Bonza Bundles Boeing 737 MAX Flights With Package Holidays

The evolution of Australia’s newest domestic and only independent low-cost carrier Bonza has taken a new twist. From today, customers can book tailored package holidays to any of Bonza’s 21 destinations on the Fly Bonza app, which is fantastic news for budget travelers and families looking to get away over the upcoming summer holidays.

There’s more to Bonza than flying A to B

Launched from the pristine surrounds of Daydream Island in Queensland’s Whitsunday Passage, the airline announced the birth of Bonza Holidays. Speaking to Simple Flying from Daydream Island today, Bonza chief commercial officer Carly Povey said that offering packaged holidays was always part of the plan to do much more than just fly between regions.

Photo: Bonza

While offering packaged holidays may seem like an early departure from getting the airline business on a solid footing, Povey said that for a lot of the team, herself included, this is not new as they have developed similar programs with other airlines, such as Jet2Holidays in the UK. She added:

“There’s lessons we have learned from global best practice and we’re bringing that direct experience to Australia with a Bonza twist on things so it’s not uncharted territory for the team. We’ve partnered with Awai who have really strong experience in this kind of technology that will allow people to have an unrivaled tailored packaged experience.

“We bring the Bonza experience, the demand that’s there for Bonza and our connections to local communities and we bring all that together with a strong Aussie startup that can deliver the tech side of the equation. That’s playing to our strengths but also partnering with people locally who can help us deliver growth for the regions.”

It’s all on the Fly Bonza app

In line with its digital DNA, Bonza has made everything available on the Fly Bonza app by partnering with Melbourne-based travel tech startup Awai. The platform uses real-time pricing with more than 500 million offers updated every few hours so that Bonza’s 1.26 million app users are offered the best available deals for their travel.

Photo: Michael Doran I Simple Flying

Povey said the partnership with Awai will revolutionize the way Aussies view, book and enjoy package holidays and that the partnership is another sign of Bonza’s commitment to technology and supporting local. Revealing a bit more about the overall Bonza strategy, she said:

“This will support Australian accommodation providers from small family businesses right up to big chains. There’s a theme here of locals supporting locals that’s very deliberate and when we unveiled flights that was the just half of the puzzle and now Bonza Holidays is another piece of that puzzle.

“I think beyond that we then look at what’s next and that looks like probably cargo and opening up trade lanes and allowing more destinations, and that’s the last piece in delivering that local benefit on multiple levels.”

Each of Bonza’s holiday packages includes one 23kg checked bag, 8kg hand luggage and seat selection on one of Bonza’s new-generation Boeing 737 MAX 8s. Bonza is also “staying true to its promise of great value” by giving a price match guarantee and refunding the difference if a customer finds the same holiday cheaper elsewhere within 24 hours of booking.

The total Bonza Holidays offering is being rolled out in two phases, with the first including fully packaged flights, accommodation and optional travel insurance. The second phase, to be launched next year, will expand the package to take in car hire, activities, attractions and tours.

Have you flown with Bonza? Let us know in the comments.