Virgin Australia, in collaboration with Japan’s largest airline, All Nippon Airways (ANA), unveiled an expanded partnership. The collaboration will offer frequent flyers an increased range of codeshare co-operation levels, member loyalty benefits, and seamless travel across both carriers’ networks.
Starting today, members of Virgin’s Velocity Frequent Flyer programme will have the opportunity to earn points and status credits on ANA-operated flights. The scheme spans over 130 destinations globally, including key regions such as Japan, Asia, North America, and Europe.
Furthermore, for the first time ever, guests can now book fares on ANA flights between Australia and Japan directly through the Virgin Australia website.
This significant move comes on the heels of the launch of Virgin Australia’s new route between Cairns and Tokyo (Haneda) just last month. The partnership with ANA will provide travellers with greater accessibility to 12 domestic connections within Japan. Key destinations include Sapporo, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Osaka-Itami, Kochi, Osaka-Kansai, Kumamoto, Nagoya, Nagasaki, Oita, Okinawa, and Miyazaki.
To commemorate the announcement, Velocity is launching a limited-time offer. Members can earn 20 per cent bonus points on eligible ANA-operated flights between Sydney and Tokyo, provided they activate the offer by 1 August 2023 and book and travel between 18 July and 31 December 2023.
Velocity Frequent Flyer CEO, Nick Rohrlach, expressed excitement about the expanded partnership, marking it as a significant milestone for Virgin Australia and Velocity Frequent Flyer. He stated that the focus remains on the growth of the international network through partnerships with world-leading airlines.
“Today, our 11.5 million members can start earning Points and Status Credits on flights to more than 130 additional destinations through ANA’s global network,” Rohrlach said. “We’re focused on opening up new opportunities for our guests and members when travelling to, and within, Japan, with the nation’s largest airline.”
The benefits of this partnership extend beyond earning points. Silver, Gold, and Platinum members travelling on an ANA operated flight with a Virgin Australia flight number can earn bonus points on miles flown, in addition to the base points. Silver members receive a 50 per cent bonus, Gold members a 75 per cent bonus, and Platinum members an impressive 100 per cent bonus.
Additionally, Velocity Gold and Platinum members travelling on selected ANA operated flights will receive added benefits such as priority check-in, priority baggage handling, and extra checked baggage allowance.
Rohrlach ended his statement by saying, “We are very proud of this partnership with ANA, All Nippon Airways, and look forward to seeing our guests and members enjoy the choice, benefits, and rewards that the alignment offers.”
The partnership represents a strategic move by both airlines to foster customer loyalty, extend their global reach, and offer customers greater flexibility and convenience when flying. It signifies a trend in the aviation industry towards collaboration, which is especially pertinent in an era marked by global recovery from the pandemic.
