Is Virgin better for frequent travel rewards than Qantas
100% 2PAXfly
Virgin’s rewards aren’t outright “better” than Qantas’s; they each have distinct strengths that matter to frequent travellers.
Program size and value
- Qantas Frequent Flyer sits in the global top‑10, valued at about US $7 billion (≈A$10.1 billion) with more than 18 million members and generates billions in revenue each year 2PAXfly .
- Virgin Australia’s Velocity program is smaller, valued at AU $2.58 billion and serving roughly 12 million members 2PAXfly .
Reward‑seat search experience
- Virgin’s new Points Calendar tool is built directly into its website and app, letting you discover and book reward seats in a single workflow, which reduces friction at the moment of purchase 2PAXfly .
- Qantas’s Flight Reward Finder lets you browse a wide network of partner airlines, but the search sits outside the main booking engine, requiring you to switch back to the booking flow to secure a seat 2PAXfly .
Partner coverage
- At launch, Virgin’s tool only covers Virgin Australia flights; partner airlines (Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, ANA, Air Canada, United) will be added gradually and may take up to a year to be fully integrated 2PAXfly .
- Qantas’s tool already includes OneWorld and other partner airlines, giving broader immediate access to reward seats across its alliance 2PAXfly .
What that means for you
- If you value a larger, more established loyalty program with extensive partner reach, Qantas currently offers the stronger overall package.
- If you prefer a seamless, integrated search‑and‑book experience and are willing to wait for more partner airlines to be added, Virgin’s new tool could give you a more convenient redemption process once fully rolled out.
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Launch of new reward seats search tool
Earning points is easy. Finding a decent reward seat, especially in business class, is where things usually fall apart. Virgin Australia is promising to fix that, with a new calendar-based Reward Seat search tool rolling out across its website and app. The airline is calling a ‘step change’ in how customers search and book flights. I possibly beats Qantas, since Virgin’s tool integrates with their booking engine. That allows you to book the fare once you find it, instead of having to move to a separate search and purchase engine as with Qantas At the centre of the update
LOYALTY: Airline programs now worth billions. Qantas in top 10
If you’ve ever wondered why airlines seem more interested in selling points than seats, a new global report puts some serious numbers behind that suspicion. According to the latest On Point Loyalty Top 100 report, airline loyalty programs have evolved into multi-billion-dollar businesses, and for Australian travellers, that shift is already reshaping how your points work. Qantas Frequent Flyer is now ranked the 9th most valuable airline loyalty program in the world, with an estimated valuation of US$7 billion (A$10.1 billion). That puts it firmly in the global top tier, just behind heavyweights like KrisFlyer (A$8 billion)