How to move to an earlier Qantas, Virgin Australia flight
By Chris C., December 18 2018
This article is part of our ongoing Business Travel 101 series for newcomers to the world of business travel.
When your business day winds up sooner than planned or your last meeting of the day is cancelled, moving onto an earlier Qantas or Virgin Australia domestic flight is a much-appreciated perk of regular flyers, who’d rather spend more time with family than sit around waiting in airport lounges.
Here’s how you can make that switcheroo at the airport without being stung by an airline’s normal flight change fees.
Moving to an earlier Qantas domestic flight
Switching your seat for one on an earlier Qantas flight isn’t always easy, but there are several ways to make this happen.
The process is smoothest for Qantas Platinum One frequent flyers who, as a published benefit of the program, can change flights at the airport when booked on a flexible business class or economy airfare, without paying any Qantas change fee or fare difference if the new flight is more expensive.
It’s not possible to reroute your journey – so if you were originally connecting from Brisbane to Cairns via Townsville, for example, you can’t change onto a non-stop Brisbane-Cairns flight using this benefit – and all flight changes remain subject to seating availability on the intended flight.
Such requests can be made at Qantas’ airport service desks (including those found inside lounges), which is also where Qantas Platinum and Gold frequent flyers can try their luck.
While being able to change flights at the airport isn’t a set benefit for these travellers, there can be circumstances where Qantas HQ activates ‘flow forwarding’ – that is, where airport staff are encouraged to fly passengers earlier – such as when bad weather is expected later in the day.
This includes travellers booked on Red e-Deal fares which don’t normally permit same-day flight changes, so while it never hurts to politely ask what’s possible, any change at the airport outside the fare rules of your ticket is a courtesy and isn’t to be expected.
Depending on your fare type and whether Qantas is ‘flow forwarding’ or not, checking-in at an airport kiosk may also provide you with the option of switching to an earlier flight, even if you’re a Qantas Silver or Bronze cardholder.
Moving to an earlier Virgin Australia domestic flight
Unlike Qantas, Virgin Australia allows and encourages its Velocity Gold and Platinum members to ‘Fly Ahead’ on earlier domestic flights and makes this a published benefit of its Velocity Frequent Flyer scheme, subject to a few rules.
First up, Fly Ahead is available on all domestic fare types except for the lowest-cost Getaway tickets and on group (G) fares, which means bookings in the Elevate, Freedom, Business Saver and Business fare categories are all eligible, as are points-based reward bookings made in both business class and economy.
Passengers travelling with checked bags can make their request at priority check-in counters or airport service desks before dropping off their suitcase, or at Virgin Australia airport lounges or service desks when flying with only carry-on baggage.
Fly Ahead benefits are also extended to a maximum of three companions travelling with a Gold or Platinum member on the same reservation.
Requests from Gold-grade members (and their guests) can be made for their next onward flight from the same airport, so on a return booking between Sydney and Melbourne, you may be able to secure a Fly Ahead from Sydney to Melbourne on the ground in Sydney, but would only be able to request a Fly Ahead for the Melbourne-Sydney leg after reaching the Victorian capital.
On the other hand, Platinum members can Fly Ahead on any domestic flight the same day, even those departing from other airports: so when checking-in in Sydney on the same journey, a Platinum member may also be able to nudge forward their later flight home from Melbourne.
Additionally, Platinum members can also request a Fly Ahead by calling Virgin Australia reservations on the day of travel, but some additional timing restrictions apply.
Read: You can now 'Fly Ahead' with Virgin Australia over the phone
This can be handy to help plan your evening – for example, if you know you’ll be able to jump onto an earlier flight, you might head to the airport sooner: and if not, you could spend more time in the city itself rather than the airport lounge.
In all cases, Fly Ahead requests are subject to seating availability in the same cabin on the desired flight; cannot be requested at the mid-way point of a connecting journey, such as in Sydney when flying Ayers Rock-Sydney-Brisbane; and rerouting is not permitted.
Passengers with Silver or no Velocity status travelling on a fully-flexible Freedom fare may also be able to switch to an earlier flight at the airport, although a payment for any fare difference may apply.
Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
15 Sep 2012
Total posts 95
Everything changed when airlines stated charging fares based on the time you fly! Peak time equals higher fares. No way will they change you to a flight that would have cost you more. If they brought back standby fares and could resell your seat then maybe they might allow you to fly earlier
04 May 2015
Total posts 261
You really have no idea what you're talking about there. Velocity fly ahead has been a thing for years, and Qantas often (but not always, in my experience) will move you to an earlier flight too, especially if they're wanting to make room on the later flights.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
20 Nov 2017
Total posts 113
Aniljak: Virgin Australia does this for me on a regular basis.
03 Nov 2014
Total posts 90
My experience is they will generally move you (QFF Gold) particularly when done in the lounge. I have had the odd one where they refuse even though on a flexi ticket, but not the right flexi ticket which I find frustrating...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
16 Sep 2011
Total posts 15
Sorry mate, peak time actually means more demand, so cheaper seats sell out quicker. Your premise is incorrect.
QF
11 Jul 2014
Total posts 999
Last week, I had a business ticket, no seats left on an earlier Virgin flight so they downgraded me to economy and gave a large dollar credit back as well. Nothing like getting home earlier rather than sitting in a lounge.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
15 Nov 2017
Total posts 49
I used Fly Ahead last week to get back to Sydney from the Gold Coast. For some reason the Elevate fare was $50 cheaper than the Getaway out of Brisbane. Virgin were able change from 7pm to 2pm so was home by 5.30. As a platinum also got Economy X so not squeezed in somewhere down the back last minute.
