Compared: Qantas Platinum vs Virgin Australia Platinum

Reaching top-tier Platinum frequent flyer status is no easy task. It demands plenty of time and commitment – especially if your focus is on domestic flights rather than international trips, and even more so if those local flights are largely made in economy class.

For Australians, holding Platinum status typically means Qantas Platinum or Virgin Australia Velocity Platinum.

But while both tiers share the same name, there are major differences in not only how easy it is to earn that shiny status but also the perks which come with it. Here’s a quick comparison.

The pathway to Platinum status

Virgin Australia requires that travellers notch up 1,000 status credits in their membership year to achieve Velocity Platinum status, while Qantas sets its Platinum bar a little higher at 1,400 status credits.

Once that Platinum card is safely tucked away in your wallet or purse, Virgin wants you to earn 800 status credits to stay at Platinum status, versus 1,200 for Qantas.

(Another requirement for Platinum is to take a set number of flights or ‘sectors’ with the airline each membership year. On Qantas that’s four sectors, on Virgin it’s eight, but you’ll easily reach that tally when working your way up the status ladder.)

So how many flights will it take to hit that status credit target?

It depends on what routes you’re flying – short domestic hops versus long international trips – as well as the type of fare you’ve purchased.

Less expensive economy fares earn you fewer status credits than higher-priced ones, and of course business class always trumps economy.

Flying in business class sets you up on a fast track to Platinum status.

As an example, here are the status credit earn rates on the popular Sydney-Melbourne and Sydney-Brisbane routes:

• Virgin Australia Lite economy, 5 status credits
• Virgin Australia Choice economy, 15 status credits
• Virgin Australia Flex economy, 25 status credits
• Virgin Australia Business, 55 status credits
• Qantas Discount Economy, 10 status credits
• Qantas Flexible Economy, 20 status credits
• Qantas Business, 40 status credits
• Qantas Flexible Business, 45 status credits

So if the bulk of your flying is Sydney-Melbourne and/or Sydney-Brisbane, it’s easy to calculate the number of flights needed to reach Platinum with either airline depending on the type of fare purchased by you or your company.

For example, if you were to exclusively fly business class, Virgin Australia Platinum could be yours in just nine return flights, versus a little over 17 for Qantas Platinum.

Domestic Virgin Australia business class flights are a fast and budget-friendly pathway to Platinum.

The other X-Factor here is the price of those tickets.

As a rule, Virgin Australia undercuts Qantas; indeed, a quick search for Sydney-Melbourne business class in mid-September 2024 shows Virgin offering seats for $379 against Qantas at $499, so you could nab that Platinum status with fewer flights and a tighter travel budget.

Of course, if the majority of your flights are overseas – around Asia, to the USA, the UK or Europe – it’s a very different story: a handful of trips in business class and you’ll be sorted.

Qantas has its own extensive international network, while Virgin Australia relies on a bespoke selection of codeshare partners such as Singapore Airlines, United Airlines and Qatar Airways. 

Lounge access for Platinum frequent flyers

Being able to spend time in an airport lounge before your flight – and in some cases after your flight – is generally regarded as the best perk of status, and it’s also perhaps the biggest difference between Qantas Platinum and Virgin Velocity Platinum.

On the domestic front, the Flying Kangaroo has its rival beat by the sheer number of lounges dotted around Australia – almost 50, with many in regional locations – compared to barely a half-dozen Virgin lounges (at Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney).

Melbourne's Virgin Australia Lounge.

And even being one rung down at Velocity Gold gets you into all of those Virgin lounges: there’s nothing extra here if you’re Velocity Platinum.

But Qantas Platinums can not only visit any domestic Qantas Club lounge, they gain access to the superior domestic Qantas Business lounges found in Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney – and they can pop into domestic Qantas lounges on arrival.

Qantas Perth domestic business lounge.

Qantas Platinums are also well ahead on the international front.

They can visit Qantas First Lounges in Sydney, Melbourne, Los Angeles and Singapore, where seasonal á la carte dining and drinks are just a starting point, along with over 600 airport lounges around the world – mainly those of Oneworld airlines (many of which have their own first class lounges) but also of Qantas partner Emirates.

