Qantas & Air NZ Partnership Ends As Virgin Australia Seeks Expanded Deal

Qantas has confirmed its codeshare partnership with Air New Zealand will end on 7 April 2027. The Kiwi flag carrier is lining up a much broader alliance with Virgin Australia instead, one that would open up Velocity Reward Seats and lounge access across Air New Zealand’s global network if regulators sign off.

If you’ve lost track of who’s partnered with whom across the Tasman, you’re not alone. Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia were allies for most of the 2010s, until Air New Zealand switched to Qantas in 2018. In December 2024, it brought Virgin back through a limited codeshare, while keeping the Qantas deal running too. It’s the airline equivalent of keeping your ex on speed dial.

The Qantas deal was always narrow by design. Qantas put its code on Air New Zealand’s domestic flights in New Zealand, Air New Zealand did the same on Qantas flights within Australia. But flights across the Tasman were never part of the arrangement.

For Qantas Frequent Flyers, that meant earning Qantas Points and Status Credits on Air New Zealand domestic flights, redeeming points on them as Classic Flight Rewards, and Air New Zealand lounge access for eligible members.

The timing is notable. In their application to the ACCC, Virgin and Air New Zealand frame the end of the Qantas codeshare as something Air New Zealand would do once the new deal is approved. The end date has now been set before regulators have made their final decision.

Qantas & Air NZ Partnership Ends April 2027

As mentioned, Qantas and Air New Zealand have announced their partnership will end on 7 April 2027. Qantas codeshare flights operated by Air New Zealand will no longer be available to book from this date.

Qantas has set out what happens to existing bookings in a notice to customers posted to its website. For anyone already booked, the changes depend on when you're flying:

• Travel before 7 April 2027 is unaffected.
• Travel on or after 7 April 2027 booked as a QF codeshare on Air New Zealand will switch to an Air New Zealand flight number. Qantas or your travel agent will handle the change, and you’ll still earn the Qantas Points and Status Credits from your original booking.
• Classic Flight Rewards for Air NZ flights will be available for booking until 6 April 2027. A reminder that only NZ domestic flights are offered as a Classic Reward.

What Virgin Australia & Air New Zealand Have Planned

Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand already partner on a unilateral basis, with VA flight numbers added to Air New Zealand services between Australia and Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington.

The proposed expansion goes considerably further, expanding many benefits to either carrier's entire network, excluding Virgin’s Qatar-operated wet-lease flights between Australia and Doha. For codeshare flights, the partnership would cover trans-Tasman routes and connecting domestic flights, but not overlapping services, such as Virgin Australia’s services to Queenstown.

For Velocity members, this would mean earning Velocity Points on any Air New Zealand flight, whether it’s booked under a VA or NZ flight number. Reward Seats would also open up on Air New Zealand, ending the current limitation to Any Seat and its eye-watering prices.

Velocity status perks would also be unlocked for Air NZ flights, including access to Air New Zealand airport lounges, priority check in, and additional baggage allowance.

The benefits would naturally run both ways, with Air New Zealand's Koru members offered the same earn, burn and status privileges when flying with Virgin Australia.

When Could The Expanded Virgin Australia & Air NZ Deal Start?

The partnership needs approval from both the ACCC and New Zealand's Minister of Transport. In terms of the ACCC, a draft determination is expected in November 2026, with a final decision due in January or February 2027. If approved, the expanded partnership would run for five years.

Summing Up

For Qantas Frequent Flyers, the end of the partnership means losing points, Status Credits, Classic Flight Rewards and lounge access on Air New Zealand's domestic network from 7 April 2027.

If approved, Velocity members have far more to look forward to, with points on every Air New Zealand flight, plus access to Reward Seats and status perks.