Virgin Australia’s alliance with Qatar Airways won’t negatively impact most partnerships or frequent flyer benefits. Existing partnerships with airlines like Singapore Airlines and South African Airways remain unchanged. The alliance aims to increase flight capacity and potentially lower fares.

Virgin Australia’s long-standing Etihad Airways partnership is officially coming to an end in June next year, paving the way for Qatar Airways’ proposed 25% investment in Virgin.

Etihad Airways has announced it will terminate its codeshare partnership with Virgin Australia. From June 1 next year, the codesharing and frequent flyer schemes shared by Virgin and Etihad will end.

Etihad Airways has said that it will end its unilateral codeshare and bilateral frequent flyer partnership with Virgin Australia, effective June 1, 2025, citing a “divergence” in the strategic directions of the two airlines.

The change comes amid rival Middle Eastern carrier Qatar Airways seeking to deepen its ties with Virgin Australia through a 25 per cent stake in the Brisbane-based airline. Etihad Airways said in a statement its decision "reflects a divergence in the strategic direction of the respective airlines".

Etihad Airways has ended speculation over their future with long term partner Virgin Australia, announcing they will formally end the arrangement in June.