Velocity Platinums (and indeed Velocity Golds) must make do with a patchwork of partners with inconsistent lounge access arrangements. 

For example, United Airlines flights out of Sydney and Melbourne, Velocity Platinums in economy or premium economy have access to Star Alliance lounges, alongside travellers seated in business class... but Brisbane has no such arrangement. 

In addition, Velocity Platinums can pop into some great partner lounges when overseas, such as Qatar Airways’ Platinum Lounge in Doha and Etihad Airways’ Abu Dhabi Terminal A First Class lounge. At the time of writing, there’s no access to ANA lounges.

In short, Qantas Platinum will almost certainly suit you better than Velocity Platinum for international travel.

Baggage allowance for Platinum frequent flyers

Both Qantas and Velocity Platinum frequent flyers enjoy priority check-in and boarding, as well as boosted checked baggage allowance.

For domestic flights on the Red Roo, Platinum members enjoy three pieces up to 23kg each when flying in economy, or two pieces up to 32kg each at the pointy end of the plane. (This allowance ramps up even higher on international flights.)

Qantas and Virgin Australia both provide increased baggage limits for Platinum members.

Virgin Australia allows three bags at 23kg each in economy (excluding Lite fares, which are carry-on only – your status makes no difference here) and two bags up to 32kg each in business class.

Carry-on limits are also increased once you hold a Platinum card in your hand, with Qantas providing an extra 3kgs on Virgin Australia, be it one piece, two or a bag and suit bag.

X-factor perks for Platinum frequent flyers

Qantas Platinum is the equivalent of Emerald status in the Oneworld alliance, which counts 13 full members (soon to be 15) within its ranks.

This gives Qantas a real edge, with frequent flyers entitled to priority treatment when flying on those partner airlines, including access to first class priority check-in and the ability to earn and redeem Qantas points whenever flying on a member airline.

Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport is home to a branded Oneworld lounge.

Another Platinum-grade Qantas perk is a loyalty bonus, which is unlocked through every or 500 status credits earned on Qantas and Jetstar flights. It provides a choice of 8,000 Qantas Points or 50 status credits, and can be very handy indeed.

In addition is a Platinum Bonus Reward, giving you a choice between 50,000 Qantas Points or complimentary Gold membership for a family member or friend once you reach 2,400 status credits.

Virgin Australia delivers some impressive and very practical Velocity Platinum advantages too – starting with four free business class upgrades each year on any domestic route, as long as your booking is on an economy Flex fare.

Platinum members have the option to ‘Fly Ahead’, allowing them to hop onto an earlier same-day flight at least 30 minutes before departure, plus on-arrival lounge access.

Platinum members can move onto an earlier same-day flight, subject to availability.

Velocity Platinums also get free inflight WiFi (which is admittedly free to all passengers on Qantas flights) plus complimentary Economy X seating.

Earning well above the 800 status credits needed to retain Platinum status? You can gift Velocity Gold to the companion of your choice, once you hit 1,300 status credits in a year, or Platinum when you reach 1,800.

Members are also given a choice of receiving Hilton Honors Diamond or IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status, as well as preferred car hire status with Europcar and Hertz.

Virgin’s Family Pooling option makes it easier to earn too, with all points and status credits from your nominated family member flowing into your account, supercharging your path to Platinum.

Qantas vs Virgin Australia Platinum: which is better?

Though members of Qantas Frequent Flyer and Velocity would likely have strong opinions on which program is better, it really comes down to what you want airlines to deliver in exchange for your loyalty.

If lounge access is something you rate highly, then Qantas Platinum status delivers that – and then some. Scores of lounges around Australia, leading through to some 600 globally by way of Oneworld Emerald status, really does have a real gleam to it. 

Tend to travel with more baggage in tow? Qantas has Virgin beat in that arena too. 

But where Virgin really shines is its on-ground partner benefits, such as free Hilton Honors Diamond or IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status, plus the option to Fly Ahead and gift complimentary Platinum status (something only unlocked at Qantas’ higher Platinum One).

Family Pooling is also a great way for regular but not quite frequent flyers to get a status leg up, funnelling status credits from a partner or family member into their Velocity account.