A new era of international travel is ready to take off, with the partnership between Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways[1] set to deliver more value and choice for Australians, providing opportunities to travel to over 100 destinations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Starting today, Aussies can book Virgin Australia's new services to jet directly from Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth to Doha for travel from June 2025, with Melbourne[2] set to join the party later that year. These flights will be operated by Virgin Australia using Qatar Airways' spacious Boeing 777s, renowned for their Qsuite[3] Business Class. Qatar Airways has been voted the best airline in the world eight times including this year, setting the benchmark for the world's best travel experience.
From sipping espresso in Rome to strolling down the Champs Élysées in Paris, Aussies with a passion for travel now have unrivalled ease, value and choice to explore the world.
Key benefits and launch sale offers
- Economy flights: launch fares on sale from Sydney, Brisbane and Perth via Doha to multiple European destinations. With fares from as low as:
- Perth to Paris Economy Choice return from $1,791
- Sydney to London Economy Choice return from $1,982
- Brisbane to Rome Economy Choice return from $1,945
- Points galore: Rack up to 20,000 bonus Points on Business return flights and 10,000 bonus Points on Economy return flights (when you book on an eligible Virgin Australia international long haul flight by 20 January 2025 for travel between 21 June - 30 September 2025).
- Maximise your miles: Earn up to a whopping 63,708 Velocity Points on your next European jaunt[4].
More than just flights
The Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways partnership, pending final regulatory approval, positions Virgin Australia to strongly compete in the international travel market while also improving its domestic strategic position, delivering increased competition, improved connectivity, and enhanced customer choice.
Travellers aren't the only winners; the new Virgin Australia flights also boost Aussie tourism, jobs and businesses. More than $3 billion is expected to be injected into the economy over the next five years from increased visitors, creating jobs and more opportunity along the way.
Virgin Australia Group CEO Jayne Hrdlicka said the new airline partnership is a game-changer, driving benefits to consumers, the economy and Australian aviation.
"This is a huge win for Australian travellers which brings more value and choice for passengers wanting to fly internationally. Through this partnership Virgin Australia becomes stronger, improving our ability to compete domestically – which is great news for Virgin Australia, our people and consumers," she said.
"For Virgin Australia this gives us the ability to start long haul flying, which we have not been able to do over the past four and a half years. Our 28 new weekly services to Doha will open up a world of opportunity for those wanting to travel overseas, with more passengers able to connect to over 100 destinations around the world on Qatar's network.
"Partnering with Qatar Airways means we're delivering the gold standard in global travel - seamless connections and world-class service - and increasing market competition to provide better value and fares. Exploring the world has never been more accessible.
"Virgin Australia's additional flying into Doha is also great news for small businesses who are looking for opportunities to get their goods into the Middle East, especially the agricultural sector. The services sector will benefit from the additional $3 billion in economic value that will be delivered over the next five years from the increased inbound visitors, which means more jobs and more opportunities for the travel and tourism industry.
"This also creates the potential for more jobs and promotional opportunities for our Virgin Australia team as we increase domestic flying to accommodate passengers connecting from an expanded international network. "This partnership is a critical piece in Virgin Australia's long-term strategy and a huge vote of confidence in Australian aviation, further strengthening Virgin Australia's long-term competitiveness and growth of the aviation industry in Australia."
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said that, if approved, the investment will support a collective ambition between the two airlines to deliver the best service and value to Australian customers. "We are proud to support Virgin Australia with their ambition to return to long-haul international flying, a crucial next step in their successful transformation program," he said
Engr. Al-Meer said the new Virgin Australia services would also boost cargo capacity, increasing opportunities for exporters in the Australian market, and that Australian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and corporate travellers could also take advantage of access to competitive fares and a stronger international airline network.
Virgin Australia's Brisbane to Doha flights are supported by Queensland's Attracting Aviation Investment Fund.
Minister for the Environment and Tourism, Minister for Science and Innovation Andrew Powell said:
"This is a great way to get more people into Queensland to see all our State has to offer," Minister Powell said.
"In addition to growing tourism jobs, the added bonus is that those planes go back to the Middle East, Europe and Africa with cargo holds filled with Queensland exports. "Whether it's seafood, fruit or beef this lets our great growers access markets across the globe.
"We know that the Aviation Attraction Investment Fund delivers a great return and this is proof of that."
Brisbane Airport CEO, Gert-Jan de Graaff said Virgin Australia's re-entry into long-haul flying was an exciting time for Queensland.
"We're thrilled to be part of Virgin Australia's return to long-haul flying. This is fantastic news for the Brisbane-headquartered airline and even better news for Queensland's tourism-driven economy. It's a big win for local jobs and for connecting Brisbane to the world."
Don't miss out - book now
Special launch fares* and promotions are live now on the Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways websites. While final regulatory approvals are pending, early birds are fully protected with options for either refunds or reaccommodation on suitable alternative flights and reimbursement for reasonably foreseeable costs if the new services aren't able to go ahead as planned.
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