Virgin Australia frequent flyer tips for Virgin/AirNZ flights

If you're a Virgin Australia Velocity frequent flyer with Platinum, Gold or Silver status, we've put together a handy guide to your benefits when jetting across the pond with the Virgin Australia/Air New Zealand trans-Tasman alliance.

We'll walk you through what you get, from booking to seat selection, check-in to baggage, lounges to on-board service, with reference to our full week of detailed articles on the alliance.

Velocity Platinum & Gold

Virgin Australia's top-tier frequent flyers receive a wealth of benefits, in some ways more than Air New Zealand's own Gold Elite and Gold Airpoints members.

Velocity Platinums and Golds can:

• avoid the extra fees for luggage when booking: Platinum members will get 69kg of luggage and Gold a 32kg bag no matter which ticket type they buy anywhere on the Trans-Tasman Alliance -- even Air New Zealand's "no bags" Seat fares
• choose extra-legroom seats when booking through the airline doing the flying, or are automatically slotted into one of the extra-legroom seats if booking on the other airline 
• have the chance of free upgrades to Air New Zealand's long-haul premium economy seats on trans-Tasman flights where Air NZ uses its long-haul Boeing 747 and 777 planes
• relax at lounges at most Australian domestic and international airports and throughout NZ -- but bear in mind that there are some exceptions to the lounge access rules
• make their way into regional NZ lounges too -- but don't forget you'll need to pick up the PIN code at check-in

Velocity Silver

It's not quite so rosy a picture for Velocity Silvers, who just get a 23kg baggage allowance when booking, no matter which ticket type they buy anywhere on the Trans-Tasman Alliance -- even Air New Zealand's "no bags" Seat fares.

More information on the trans-Tasman Alliance

For more of our in-depth coverage of the Air New Zealand/Virgin Australia trans-Tasman alliance, check out:

• the trans-Tasman alliance: how it works, routes and flights
• how to snag those extra-legroom seats on Air NZ or Pacific Blue
• your extra baggage allowance on every flight, even the ones that say "no bags"
• those ticket and fare types, demystified 
• what you need to get into Air NZ's regional lounges as a Velocity member
• how to get ultra-comfortable long haul seats and service on trans-Tasman flights
• which Air NZ flights from Australia give free premium economy seat upgrades to frequent flyers

John Walton

Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.