Virgin Australia sale has one million flights from $49

While travel might be off the cards for residents in NSW and Victoria for the moment, it doesn’t make dropping $50 on a flight any less appealing.

Vanessa Brown

@vanessajbrown

3 min read

September 6, 2021 - 1:25PM

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While travel might be off the cards for residents in NSW and Victoria for the moment, that hasn’t stopped one Aussie airline from launching one millions flights from just $49.

Virgin Australia announced on Monday it will launch over one million fares around the country – with some less than $50 – from today until Friday, September 10.

A spokesperson for the airline said sale fares will be on 70 routes nationally for selected travel dates between October 6, 2021 and June 23, 2022.

“We know travellers are dreaming about their next holiday, so we’re offering these fantastic sale fares on travel dates well into next year, ready for when borders are open again,” the airline’s statement read.

Virgin Australia has launched a massive flight sale, with some fares under $50. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

“To give customers added confidence when booking, we are also waiving applicable change fees and allowing unlimited changes for bookings for travel between now and February 28, 2022.

“We’ve seen many traveller’s plans impacted by domestic border restrictions and so we’re here to give them comfort when booking a Virgin Australia flight that they’ll be able to change the date of their travel if they need to.”

The promotion, which is dubbed the Anywhere But Here sale, includes some of the airline’s most popular routes being either way between Sydney and Ballina Byron from $49, between Melbourne and Launceston from $49, between Sydney and Sunshine Coast from $69, and between Brisbane and Sydney from $79.

Byron Bay is one of the locations on sale.

COMPETITION FOR VAXXED PASSENGERS

The sale comes days after the airline’s boss Jayne Hrdlicka announced a massive ‘millionaire’ prize initiative for passengers of the airline who are vaccinated.

Dubbed their VA-X & Win competition, the promotion is to reward and thank vaccinated Australians who have “played their part” by getting the jab and protecting the community.

To date, more than 131,000 people have entered to win from a prize pool valued at more than $150,000 for simply rolling up their sleeves and getting the jab.

Speaking on Channel 7’s Sunrise on Wednesday, the airline’s Ms Hrdlicka said there was no working crystal ball in the pandemic, but hoped this initiative would encourage more Australians to get vaccinated.

“The offer is to register for the competition and have the opportunity to become a Velocity points millionaire, to win business class flights, economy trips, lounge memberships, a long list with hundreds of prizes, all you need to do is register and if you are a winner you provide to an independence source your independent certificate of vaccination,” Ms Hrdlicka said.

Virgin CEO Jayne Hrdlicka supports certain states opening to overseas travel before others. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

“We know there is lots of conversation about what the requirements will be for restaurants, stadiums, travel and we will actively engage in those conversations and our main priority is to ensure that the community is safe and the vulnerable are protected and as many Australians as possible have rolled up their sleeves to be protected.”

Ms Hrdlicka also said that with NSW surging towards a 70 per cent vaccination rate, she would support the idea of the state opening up to international travel even if it meant other jurisdictions were left behind.

“There is no crystal ball that is working at the moment,” she said.

“There are lots of different pathways out of the situation that we are in now, from our stand point the most important thing is we get out of lockdown and get every Australian the opportunity to be vaccinated.

“We need to open up wherever we can and if NSW is the only state that is prepared to open up international borders and the other states don’t figure it out, let’s go for it and get NSW opened up to the rest of the world.