Jetstar vs Rex: Airline Comparison Guide

Deciding between Jetstar and Rex? These two Australian airlines are often compared, but in reality, they're very different. Depending on your travel needs, one may be better suited to you than the other. We'll be discussing the standout features of each airline, including their destinations, economy class, ticket flexibility, punctuality and more.

Here's what to know before you book 👇

✨ Quick answer: Jetstar vs Rex?

• Jetstar offers domestic and international flights. It's a low-cost airline getting you from Australia to Oceania and Asia for less. It's perfect for families looking for affordable flights that allow them to spend more while away.
• Rex flies regionally. It's often referred to as a commuter airline, helping passengers get across Australia in no time at all. It's ideal for business travellers who want to skip on long car drives between destinations.

At a glance

Destinations and global reach 📏

• Jetstar flies to around 35 destinations. 22 of these are domestic, while 13 are international. Its flights travel to and from locations in Oceania and Asia. It also offers flights to Hawaii.
• Rex flies to around 55 regional destinations across Australia. Some of the locations it flies to include Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

Reputation 🗣️

• Jetstar is a 3-star low-cost airline on Skytrax. This is the average airline score. It ensures an adequate level of service and a satisfactory flight experience, especially considering the price. ⭐⭐⭐
• Rex doesn't currently have an official Skytrax rating. However, it has a 3.5 score on Tripadvisor. This is a standard score, indicating that the public has neutral leaning towards positive opinions on the airline. ⭐⭐⭐

Service style & brand differences ⚖️

• Jetstar is a low-cost airline. It allows customers to fly for less money. It does this by stripping your flight down to the basics. Its most popular and cheapest fares cut the price by excluding items like checked baggage.
• Rex is a commuter airline. It provides an essential service between regional destinations, which would otherwise take several hours by car.

Economy comparison

Baggage allowance 🎒

• Jetstar gives you a 7kg carry-on bag allowance, which can be split between 2 bags. Taking any additional luggage will incur an extra charge. Alternatively, if you purchase an Economy Plus ticket, you'll be entitled to a free 20kg checked bag.
• Rex allows its economy customers to take a 7kg carry-on bag free of charge. If you purchase a Community, Promo, or Saver Economy ticket, you can also bring a 15kg checked bag. Those who buy the Flex Economy fare can bring a checked bag weighing up to 23kg.

Fare rules are often changing. While the information above is currently up-to-date, we still recommend double-checking the fare rules of each airline.

Choosing your seat 💺

• Jetstar requires you to pay a small extra fee to choose your ticket if you've booked the Starter Fare (cheapest fare). If you've selected the Starter Plus, you'll be allowed to choose a standard seat. Whereas if you've chosen a Flex ticket, you'll get to pick an upfront or standard seat. Those who have gone with the Flex Plus fare option can choose from any economy seat.
• Rex requires you to pay a small extra fee if you want to select your seat for most economy classes. However, if you've booked a Saver or Flex ticket, then you'll be able to choose a standard seat without any additional costs. If you want a seat with extra legroom, then regardless of your economy class, you'll have to pay a small added fee.

In-flight food 🍽️

• Jetstar offers food to purchase should you need a snack or drink. If you have a Starter Plus or Flex Plus ticket, in-flight food and beverages will be included without any extra costs.
• Rex offers complimentary food and drink onboard its flights. This includes a snack, tea/coffee and water.

Ticket flexibility 🔁

• Jetstar allows you to change the date and time of your ticket, provided you give sufficient notice. However, a change fee will be applied unless you have a Flex or Flex Plus ticket, in which case changes can be made without cost. If you wish to cancel your flight, unless you have a Flex or Flex Plus ticket, you won't get any of your money back. When you cancel with a Flex or Flex Plus ticket, your refund will be in the form of a credit voucher.
• Rex doesn't allow you to change your flight date or time if you have a Community ticket, whereas Promo and Saver tickets permit changes, however, at a cost. If you have a Resident or Flex ticket, you can change free of charge up to 60 minutes before scheduled departure. If you wish to cancel your flight, you won't be refunded with a Community ticket. However, if you purchased a Promo or Saver ticket, you'll receive credit to a Travel Bank, but you'll have to pay a cancellation cost first. If you have a Resident or Flex ticket, you can receive credit to a travel bank for free or pay a cancellation fee to be refunded to the bank account you used to pay for your tickets.

At Alternative Airlines, regardless of the cancellation rules of your chosen airline, you can still be refunded for your flights. If you purchase our cancellation protection, then you'll be refunded if you cancel because of an emergency.

Looking for a more luxurious time in the skies? Jetstar offers Business and Business Max. It gives you a more generous baggage allowance, wide leather seating, complimentary food and drinks, a comfort pack and more! 💫

Seat comfort comparison

The comfort of a seat can make or break your flight. Start your journey the right way by choosing the airline that best suits your seat preferences.

