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Virgin Australia has officially commenced its codeshare partnership with Air New Zealand on some trans-Tasman flights.
Tickets are now on sale under the agreement, which was approved by the ACCC in June and sees Virgin place its VA code on trans-Tasman Air New Zealand flights originating and sold in Australia, provided Air New Zealand sets the fares.
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The tickets apply to Air New Zealand flights from Australia to Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington starting 9 December, separate from Virgin’s existing flights to Queenstown.
Velocity Frequent Flyer members will also be able to earn points and status credits on the Air New Zealand services, with Gold and Platinum status members retaining their entitlements such as extra baggage and lounge access.
“The connection between Australia and New Zealand has always been deeper than just a stretch of ocean, and our new partnership with Air New Zealand celebrates that enduring bond,” said Virgin Australia’s chief strategy and transformation officer, Alistair Hartley.
“This codeshare agreement isn’t just about flights – it’s about creating seamless travel experiences that give Virgin Australia customers more ways to explore, connect, and adventure.
“We’re committed to delivering unprecedented network coverage, loyalty rewards, and travel flexibility that make crossing borders as easy as crossing the street.”
The ACCC earlier this year gave the green light to the deal, with deputy chair Mick Keogh saying the competition watchdog was “satisfied that the sharing of resources by these airlines will provide consumers with more ticketing and price options on trans-Tasman routes”.
“Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand will also be able to jointly offer discounts and a range of marketing options to businesses, and eligible Virgin Australia customers will have access to Velocity Frequent Flyer program benefits and international lounge access,” Keogh said.
The codesharing agreement does not apply on routes where Virgin is already competing with Air New Zealand, or on any routes where it decides to compete in future.
“We consider that these conditions significantly limit the potential for the code-sharing arrangements to lead to anti-competitive behaviour,” Keogh said.
Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand previously had a strategic alliance in the mid-2010s, which involved a metal-neutral, revenue-sharing joint venture on trans-Tasman routes, as well as reciprocal frequent flyer benefits.
The deal was terminated by Air New Zealand in 2018, with the Kiwi carrier then announcing a codeshare deal with Qantas where it would add its code to Qantas domestic flights it did not serve in Australia, and vice versa in New Zealand.
