Regional Express Holdings

What Regional Express Holdings does

Regional Express Holdings (Rex) is Australia's largest independent regional airline, founded in 2002 and headquartered in Mascot, Sydney (ASX-pre-acquisition ticker: RX1; ASX current ticker: REX). The company operates scheduled passenger services to 51 destinations across regional and remote Australia using a dedicated Saab 340 turboprop fleet, and serves as the sole airline operator at 21 regional and remote airports. Its business model blends transaction-based passenger airfares across seven fare tiers (Community, Promo, Saver, Flex, Economy Anytime, Economy Getaway, Economy Ultimate), with ancillary fees (excess/priority baggage, Rextra Legroom seat selection, unaccompanied minor service, name/flight changes), government-subsidized Community (QLD) and WA Resident fare schemes with zone caps of $199/$265 each way, freight services on Queensland routes, and recurring-revenue Rex Flyer loyalty (Opal, Sapphire, Emerald, Diamond tiers) and Rex Lounge memberships at $329 incl. GST annually with locations in Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide.

The core technology is the Saab 340 turboprop platform (fleet averaging 29–34 years old, planned to grow from ~30 to 44–45 aircraft), optimised for short-haul regional and remote operations with relatively small passenger loads. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through rex.com.au, supplemented by a Customer Contact Centre (13 17 13), IATA/DAPA/TIDS-registered travel-agent portal, Rex Business Flyer corporate channel, and integrations with Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Diners, PayPal, UATP, CarTrawler, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger.

Following voluntary administration approximately 18 months prior, Rex was acquired by US-based Air T, Inc. on December 18, 2025 for AUD $50 million cash, with the Australian federal government providing a AUD $60 million loan facility, AUD $108 million for restructuring existing Commonwealth debt, and AUD $4.8 million for clearing debts owed to 34 regional councils. Post-acquisition, Rex continues to operate as a distinct regional brand under Air T ownership with a committed fleet expansion roadmap and ongoing government-backed Essential Air Service positioning.

Name

Regional Express Holdings

Legal name

Regional Express Holdings Pty Ltd

Website

https://rex.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Regional Express Holdings is Australia's largest independent regional airline, operating Saab 340 turboprop services to 51 destinations and serving as the sole operator at 21 regional and remote Australian airports, now owned by US-based Air T, Inc.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Passenger Airline Services

NAICS

Scheduled Air Transportation (48111), Scheduled Air Transportation (4811), Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510)

SIC

Air Transportation, Scheduled (4512), Air Courier Services (4513)

akta.pro primary industry

Turboprop Regional Airlines (THABACAJ)

Keywords

• Regional airline services
• Passenger air transport
• Freight cargo services
• Frequent flyer loyalty
• Airport lounge access

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Passenger Airfares: Primary revenue stream from selling airline tickets across multiple fare categories (Community, Promo, Saver, Flex, Economy Anytime, Economy Getaway, Economy Ultimate) for regional flights across 51 Australian destinations.
2. Freight Services: Queensland Freight services for cargo transportation on regional routes.
3. Ancillary Fees: Fees from excess baggage, priority baggage, seat selection (Rextra Legroom), unaccompanied minor bookings, special service requirements, name changes, flight changes, cancellations, and insurance letters.
4. Lounge Memberships: Rex Lounge annual memberships at $329 incl. GST, providing access to lounges in Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. Also casual lounge access fees.
5. Loyalty Program: Rex Flyer loyalty program earning points on flights for reward travel, with membership tiers including Opal, Sapphire, Emerald, and Diamond status.
6. Government Fare Subsidies: Community Fare Scheme and WA Resident Fare Scheme providing government-subsidized fares to regional residents.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Regional Express Holdings (Rex) operates scheduled passenger air services to 51 destinations across regional and remote Australia using Saab 340 turboprop aircraft, serving as the sole operator at 21 regional and remote airports. The airline supplements passenger services with Rex Flyer (frequent flyer loyalty), Rex Lounge access (Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide), Rex Business Flyer (corporate program), Queensland Freight cargo services, and ancillary offerings such as Priority Baggage, Rextra Legroom, and Unaccompanied Minor Service across multiple fare tiers.

Product overview

Regional Express Holdings (Rex) operates as Australia's largest independent regional airline with a single integrated platform offering scheduled passenger services to 51 destinations. The core airline operations are complemented by loyalty programs (Rex Flyer with tiered statuses), lounge access (Rex Lounge with annual memberships and casual access), corporate programs (Rex Business Flyer), freight services (Queensland Freight), and specialized services (Priority Baggage, Unaccompanied Minor, Live Animal Carriage). Fare products span multiple tiers from budget Promo/Saver to flexible Flex/Economy categories, with government-subsidized Community and WA Resident fare schemes. The company recently underwent acquisition by Air T with fleet expansion plans to grow from approximately 31 to 45 Saab 340 aircraft.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rex Flyer: Rex's loyalty rewards program offering flight reward points, tiered membership (Opal, Sapphire, Emerald, Diamond), and associated travel benefits.
• Rex Business Flyer
• Rex Lounge

Products and services

• Regional Airline Services Scheduled passenger air services across 51 destinations in regional and remote Australia using Saab 340 turboprop aircraft, serving as sole airline operator for 21 regional and remote airports.
• Rex Lounge Membership Annual subscription membership priced at AUD $329 incl. GST granting access to Rex Lounges in Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide, with one complimentary guest per visit and discounted casual access for Flex/Economy Anytime passengers.
• Queensland Freight Cargo and freight transportation service on Rex regional Queensland routes, handling live animals, perishable goods, and commercial shipments.
• Rextra Legroom Seat selection add-on offering passengers extra legroom on regional flights for added comfort during travel.
• Priority Baggage Premium baggage service guaranteeing priority uplift of the passenger's baggage on the flight they travel on, available for purchase at prevailing rates.
• Unaccompanied Minor Service Service for children aged 5-11 years traveling without a parent or guardian, charged at $44 per UMNR per sector.
• Carriage of Live Animals Service for transporting live domestic animals as excess baggage on Saab 340 flights, subject to route restrictions excluding Adelaide, Townsville, Brisbane, Perth, and Cairns.
• Rex Merchandise Branded merchandise including Rex x KeepCup reusable cups and luggage tags sold online, supporting sustainability initiatives.
• Rex Flyer Loyalty Program Frequent flyer loyalty program allowing members to earn and redeem points on Rex flights with tiered membership (Opal, Sapphire, Emerald, Diamond), family pooling, and reward fare benefits.
• Rex Business Flyer Corporate loyalty program for business travelers offering benefits, recognition, and dedicated account support for corporate accounts and frequent business flyers.
• Community Fare Scheme Queensland Government-subsidized fares for community passengers in regional areas, sold subject to availability at least 30 days prior or within 24 hours of departure.
• WA Resident Fare Scheme Western Australian Government Zone Cap fare scheme offering capped prices of $199 or $265 each way (return ticket required) for permanent regional WA residents traveling to Perth, capped at 12 return trips per year.

Quantifiable outcome

• Best Domestic Carrier in Australia (June 2024) - most reliable major airline

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• KeepCupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRex partnered with KeepCup to produce co-branded reusable cups sold through Rex Merchandise, supporting environmental sustainability initiatives.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/rexairlines
• Facebookfacebook.com/Rex-116487266942908
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/regional-express
• Instagraminstagram.com/rex.airlines

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Regional Express Holdings