23 May 2011
Total posts 33
When VA brought in Fly Ahead you could book a cheap fare knowing that the flight you actually wanted was more expensive and eg. 9pm flight and turn up at 8am and ask to fly ahead. People abused this and they now have limits on the timing, its either the next earliest flight if there are only a few a day or if its like the SYD-MEL shuttle its a time limit which i think is 2 hours.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1205
I'm sort of bemused that QF are so prickly about fly-ahead. Surely, it makes more sense to fill a seat that will otherwise go empty and have the potential to sell a seat later in the day. It is always on an available seat basis anyway, so if there is no seat available the fly-ahead isn't given.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
14 Jun 2017
Total posts 48
I have status with neither airline (SQ Gold) and have never been denied a fairly regular “fly ahead” request with either airline.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
19 Jun 2018
Total posts 1
I had no problem moving to an earlier flight last week in the lounge despite having no FF status with Virgin Australia, only gold with Etihad. (Syd - Brisbane, Elevate fare).
20 Jan 2017
Total posts 45
I think Mjkcan summed it up perfectly. I'm not a premium flyer on any airline but I've been successful many times going up to a customer service desk and asking politely if there was chance of jagging an earlier flight. I've been unsuccessful a few times to so no drama I'll go and have a beer somewhere.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Aug 2016
Total posts 64
It has to be an emergency for me to use Fly Forward - I'd rather sit in the Lounges, catching up on meeting notes, having an extra wine and something to eat.
QF
04 Apr 2014
Total posts 209
Can’t say I’ve ever been denied a request to catch an earlier flight than the one booked. More often when I check in I get asked if I’d like too.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Oct 2016
Total posts 11
Try getting a fly ahead out of Karratha or Port Hedland back to Perth. If you haven’t forked out $800 plus for a flexi ticket for a 2 hour flight you aren’t their friend and will go on your booked flight.
10 Jun 2018
Total posts 18
I ask if I can fly ahead without paying extra. If the answer is negative, I head to the Qantas lounge and eat and drink for the extra time.
Jetstar Airways - Qantas Frequent Flyer
24 Aug 2018
Total posts 112
Flying from Melbourne to Sydney to catch a flight to Dallas, wonderful Q staff suggested that a fly ahead option was available Without Being Asked. Jumped at it as a delayed landing time and a slow transfer to international can be nerve wrecking. A great start thanks to wonderful client service by Qantas staff in Melb.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
13 Jan 2017
Total posts 74
20 Sep 2017
Total posts 26
I am on a Getaway VA Fare from MEL-SYD this Friday on last flight of the evening. I am Platinum Velocity. Are they likely to allow me to fly ahead despite the fact I am in cheapest fare class?
Jetstar Airways - Qantas Frequent Flyer
22 Jan 2017
Total posts 10
I Fly both Qantas and Virgin business and never had a problem when flights are not fully booked.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 Aug 2015
Total posts 10
Question on this for those in the know.....I’m on a QF classic reward ticket next Tues arvo from Launceston through to Perth. Have a 4 hr wait in MEL then I’m on a 7pm flight to Perth. What do you think my chances are of getting a free change onto domestic seat on QF9 so I can get back to Perth earlier? QF9 shows available for fares to purchase for the sector but not in reward seat options....
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Mar 2017
Total posts 40
This is very common practice on high frequency routes e.g. between cities like SYD/MEL/BNE/ADL as if they can move enough people around they will make economical/weather related/incident recovery cancellations. Especially VA & JQ!!!! You know it's happening when you use self-service kiosks and it asks if you'd like to move to an earlier service.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
19 Jun 2017
Total posts 41
I've found sometimes when going to the kiosk to print my boarding pass, when I click change flight, it gives me the option to move to an earlier flight if available. It wasn't suggested by the machine, but I'd initiated it. I've done a couple of times, mostly successfully which has been great.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
08 Jun 2018
Total posts 91
I have often found that going up to the customer service desk and simply asking politely if there’s any chance has yielded pretty good results. This includes airlines where I don’t have status. I’m OW Emerald (BA) and Star Alliance Gold (SQ), so on flights with them that can help. I know every airline publishes its own criteria and Chris has done a great job outlining the rules for QF and VA above, but asking the right way can help. Enormously. I remember a couple of years ago checking in on a flight from Melbourne and the guy in front of me wanted to move flights. He had the full on “do you know who I am?” tantrum. Although if you’ve got to ask that question you could probably guess the answer!!
14 Nov 2015
Total posts 45
About 9 months ago the wife (QF platinum) and I were booked on the 4pm departure SYD-BNE on a Sunday afternoon. The QF J lounge attendant refused a move forward to a 2pm or 3pm. Sure enough, our half-empty flight was cancelled. Then they couldn't get us on the 5pm, and the 6pm we did get on was late.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
20 Nov 2017
Total posts 113
Good to see that you saw the light (eventually)! VA's Fly Ahead is fantastic.
20 Feb 2019
Total posts 1
Don't fly VA expecting customer service. We upgraded to premium Economy with the bid option for the Aussie open. Huge RIP off, they are so backwards with their computers it ended up messing up the online check in reservation number and they could not find it on the system.
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