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We looked at every aspect of airline travel to determine which Australian airline, Virgin Australia or Qantas, came out on top. From comfort to food, inflight entertainment, price, travel with pets, destinations offered and more, we know which airline wins each round after a comparison.
There’s no need to look further than this page to determine which is the right airline for you to fly with based on you personal needs, wants and budget.
| Feature | Virgin Australia | Qantas | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where does it fly to? | 55+ destinations in these regions:
| 70+ destinations in these regions:
| Virgin Australia |
| What star rating is it? | 4-star | 4-star | Both |
| What classes are available? | Business, “The Business”, premium and economy classes are available. | First class, business class, premium economy and economy classes. | Both |
| What is the baggage allowance? | Economy allows one 7kg carry-on. A minimum of one 23kg checked bag is allowed on economy domestic and long-haul international flights. Short-haul international flights do not include checked baggage for the cheapest fare option. | Economy allows one 7kg carry-on and one 30kg checked bag. | Virgin Australia |
| Where does it fly from in Australia? |
|
| Virgin Australia |
| What's the in-flight entertainment like? | Virgin Australia offers an in-flight entertainment app to use on your own device, or on iPads that are provided. Movies, TV shows, music and games are available. | Qantas offers movies, TV, entertainment app, the Qantas magazine, radio and more. | Qantas |
| Can I make changes/cancellations? | Yes, on most tickets, though fees apply and some tickets are non-refundable. | Yes, on most tickets, though fees apply and not all ticket types receive a refund. | Both |
| What type of plane will I fly on? |
|
| Virgin Australia |
| Which frequent flyer programs is it with? | Velocity Frequent Flyer | Qantas Frequent Flyer | Virgin Australia |
| Is there Wi-Fi? | Virgin Australia is in the process of rolling out Wi-Fi on both domestic and international flights. | Qantas is in the process of rolling out Wi-Fi on select planes and domestic flights. | Virgin Australia |
| Can I price match? | Yes. If a lower price for the same flight is found on another website, Virgin Australia will match the price and Velocity Frequent Flyer members will receive 5 Velocity Points per $1 spent on all eligible domestic fares, Trans-Tasman and International Short Haul flights. | Yes. If the same flight on another site is cheaper, Qantas will refund you the difference and Qantas frequent flyers will receive 1,000 Qantas points. | Qantas |
| Does it serve alcohol? | Yes, on domestic and international flights. Only complimentary on long-haul international flights or domestic flights between 5pm and 7pm Monday to Friday. | Yes. On international flights a welcome drink is also served. | Qantas |
| Is there online chat? | Contact is available by phone and email. | Contact is available by email and phone. | Both |
| Does it charge for infants? | Infants travel for free on domestic flights if they are under 2 and do not occupy a seat. On international flights 10% of the adult fare is charged. | Infants under two years are charged 10% of the adult fare when they are accompanied by an adult and sitting on the adult’s lap. | Virgin Australia |
| Does it fly pets? | Yes, though all animals must travel as cargo unless they are an authorised assistance dog. | Yes. Service dogs are permitted in the main cabin. All other animals must travel as cargo. | Both |
| What are my payment options? |
|
| Qantas |
| Can I book round the world fares? | Yes | Yes | Both |
| Can I book multi-city fares? | Yes | Yes | Virgin Australia |
| Any features to find the best price? | Virgin Australia offers Early Fares and Happy Hour fares every Thursday from 4pm to 11pm. | Qantas offers Flight Deals. | Both |
Both airlines are flexible with times of day to fly and different class options, such as a saver options for budget flyers. We compared flights on both airlines from Sydney to Los Angeles round-trip for the exact same dates to see which airline came out cheaper.
Virgin Australia:
Qantas:
The verdict?
Virgin Australia wins this round, beating the Qantas flight prices by $148. Though this isn't an overwhelming difference, we love to know when you can save a little for extra spending on your trip.
Based on Skytrax reviews, Qantas has a higher rating and leads with a 7/10 while Virgin Australia is just a step behind with 6/10.
The verdict?
Qantas pulls ahead in this round as their above-average ratings for inflight entertainment, seat comfort, staff service and value for money are rated 4 out of 5 stars. Virgin Australia ranks with only average ratings of 3 out of 5 stars for all categories.
We discuss everything from cost and destinations to credit cards and earning partners.
While both airlines offer sales, Virgin Australia has them more regularly.
Every Thursday, the airline offers a "Happy Hour" sale with discounted fares in the afternoon and evening. On top of that, the airline has frequent sales on domestic flights and to the South Pacific.
Qantas, too, offers sales for both domestic and international fares, but they aren't as frequent.
Fares tend to be lower in Virgin Australia sales than Qantas sales, often dipping as low as $79-$89 for domestic fares where Qantas rarely drops below $99 for flights within Australia.
Flights between NSW and Melbourne from $99 each way
Up to 50% off domestic flights
Up to 50% off: Qantas flights from $70 each way
Australia flights from $59 each way
Perth flights from $149 each way
Canberra flights from $92 each way
New Zealand from $574 return
Alice Springs flights from $120 each way
Flights to Norfolk Island from $583 return
Alice Springs flights from $206 return
Up to 15% off flights with code
Sydney flights from $55 each way
Up to 50% off Australia flights
See how Virgin's offer compares to Jetstar's Tasmania sale.
The airline has confirmed December 2021 dates for you to return to international skies.
Be among the first to celebrate freedom with flexible travel across the state.
EXPIRED: You've got until 8pm tonight to score cheap flights to 16 destinations.
Major names in health insurance and travel have moved fast to offer rewards to people who've received the COVID-19 vaccination.
EXPIRED: Virgin has launched 2 new routes this week that will help reunite families for Christmas.
EXPIRED: Fly flexibly with over 1 million seats on sale to 28 destinations around Australia.
Roll up your sleeves because Virgin's COVID-19 vaccine incentive has arrived.
When is it? How much are tickets? What's included? We cover everything you need to know.
Everything you need to know about the changes to economy fares.
