Qantas is gearing up to restart its international flights a whole two weeks ahead of schedule, now set to take off as early as November 1, 2021.

This decision comes on the heels of the Australian Federal and New South Wales governments’ announcement to reopen borders on the same date, and folks, we couldn’t be happier!

Qantas has also welcomed the NSW Government’s move to do away with quarantine arrangements for those who are fully vaccinated. This aligns with many countries worldwide and is a significant step towards a new kind of ‘normal’.

As the engines rev up, Qantas will operate up to five return flights weekly from Sydney to London, and up to four return flights weekly from Sydney to Los Angeles.

These flights will be serviced by the Boeing 787 Dreamliners. If the demand is there, Qantas is prepared to add more flights.

Do note that flights to London will operate via Darwin until at least April 2022.

These initial flights are exclusive to Australian citizens, permanent residents, their immediate families, and parents, as per Australian Government requirements.

Now, if you’re daydreaming about sipping a cocktail on a beach in Fiji, or exploring the bustling streets of Singapore, you’ll need to wait a little longer. Flights to these destinations, along with Vancouver, are still slated to begin from December 18, 2021, with more locations restarting in the new year.

However, given the recent decision to drop quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated travelers in New South Wales, Qantas is exploring the possibility of bringing forward flights to additional destinations from Sydney. So, fingers crossed, folks!

Flights from November 1 are now on sale, and if you’ve already booked to travel to and from Los Angeles or London but want to travel earlier, you can do so. Just head over to the ‘manage my booking’ section on qantas.com to make a fee-free date change to your flight (though keep in mind a fare difference may apply).

All passengers aged 12 years and older will be required to be fully vaccinated, plus return a negative COVID test from an approved PCR testing site 72 hours prior to departure.

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Virgin Australia is set to reach another major milestone on its road to recovery with the resumption of international flying in December.

The airline has today announced it will re-launch services to Fiji on 16 December, after the Fijian Government said it will reopen to tourism.

Virgin will fly direct to Fiji (Nadi) from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne as follows:

• Sydney – Nadi: Up to double daily return flights from 16 December 2021
• Melbourne – Nadi: Up to daily return flights from 17 December 2021
• Brisbane – Nadi: Up to 3 return flights per week from 18 December 2021

Seats are currently on sale at virginaustralia.com from as low as $289 one-way. Customers can also use flight credits accumulated from cancelled flights to pay for their fares. Unfortunately, reward bookings using Velocity Points are not currently available – but are expected soon.

Virgin is providing booking flexibility with the option to change or cancel with no fees until 28 February 2022.

In more welcome news for loyal customers, the airline has flagged it will also resume flights to Bali and New Zealand in 2022.

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If you’ve been itching to get back in the air and explore Australia’s beautiful landscapes or meet with distant friends and family, Qantas and Jetstar have some exciting news for you.

The Qantas Group have announced they are shaking up their flight schedules to align with the reopening plans and latest border assumptions.

In a big win for travelers, the much-anticipated date for travel between Victoria and New South Wales has been brought forward. Instead of waiting until December 1, 2021, as originally planned, the new start date is now November 5, 2021. This shift is based on Victoria’s reopening plan, which is surely music to the ears of those with loved ones across state lines.

Furthermore, Qantas is set to ramp up regional flights within New South Wales from October 25, 2021. Aligned with the State Government’s roadmap, they will boost service to around 40 per cent of pre-COVID levels. It’s a positive step forward as we navigate our way back to normalcy.

However, the news isn’t as rosy for those hoping to fly domestically between Western Australia and Victoria/New South Wales. The restart of these flights has been delayed by two months, now rescheduled for February 1, 2022. This decision is based on current border assumptions. In the meantime, Qantas will maintain five return flights a week between Perth and both Sydney and Melbourne for those with permits to travel.

As for flights between Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory, and South Australia under Qantas or Jetstar, there are no changes at this time. Once border restrictions are lifted, flights between WA and Queensland are expected to increase, a move that’s eagerly anticipated in the coming weeks.

On the international front, flights are still slated to gradually restart from December 18, 2021, when Australia is projected to reach the National Cabinet’s ‘Phase C’ vaccination threshold of 80 per cent.

There is a temporary reroute, though: the flagship Perth-London service will be rerouted until at least April 2022 due to the latest Western Australia border settings.

Interestingly, Qantas is looking to Darwin as a potential hub for this direct London flight. The airline is currently in detailed discussions with the NT Government and Darwin Airport, especially considering its successful use of Darwin as a hub for repatriation flights to various destinations across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East over the past 12 months.

If this service can’t operate through Darwin, an alternate route via Singapore (Melbourne-Singapore-London) has been planned until at least April 2022.

An official decision on this route is expected in the next two weeks.