Legroom and seat width 📏

• Jetstar's standard seating has an average seat pitch of 29 inches and a width of 18 inches, which is the average size you can expect on most commercial planes. Its business class seats offer more room with a pitch of 38 inches and a width of 19 inches. You can also purchase a seat with extra-legroom. These are located at the emergency exits.
• Rex's seats can vary depending on the aircraft you're flying with. However, its seats tend to have a pitch of around 30 inches and a width of 18.5 inches. Rex offers its Rextra Legroom Seats, which give you additional legroom. These seats will cost extra and are typically located near one of the emergency rows.

Seat design and layout 🛋️

• Jetstar's black seating gives it a sleek and professional feel, and its white lighting is neither too bright nor dim. Depending on the aircraft you fly with, the seats will either be in a 2-3-2, 3-3-3 or 3-3 layout.
• Rex's design is comfortable, sleek and well on theme. With its blue seats decorated with orange along the sides, its seating perfectly matches the brand's colours. The seat configuration of your flight depends on the aircraft, with some having a 1-2 design and others a 2-2.

You'll be able to see the layout of your flight when you book your seats at Alternative Airlines. During the booking process, you'll be shown a seat map of the aircraft, where you'll get to select your desired seats or choose to be given ones at random.

Boarding experience 🛫

• Jetstar offers priority boarding to its business class passengers.
• Rex offers priority boarding to customers who are part of the Rex Flyer Loyalty Program and have the Emerald or Diamond membership tier.

Frequent flyer and loyalty programs

If you're someone who flies often, then joining a frequent flyer program can help you save some serious bucks. Discover Club Jetstar and Rex Flyer below.

Earning points 💰

• Club Jetstar is a discount-based membership which gives you deals on every trip. You don't earn points based on your route or cabin class. Instead, each trip offers the same discounts.
• Rex Flyer is a points-based loyalty program. It rewards customers with more points depending on their fare type, with its Flex class offering the most points.

Climbing the tiers ⬆️

• Club Jetstar has just one tier, giving all members the same deals and discounts.
• Rex Flyer has 3 tiers: Sapphire, Emerald and Diamond. You need 1500 Status Points to be part of the Sapphire tier, 3000 for Emerald and 6000 for Diamond.

Standout benefits 💫

• Club Jetstar gives its members exclusive discounts on flights, including 20% off bags and seats, 20% off travel insurance and even discounts on certain hotels!
• Rex Flyer's benefits vary depending on your tier. For its Diamond Tier, you can expect priority check-in and boarding, a complimentary drink, private lounge access and much more.

Routes, destinations and flight punctuality

When deciding on your airline, the most crucial factor above anything else is whether an airline can get you where you need to be and when.

Where they fly 🌎

• Jetstar offers domestic and international flights across Oceania and Asia (plus Hawaii). Jetstar's main hub is at Sydney Airport (SYD). Some of its most popular locations include Bali, Sydney, Melbourne, Queensland and Tokyo.
• Rex offers regional flights in Australia. Its central hub is at Sydney Airport (SYD). It provides flights in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and more.

Flight punctuality ⏱️

• Jetstar has had issues with punctuality in the past. However, as of late, it has made leaps and bounds of improvement. So far in 2025, 78.2% of its flights from New Zealand have departed no more than 15 minutes behind schedule!
• Rex has a brilliant punctuality record, earning it the label of Australia's most reliable airline. It's even managed to beat Australia's biggest airlines, Qantas and Virgin Australia, for on-time arrival rates!

Fees and extra charges

That price you see initially won't always be what you end up paying. Be fully prepared and discover the extra fees you may incur with each airline.

Baggage fee 💰

• Jetstar's most basic fare includes a 7kg carry-on maximum, which can be split between 2 bags. If you want to take more baggage with you, you'll either have to purchase a more expensive ticket or add additional luggage to your ticket. The price of the extra baggage varies depending on your flight route. To save money, it's best to pre-book your baggage rather than paying at the airport.
• Rex includes carry-on and checked luggage in your ticket, depending on the fare type. If you wish to purchase additional baggage, the cost is $20 per 5kg. If you bring more luggage than you booked, you'll be charged an excess baggage fee of $5.50 per extra kg at the airport.

