Leslie Massey
The Virgin Australia Group, one of the largest Australian airlines, was founded in the year 2000 by Sir Richard Branson. The airline operates an extensive domestic network as well as short-haul international services, charter and cargo operations, and its loyalty program, Velocity Frequent Flyer.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year founded | 2000 |
| Founder | Sir Richard Branson |
| Number of employees | More than 7,800 |
| Number of Velocity members | More than 12 million |
| Number of destinations | Over 600 |
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What You'll Learn
Virgin Australia Group founded in 2000
The Virgin Australia Group, founded in 2000 by Sir Richard Branson, is one of the largest Australian airlines. It operates an extensive domestic network and short-haul international services, as well as charter and cargo operations. The group has more than 7,800 employees and over 12 million Velocity Frequent Flyer members. Velocity members can use their points to redeem flights to 600 destinations worldwide through Virgin Australia and its international partner carriers.
The founding of Virgin Australia Group in 2000 added to the list of ventures by the Virgin Group, which is a British multinational venture capital conglomerate founded by Richard Branson and Nik Powell in February 1970. The Virgin Group's business and trading activities date back to the 1970s, and it has a net worth of approximately £3 billion as of early 2023.
The name "Virgin" came about in 1970 when Richard Branson and Nik Powell considered themselves "virgins" in business. Branson described the "V" in the logo as an expressive tick, representing the Virgin seal of approval. The logo, designed by British science-fiction artist and designer Roger Dean, has become a well-known symbol of the Virgin brand.
Over the years, the Virgin Group has expanded its operations and diversified its portfolio, including ventures such as Virgin Atlantic Airways, which was established in 1984. Virgin Atlantic, a British airline, has a strong safety reputation and has never suffered a hull-loss incident or passenger fatality since its founding.
The Virgin Australia Group, as a part of the Virgin brand, has contributed to the brand's global presence and reputation for innovation and customer focus. The group's collaboration with Qatar Airways in 2025 further strengthened its position in the aviation industry, offering increased competition and benefits to Australian passengers.
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Richard Branson as co-founder
The Virgin Australia Group was founded in 2000 by Sir Richard Branson. Branson is also the co-founder of Virgin Group, a British multinational venture capital conglomerate, which he started with Nik Powell in February 1970. The pair first set up a record shop, initially as a mail-order business, and then with a physical store in 1971. They considered themselves "virgins" in business. Branson has described the "V" in the logo as an expressive tick, representing the Virgin seal of approval.
The original Virgin logo, designed by British science-fiction artist and designer Roger Dean, was intended for the record company that Branson and Powell founded. The name "Virgin" was chosen to reflect the fact that they were new to business. The pair had a modest start-up fund of £300 from Branson's mother.
Since its founding, Virgin Group has expanded into numerous industries, including mobile phone services, airlines, healthcare, and game development. The company's net worth was estimated at £3 billion as of early 2023. Virgin Australia is now one of the largest Australian airlines, with over 7,800 employees and more than 12 million Velocity members.
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Domestic network and short-haul international services
The Virgin Australia Group was founded in 2000 by Sir Richard Branson. It is one of the largest Australian airlines, with more than 7,800 employees and over 12 million Velocity Frequent Flyer members. The airline operates an extensive domestic network and short-haul international services, as well as charter and cargo operations.
The domestic network of Virgin Australia covers various destinations within Australia, connecting major cities and regional areas. The airline offers frequent flights between key hubs such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and smaller towns and cities across the country. Virgin Australia's domestic services provide convenient travel options for both business and leisure travellers, ensuring efficient connectivity within Australia.
In addition to its domestic presence, Virgin Australia also operates short-haul international services to nearby countries in the Asia-Pacific region. These short-haul flights typically range from 2 to 8 hours and cover popular destinations such as Singapore, Bali, Fiji, New Zealand, and various islands in the South Pacific. The airline's short-haul international services cater to the needs of travellers seeking leisure getaways or business trips within this region.
Virgin Australia's short-haul international services have been further strengthened by its partnership with Qatar Airways, which received approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in 2025. This collaboration has facilitated Virgin Australia's re-entry into long-haul international flying, with 28 weekly flights between Australia and Doha, commencing in June 2025. The partnership provides Virgin Australia with access to Qatar Airways' expertise and resources, enhancing its short-haul and long-haul capabilities.
The airline's extensive domestic network and short-haul international services are complemented by its loyalty program, Velocity Frequent Flyer. This program allows members to accumulate points through their Virgin Australia flights and redeem them for flights to over 600 destinations worldwide, thanks to the airline's partnerships with various international carriers.
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Loyalty program, Velocity Frequent Flyer
Virgin Australia's loyalty program is called Velocity Frequent Flyer. Membership is free, and members can start earning points and status credits immediately. Velocity has over 70 program partners and over 200 e-store partners, making it easy to earn points on everyday purchases. Points can be redeemed for flights, flight upgrades, car rentals, hotels, products, gift cards, and even wine. Velocity also offers family perks such as Family Pooling, Points Transfer, and Parental Pause. Velocity members can also enjoy new benefits when travelling on Virgin Australia services between Australia and Doha (VA1-29).
Virgin Australia also offers a Business Flyer program, where members can earn up to 1,000,000 points per year on Virgin Australia flights. The Business Flyer program also provides business travel benefits and allows businesses to earn Velocity Points on the ground and in the air, with 40+ partners and offers.
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Virgin Australia's partnership with Qatar Airways
Virgin Australia was founded in 1984 as British Atlantic Airways. In 2025, the airline announced a new partnership with Qatar Airways, marking a significant step towards solidifying the evolving relationship between the two companies. This partnership is expected to create greater choice and value for Australian passengers, with increased competition, enhanced services, and improved connectivity as its key goals.
The partnership between Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways is designed to benefit customers, businesses, and the Australian economy. With Qatar Airways' investment, Virgin Australia gains access to the scale and expertise of a world-leading airline, strengthening its domestic and international competitiveness. This backing from one of the largest airlines globally provides Virgin Australia with industry insights and support for continued growth, improved ability to compete for key market segments, and enhanced margin ambitions.
The collaboration between the two airlines includes an expanded codeshare arrangement, allowing customers on Virgin Australia's new Doha flights to seamlessly connect to Qatar Airways' global network. This expanded codeshare provides access to over 100 new connecting itineraries across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In addition, the partnership offers increased opportunities for earning and redeeming points and status credits for members of Velocity and Qatar Airways' Privilege Club.
Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways also share a commitment to sustainability. In October 2024, they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on a range of sustainability initiatives. This partnership enables Virgin Australia to resume long-haul flying, with flights from Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth to Doha commencing in June 2025, and flights from Melbourne to Doha scheduled to begin in December 2025. These flights will be operated by Qatar Airways on behalf of Virgin Australia, utilizing wet-leased aircraft.
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Frequently asked questions
Virgin Australia Group was founded in the year 2000.
Virgin Australia was founded by Sir Richard Branson.
Virgin Australia Group is one of the largest Australian airlines operating an extensive domestic network as well as short-haul international services.
Virgin Australia Group employs more than 7,800 people.
Virgin Australia has more than 12 million Velocity members.
