Virgin Australia has switched on its code-share agreement with Air Canada! Customers travelling on Virgin Australia’s return services between Australia and Los Angeles will now also be able to book travel on Air Canada’s flights between Los Angeles and:
- Toronto (YYZ);
- Calgary (YYC); and
- Montreal (YUL)
In addition, Air Canada has also added its airline code on Virgin Australia's domestic flights. This means for those who don't live in Sydney or Brisbane you can now connect to the direct flight to Vancouver from 10 destinations across Australia and New Zealand, including Adelaide, Canberra, Cairns, the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth, Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington - no more buying separate tickets!
At the moment there are some reciprocal frequent flyer benefits. For Velocity members this is what we know so far:
- You will earn frequent flyer points if you are Silver, Gold and Platinum {If the flight is operated by Air Canada with a VA flight number}.
- Platinum/ Gold members and Virgin Australia lounge members will only be given lounge access domestically, if they are connecting with a Virgin Australia operated domestic flight (unless you're flying business of course),
- Status Credits have not been mentioned in the current arrangement.
- Both airlines plan to offer frequent flyer redemption benefits on each other’s flights in a subsequent stage of the agreement, with further details to be released in later 2017.
Furthermore, Virgin Australia plans to place its code on Air Canada’s direct flights to Vancouver. This will be even better news for Virgin Australia loyalists as Air Canada is the only airline offering year-round nonstop flights to Canada. {Qantas has operated seasonal flights between Sydney and Vancouver since January 2015.}
Currently, Air Canada flies daily from Vancouver to Sydney with Boeing 777-200LRs, with the Star Alliance member sometimes using 777-300ER equipment during peak periods. The airline started daily service on the Brisbane-Vancouver route with 787s in June. Vancouver-Melbourne service to operates seasonally three times weekly between December 2017 and February 2018.
Virgin Australia operates 18 nonstop flights a week from the east coast of Australia to Los Angeles with 777-300ER, comprising a daily service from Sydney, five times a week from Melbourne and six times a week from Brisbane.
This new code-share agreement will make it easier for Australians to visit Canada and for Canadians to explore more of Australia.
This is only the first phase of the strategic cooperation agreement between Virgin Australia and Air Canada with further details to be released later in 2017.