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Velocity announced today an extension of their Platinum, Gold, and Silver memberships, along with some pretty nifty bonuses for flying with Virgin Australia. This comes just as we can finally see some freedom days on the horizon and international travel is about to take off again.

Now, Velocity is going the extra mile (pun intended) to ensure members not only retain their status but also have more chances to earn and upgrade their membership level. So, when the skies open up, you’re all set to jet-set in style!

Status Extension

For all you Velocity Platinum and Gold members who booked an eligible Virgin Australia flight by 28 March 2021 under Velocity’s 2020 Status Rewards Program, your membership will automatically be extended until 28 February 2023.

Velocity Platinum, Gold, and Silver members with a review date between 30 September 2021 and 30 April 2022 will automatically receive an additional eight-month status extension upon their review date, until at least 1 June 2022.

These generous extensions mean that members can continue to enjoy all the perks that come with their status when flying with Virgin Australia and their partner airlines – things like complimentary upgrades, Fly Ahead, airport lounge access, higher checked-baggage allowances, priority boarding, and preferential seating.

Bonus Status Credits offer

Velocity Frequent Flyer members who fly on eligible Virgin Australia services from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022 will get a significant boost to the Status Credits they earn.

This retrospective offer applies to all existing and new bookings, allowing members to earn up to double Status Credits for Economy bookings and up to a 45 per cent bonus for Business Class bookings. And the best part? These bonus Status Credits will automatically pop up in a member’s account after travel, no need to lift a finger!

Status Credits on Reward Seat bookings

In a move that we haven’t seen for almost a decade, Velocity is also planning to reward members with Status Credits on Reward Seat bookings on eligible Virgin Australia domestic flights for travel from 1 October 2021 until 31 March 2022.

This offer is also retrospective, applying to all existing and new Economy and Business Class Reward Seat bookings.

The Status Credits will be automatically applied to the member’s account after travel.

For more information on the Status extension and Status Credit flight bonuses, visit velocityfrequentflyer.com.

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In light of ongoing travel restrictions and lounge closures around Australia, Qantas is once again extending paid Qantas Club memberships and some complimentary lounge invites issued to customers.

Qantas Club memberships purchased with money or points and due to expire on or after 30 June 2021 have been given a seven month extension, as have partner memberships and annual guest cards. The extension will be applied in October this year.

Qantas will not be re-issuing new Qantas Club membership cards and recommends you download the Qantas App to view your digital card which can be presented to the lounge team upon arrival at eligible airport lounges.

Complimentary lounge passes issued on or before 30 June 2021 and still valid as of 26 August 2021 will also receive a seven month extension.

Unfortunately this does not apply to lounge invites given to members for attaining or retaining silver status or via the Points Club Program.

If you have an eligible pass, the extension should now be visible on the Qantas website.

For more information about these extensions, visit Qantas here.

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Qantas is rolling out a new campaign in appreciation of all COVID-19 vaccinated Aussies, for their part in helping the country step out of lockdowns.

The Australian airline is giving a big ‘thank you’ to the vaccinated community with some pretty cool rewards.

Starting from tomorrow, all fully vaccinated, Australian-based Qantas Frequent Flyers who are 18 years old and above will have the chance to claim a reward.

Just hop onto the Qantas App and choose one of three options. You could grab 1000 Qantas points, 15 status credits (which can give you a boost in moving up from Silver to Gold, and even Platinum tiers), or even get a $20 flight discount for your next Qantas or Jetstar flight.

Once you’ve claimed your reward, you will be automatically included in a mega prize draw. The winner gets to enjoy a year’s worth of flights, accommodation and, wait for it… free fuel!

There are ten mega prizes to be won, with one winner selected from each state and territory and two more winners as part of a national TV campaign.

Each lucky winner will get a year’s worth of flights that will take them to over 60 destinations around Australia. Free accommodation is part of the package too, in any of the 345 Accor hotels, resorts and apartments, which include renowned names like Sofitel, Pullman, Peppers, Mantra, Mercure, Mövenpick, Novotel and Ibis. And the cherry on top? Free fuel from any of bp’s 1,400 service stations across the country.

These winners will also have the chance to jet off to any Qantas and Jetstar international destination when borders start to open. Imagine the possibilities!

So how can you get in on this action?

Australians can claim their points, status credits, or flight discounts and be automatically entered in the mega prize draw by downloading the Qantas App (from the App Store or through Google Play).

You’ll need to use your Medicare app to access and upload your COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate and then select your reward of choice. Don’t worry about your certificate information; it will be deleted once verification is complete.

So, for all you adventure seekers, this is a golden opportunity to make the most out of your COVID-19 vaccination. After all, it’s not every day you get rewarded for doing your part in a pandemic. Safe travels, folks!

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