Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand have renewed their partnership, bringing back their trans-Tasman codeshare alliance after a six-year hiatus. Pilotcenter.net News reports that starting from December 5, 2024, travelers can now book Virgin Australia flights operated by Air New Zealand with a VA flight number directly to Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch airports for travel starting December 9, 2024. This collaboration also includes Virgin Australia’s flights to Queenstown Airport.

This rekindled partnership comes with exciting benefits for Virgin Australia guests and Velocity Frequent Flyer members, offering a range of rewards and advantages when booking and flying on approximately 300 weekly services between Australia and New Zealand on Virgin Australia flights operated by Air New Zealand. It's worth noting that Air New Zealand's domestic flights within New Zealand are not included in this codeshare agreement.

Virgin Australia's Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, Alistair Hartley, expressed the significance of this partnership, stating, “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.” Highlighting the aim to provide seamless travel experiences, Hartley emphasized the commitment to offering extensive network coverage, loyalty rewards, and travel flexibility to make border crossings as seamless as strolling down the street.

The airlines marked this milestone with a playful acknowledgement on social media, with Virgin Australia announcing on Facebook that their relationship status has officially been updated to "in a codeshare relationship" with Air New Zealand. This collaboration brings back a significant tie between the two carriers, as they had previously operated under a codeshare alliance that was in place from October 2010 until October 2018.

The revival of this partnership not only benefits travelers between Australia and New Zealand but also signifies a shared commitment to enhancing connectivity and making air travel more convenient and rewarding for passengers across the region.