Virgin Australia offers flight discounts for small businesses

Members of Virgin Australia’s Accelerate program for small and medium-sized businesses can now save up to 10% on the cost of domestic and international flights year-round, and up to 15% for bookings made until mid-December.

Similar to ‘Aquire Flight Deals’ which competitor Qantas recently debuted for SMEs and members of its own Aquire program, Virgin Australia’s ‘Fare Advantage’ delivers the following savings:

• Business class: 15% discount on the base fare on selected domestic and international flights booked by December 16 2015, and 10% discount on the base fare thereafter.
• Premium economy: 10% discount on the base fare of international ‘Premium Saver’ tickets, regardless of booking date.
• Flexible (‘Flexi’) economy: 10% base fare discount on selected domestic and international flights for bookings made by December 16 2015, later reverting to a 5% discount.
• Restricted (‘Saver’) economy: 5% saving off the base fare on selected domestic and international flights only for bookings made until December 16 2015 after which all Saver fares will continue to be sold at full price.

Fare discounts are available for travel not just on Virgin Australia, but also on Delta Air Lines and Etihad Airways when the journey is booked through Virgin Australia and the flights carry a VA flight number, with the heightened promotional savings available for flights taken until March 31 2016.

Also, unlike Aquire Flight Deals which only discounts bookings made up to 10 days in advance in business class and premium economy and seven days early in economy, Virgin Australia’s Fare Advantage discounts are offered right up until departure.

Accelerate members can access Fare Advantage flight discounts by logging into their business travel account on the Virgin Australia website or by booking through their preferred travel management company.

Virgin Australia Fare Advantage: eligible fares

Importantly, not all fares will be available at a discount. In domestic business class, only D-type fares will enjoy savings while internationally both the D- and I-types are covered, which means that when a flight is close to full and fares are already more expensive than usual, you won’t receive a discount.

In premium economy, only the least expensive O booking class – or ‘Premium Saver’ fare type – is discounted, while the more pricey premium seats will still sell at full fare.

Read: Virgin Australia’s new premium economy seats, service revealed

Down the back of the bus, Fare Advantage covers all commercial booking classes under the Flexi and Saver banners, although only Flexi fares will continue to enjoy discounts after the initial promotion period.

“We understand that businesses have to be more agile and flexible than ever before, and that includes their travel plans,” said Virgin Australia Chief Commercial Officer Judith Crompton.

“As a proud Virgin brand, we share a sense of entrepreneurialism with the thousands of small and medium businesses who choose to fly with us, and today’s announcement reinforces our commitment to making their travel experience more effortless and rewarding.”

Virgin Australia Accelerate: eligibility and benefits

Fare Advantage discounts are available only to members of the airline’s longstanding Accelerate scheme, so if your business isn’t already a member and spends at least $20,000 a year on air travel, head to the Virgin Australia website and complete an application.

There’s no fee to join, and when your spend does pass that $20,000/year mark on Virgin Australia, Air New Zealand, Delta and Etihad flights you’ll begin to receive travel credits of 2-5% of the value spent, in addition to any savings pocketed through discounted flights.

Further, your business can also assign two Velocity ‘Pilot Gold’ memberships to employees after spending at least $2,000 on flights in your first three months of membership, which provide lounge access, priority check-in and boarding privileges as a kick-start for a further three months.

Pilot Gold members who earn at least 80 status credits in that time and fly at least once on a Virgin Australia flight number will see their membership expanded to regular Velocity Gold for a further 12 months, and can then nab elite status with a car hire and hotel partner of their choosing.

Accelerate members also receive discounts on Virgin Australia airport lounge memberships, while all travellers continue to earn Velocity Points and status credits on their travels, even when flights have been booked at a discount.

For more information, head to the Virgin Australia Accelerate website.

Also read: Qantas discounts flights for Aquire members

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Chris C.

Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.