Etihad Airways effective June 1, 2025, will end its unilateral codeshare and bilateral frequent-flyer partnership with Virgin Australia, Etihad announced Monday. The carrier cited a “divergence in the strategic direction of the respective airlines.”
Once the termination takes effect, passengers no longer will be able to book Virgin Australia-operated flights through Etihad’s booking channels, and members will not earn Guest Miles on those flights. For Etihad customers with existing bookings that include a Virgin Australia-operated segment, there will be no changes to their itineraries, according to Etihad.
The move comes about six weeks after Qatar Airways announced its intent to acquire a 25 percent stake in Virgin Australia, subject to government approval. As part of that proposed deal, Qatar will become Virgin Australia’s exclusive interline, codeshare and loyalty partner headquartered in the Middle East or Turkey, and Virgin Australia will become Qatar’s exclusive interline, codeshare and loyalty partner headquartered in Australia, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, which anticipates a final determination on the alliance in March 2025.
Etihad also noted that for summer 2025, the carrier will increase its flights to Sydney and Melbourne.
