Virgin Australia has launched its long-awaited partnership with All Nippon Airways (ANA), the largest airline in Japan.

Virgin Australia and ANA are now offering codeshares on each others’ flights. Velocity Frequent Flyer members can now earn points and status credits when travelling on ANA.

Velocity Gold and Platinum members can also now enjoy certain benefits when travelling on ANA flights between Australia and Japan. But these benefits are only offered when travelling on selected flights, and lounge access is not included.

Here’s how the expanded partnership between Virgin Australia and All Nippon Airways works…

Earn Velocity points & status credits on ANA flights

Beginning from 18 July 2023, Velocity Frequent Flyer members can earn points and status credits when flying with ANA. This includes ANA-marketed and operated flights, as well as Virgin Australia codeshare flights operated by ANA.

The earn rates will depend on whether you’re booked on a Virgin Australia (VA) or All Nippon Airways (NH) flight number. In general, you can earn more Velocity points when booking the “VA” codeshare.

Velocity points earn rates on ANA

This table from the Velocity Frequent Flyer website shows the Velocity points earn rate, per mile flown, for Virgin Australia codeshare flights operated by ANA:

And these are the earn rates for ANA flights marketed and operated by ANA:

Status credit earn rates on ANA

The Velocity website also lists the status credit earn rates for Virgin Australia codeshare flights operated by ANA:

And these are the status credit earn rates for ANA marketed and operated flights:

As an example, a Velocity member booking a round-trip “VA” codeshare flight from Sydney to Tokyo, operated by ANA, could expect to earn at least 4,863 Velocity points and 70 status credits for an Economy Choice booking.

Special offer: Earn 20% more Velocity points

As a special promotion to celebrate the launch of Virgin Australia’s partnership with ANA, Velocity members can register to earn 20% bonus points when flying ANA from Sydney to Tokyo.

To take advantage of this deal, you would need to activate the offer on the Velocity website by 1 August 2023. Then, book an ANA flight (marketed by either ANA or Virgin Australia) from Sydney to Tokyo between 18 July and 31 December 2023.

The joint ANA & Virgin Australia codeshare network

Virgin Australia codeshares are now available on ANA’s Sydney to Haneda route and on 12 domestic routes from Haneda Airport to other destinations in Japan. Virgin will also codeshare on ANA’s Perth to Narita flight when it recommences in late October.

Here’s a full overview of ANA’s Japanese domestic routes where VA codeshare flights are now available in conjunction with a booking to/from Australia:

ANA is also codesharing on Virgin Australia’s new Cairns to Tokyo route. However, ANA is not (yet) offering bookings from Cairns to Haneda – only in the other direction for passengers originating in Japan.

Curiously, you also can’t (yet) book a Virgin Australia flight from Tokyo to Cairns on the Virgin Australia website. If you want to book a Virgin Australia flight departing from Japan, the website directs you to call the airline or book with ANA instead.

Status benefits for Velocity Gold & Platinum members flying ANA

Velocity members with elite status can now receive various benefits when flying ANA. However, these benefits are only available on selected ANA flights.

Silver, Gold and Platinum Velocity members can earn bonus points when flying with ANA on a “VA” codeshare flight, as they would on any other Virgin Australia flight.

In addition, Velocity Gold and Platinum members can receive the following benefits when flying ANA between Australia and Japan, or on a domestic ANA flight with a “VA” flight number:

• Priority check-in
• Priority baggage
• Additional checked baggage allowance

Disappointingly, airport lounge access is not one of the included benefits. Virgin Australia also does not have any announcements to make about lounge access being offered in the future.

The benefits that are available to Velocity members are certainly a step in the right direction. But these benefits do seem somewhat limited compared to what Qantas Frequent Flyer members receive when travelling anywhere on the Japan Airlines network.

In addition, according to a Velocity member that flew with ANA from Haneda Airport on the first day of the partnership, it seems that ANA’s systems are not yet set up to recognise Velocity members. But this is hopefully just a temporary teething issue. This person wrote on the AFF forum:

Just tried checkin with ANA in HND. They simply couldn’t add my VFF number. Ensued a long string of apologies, bows, having 3 agents frantically type nothing on a computer, even more bowing. Day 1 never is so smooth.
– Digicola, 18 July 2023

You’ll soon be able to redeem Velocity points for ANA flights

Eventually, you’ll also be able to redeem Velocity points for reward seats on All Nippon Airways. But this feature of the Virgin/ANA partnership is still “coming soon”.

In the meantime, if you have Velocity points and you’d like to redeem them for an ANA flight, you can transfer your Velocity points to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer. You could then use your KrisFlyer miles to book an ANA flight.

Matt Graham

The editor of Australian Frequent Flyer, Matt's passion for travel has taken him to over 90 countries… with the help of frequent flyer points, of course!
Matt's favourite destinations (so far) are Germany, Brazil & Kazakhstan. His interests include aviation, economics & foreign languages, and he has a soft spot for good food and red wine.

You can connect with Matt by posting on the Australian Frequent Flyer community forum and tagging @AFF Editor.