Change and cancellation fees 🚫

• Jetstar allows you to change the date and time of your ticket, provided you give sufficient notice. However, a change fee will be applied unless you have a Flex or Flex Plus ticket. This change fee will vary depending on how close to departure you switched your ticket. If you need to cancel your flight, unless you have a Flex or Flex Plus ticket, you won't be refunded. When you cancel with a Flex or Flex Plus ticket, your refund will be in the form of a credit voucher.
• Rex lets you change your date and time of travel if you have a Promo or Saver ticket, but you'll have to pay a $44 change fee and cover the difference in cost between tickets. If you have a Resident or Flex ticket, you can change your ticket up to 60 minutes before scheduled departure. If you cancel your flight and had previously purchased a Promo or Saver ticket, you'll receive credit to a Travel Bank, but you'll have to pay a $44 cancellation cost first. If you have a Resident or Flex ticket, you can receive credit to a travel bank for free or pay a $44 cancellation fee to be refunded to the bank account you used to pay for your tickets.

Airline support

Safety 🔐

• Jetstar meets international safety standards. It's a subsidiary of Qantas, which has been ranked as the 2nd safest low-cost airline in the world.
• Rex meets international safety standards. It's regulated by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), which is Australia's national aviation authority.

Customer service 📞

• Jetstar gets mixed reviews on its customer service. Some state that they have had no issue with the airline and didn't require support during any process. While others say that the airline refused to take accountability for problems like delays. Suggesting that while issues aren't too common, if one does occur, Jetstar isn't always that helpful.
• Rex often gets praised for its good customer service. In 2024, it was given the title of South Pacific's Best Cabin Service at the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) awards. The airline prides itself on its warm hospitality.

At Alternative Airlines, if there's ever an issue, our expert customer service team is always happy to help. No matter what stage of the booking process you're in, we'll work our hardest to assist you. You can contact us via a phone call or a WhatsApp message, 7 days a week!

Jetstar vs Rex: which is better?

Whether Jetstar or Rex works best for you depends on your individual travel needs. Here's a general summary of which airline is best for different flyers.

Choose Jetstar if... ⭐

• You want affordability - Jetstar's low-cost pricing lets you travel for less. Save on flights so that you can spend more at your destination.
• You're travelling internationally - Jetstar flies to top tourist destinations across Oceania and Asia (plus Hawaii). Visit New Zealand, Japan, Thailand and more.
• You want more seat options - Those that go with Jetstar's Flex and Flex Plus tickets get a wide range of economy seats to choose from.
• You want to change your booking - Jetstar lets you change your flight dates at a small price as long as you give sufficient notice. The more notice you provide, the lower the cost.
• You want to travel in business class - Jetstar offers a lavish business class with ergonomic seating, a comfort kit, priority boarding and more.
• You want guaranteed discounts - By joining Club Jetstar, you get 20% off things like travel insurance, additional baggage and even some hotels right from the get-go.

Choose Rex if... 🦖

• You want an airline that's beloved by customers - Rex receives generally positive reviews on TripAdvisor. It's also won awards for its helpful service and welcoming team.
• You're flying within Australia - Rex flies regionally within Australia. It's often referred to as a commuter airline, getting customers where they need to be without the long drives.
• You want to take more bags - Certain fare types entitle you to free hand luggage plus a 23kg checked bag.
• You want complimentary food - Rex offers complimentary snacks, teas/coffees and water while you fly.
• You want to cancel your flight and be refunded - For most ticket types, you can be refunded as a form of credit to your Travel Bank. However, if you have the Resident or Flex ticket and pay a cancellation fee, the money will be returned to your regular bank account.
• You want larger seats - Enjoy a seat pitch of 30 inches and a width of 18.5 inches.
• You want to fly on time - Rex is one of Australia's most punctual airlines.

Book with confidence at Alternative Airlines

Alternative Airlines is an online flight booking service. Using our site, you can book flights with Jetstar, Rex and 600 other airlines.

Made up your mind between Jetstar and Rex? Well, here's why you should use Alternative Airlines to book those tickets:

• Pay your way - Many airlines only accept upfront transactions when booked directly. But, Alternative Airlines does things differently. We give our customers flexibility. You can use a Buy Now Pay Later and pay over instalments (with plans lasting from a few weeks to a few years). You can put a deposit down, allowing you to secure your tickets, then finish payments before departure. You could use one of our many available cryptocurrencies. Or you could stick to the traditional method of paying all upfront!
• Protect your flight - Our handy add-ons can further protect your booking. Our baggage insurance means that you'll get reimbursed should the airline/airport lose your luggage. And our cancellation protection means that in the event of an emergency, you can cancel your flights and be refunded (even with airlines that usually wouldn't allow it).
• Expert support - At Alternative Airlines, we have a dedicated customer service team that consistently goes above and beyond to help passengers. If you have a query you're unsure about, then check out our help centre, which answers some of our most common customer questions. Still need assistance? No need to worry! You can contact our team through a phone call or a WhatsApp message.
• Our customers love us - We're a 4.9-star company on Trustpilot, and we have a high number of repeat customers. Our many airlines, numerous payment options, protection schemes, and our brilliant customer service team have helped us establish ourselves as one of the go-to flight booking sites. Still unsure? Check out what our customers have been saying lately.

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