United, the only U.S. airline that didn’t suspend its Australia flights during the pandemic, and Virgin Australia, once an international competitor, have inked a new codeshare agreement and will also link up their loyalty programs for earning and burning.
Virgin Australia, once a serious competitor with Qantas in the international market went into Australia’s equivalent of bankruptcy early on in the pandemic. In emerging from bankruptcy after its sale to Bain Capital, it has become an all-737 domestic carrier.
Before the pandemic, Virgin Australia was a Delta code-share partner. The new linkup with United gives it a path to selling international destinations and a source of inbound passengers for its domestic routes.
