| Sep 2026 | 41.5% | 34% | 22.9% | 1.7% |
| Rank | Brand | Share of searches | Estimated monthly branded searches | vs prior month | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, held 1st | 41.5% | 1.2M | -18.7% | -0.3 points | |
| 2, held 2nd | 34% | 1M | -18% | 0 points | |
| 3, held 3rd | 22.9% | 673K | -18.2% | 0 points | |
| 4, held 4th | 1.7% | 49.5K | 0% | +0.3 points |
1.
Jetstar41.5%
Held 1st. 1.2M estimated branded searches, -18.7% vs prior month. Share -0.3 points.
2.
Qantas34%
Held 2nd. 1M estimated branded searches, -18% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
22.9%
Held 3rd. 673K estimated branded searches, -18.2% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
4.
Rex1.7%
Held 4th. 49.5K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share +0.3 points.
Which brand is most popular in search among airlines in Australia?
4 brands
In September 2026, Jetstar was the most searched among airlines in Australia, with an estimated 1.2M branded searches, 41.5% of all searches for the four we track. Qantas is in 2nd place, 7.5 percentage points behind at 34%.
| Brand | Share of searches | Peak | Low | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jetstar | 41.5% | 44.3%May 2026 | 36.7%Feb 2026 | 1st |
| Qantas | 33.7% → 34% | 36.8%Jul 2026 | 29.6%May 2026 | 2nd |
| Virgin Australia | 22.8% → 22.9% | 26.6%Jun 2026 | 22.8%Oct 2025 | 3rd |
| Rex | 2% → 1.7% | 2%Oct 2025 | 1.4%Aug 2026 | 4th |
Each finding as a sentence
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Jetstar’s share of searches among airlines in Australia peaked at 44.3% in May 2026 and was lowest at 36.7% in February 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Qantas’ share of searches among airlines in Australia peaked at 36.8% in July 2026 and was lowest at 29.6% in May 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Virgin Australia’s share of searches among airlines in Australia peaked at 26.6% in June 2026 and was lowest at 22.8% in October 2025.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin Australia and Rex held steady: their share of searches among airlines in Australia each moved less than 0.5 percentage points.
How did search popularity change for Australia airlines in September 2026?
4 changes
Virgin Australia’s share of searches among airlines in Australia has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 26.6% to 22.9% in September 2026.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Rex in Australia fell 33.1% over 12 measured months, from 74K to 49.5K in September 2026.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Jetstar in Australia fell 18.7% over 12 measured months, from 1.5M to 1.2M in September 2026.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Qantas in Australia fell 18% over 12 measured months, from 1.2M to 1M in September 2026.
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