Virgin Australia’s Sydney-Doha flights set for take-off

More than five years after Virgin Australia exited international long-range flying in March 2020, as pandemic took hold and the already-struggling carrier collapsed into administration, the airline is ready to soar once more.

Across the second half of June, flights will take off from Sydney June 12), Brisbane (June 19) and Perth (June 26) to Doha, the capital of Gulf nation Qatar and home to Virgin’s new cornerstone investor Qatar Airways, which will offer seamless onward connections across the UK, Europe and South Africa.

Melbourne-Doha flights will follow from December 1.

Here are 11 things you need to know about Virgin Australia’s new flights to Doha.

Each of the Virgin Australia flights will be on a Qatar Airways 777 fitted with Qsuites business class.

Virgin’s Australia-Doha flight schedule

These new Virgin Australia flights will provide additional choice for travellers against Qatar Airways’ current schedule.

And because they’re in addition to Qatar Airways’ own flights, the Sydney-Doha, Brisbane-Doha and Perth-Doha routes will now see double-daily flights, while Melbourne-Doha will boast three flights per day.

Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways are joining forces to boost Australia-Doha flights.

Sydney-Doha:

• VA1 departs Sydney at 2.50pm, arriving into Doha at 10.50pm
• VA2 departs Doha at 9.15am, arriving into Sydney at 6.15am the following day

Melbourne-Doha:

• VA7 departs Melbourne at 5.10pm, arriving into Doha at 11.30pm
• VA8 departs Doha at 1.40am, arriving into Melbourne at 11.05pm

Brisbane-Doha:

• VA15 departs Brisbane at 3.10pm, arriving into Doha at 11pm
• VA16 departs Doha at 1.40am, arriving into Brisbane at 10.45pm

Perth-Doha:

• VA21 departs Perth at 3.40pm, arriving into Doha at 10.10pm
• VA22 departs Doha at 7.50pm, arriving into Perth at 11.55am the following day

(These can also be booked as Qatar Airways flights under a native QR84xx number – for example, VA1 from Sydney to Doha doubles as QR8400.)

They’re Virgin Australia in name only

Let’s be up front: these Virgin flights will be on a fleet of Boeing 777 jets leased from Qatar Airways, which is also providing the pilots and crew, meals, drinks, inflight entertainment – basically, everything.

Virgin Australia's Doha flights will be on board Qatar Airways' Boeing 777 jets.

That said, as anybody who has flown with Qatar Airways can attest, this all adds up to a first-rate experience – especially in business class.

These Virgin Australia 777 flights will boast the excellent business class Qsuites.

This even raises the possibility of the Virgin Australia flights from Doha to Australia including Qatar Airways’ business class caviar service.

Caviar on a Virgin Australia flight?

Virgin Australia has also taken ‘expressions of interest’ for its pilots and cabin crew to be seconded to Qatar Airways for these flights.

Qsuites business class 

Each of the 777s being flown by Virgin Australia will feature the private Qsuites, which are among the world’s best business class.

These Virgin Australia 777 flights will boast the excellent business class Qsuites.

They’re superior to anything flown by Qantas, Emirates, Etihad or Singapore Airlines, for example.

The Qsuite is easily among the world's best business class experiences.

If you’re travelling with your partner, try to book the middle E and F seats which can be converted into a double bed.

The paired E and F seats effectively convert into a double bed.

There’s also the flexibility of a ‘dine on demand’ menu so you can tailor meals to your own timetable on these long flights.

Enjoy 'dine on demand' in Qatar Airways business class.

Free superfast WiFi

Another area where these Virgin Australia x Qatar Airways flights easily best their competitors is inflight Internet, which is completely free and staggeringly fast.

The Virgin Australia 777 flights will keep you connected above the clouds.

Powered by the Starlink satellite network, it delivers impressive real-world speeds of 100-200Mbps.

Even during the peak hours when most passengers be expected to be online, you’ll still likely see a zippy 30-50Mbps, which is still quicker than Australia’s entry-level NBN broadband plans.

Lounge access in Australia

Ahead of these Virgin Australia flights to Doha, business class passengers and Velocity Gold, Platinum and Platinum Plus frequent flyers (along with members of the invitation-only Beyond program) will find the welcome mat rolled out at selected partner lounges.

Those are the Air New Zealand lounges in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, and the independent Marhaba Lounge in Melbourne.

Air New Zealand's lounges will welcome eligible passengers on most Virgin flights to Doha.

Lounge access in Doha

Ahead of Virgin’s return flights from Doha’s Hamad International Airport back to Australia, as well as onwards flights with Qatar Airways, business class passengers can visit one of two Al Mourjan Business Lounges.

Velocity Gold, Platinum and Platinum Plus members, and Virgin Australia Beyond members, can make a beeline to one of Qatar Airways’ three dedicated frequent flyer lounges at Doha.

Surprisingly comfortable and well-appointed for ‘frequent flyer’ lounges, these are actually a cut above some business class lounges we’ve seen on our travels.

Qatar Airways has several high-quality frequent flyer lounges at Doha.

Bonus Doha dining vouchers for Velocity members

All Velocity Frequent Flyers – even entry-level Velocity Red members – travelling on a Virgin Australia flight will receive a complimentary US$20 voucher valid at over 60 cafes and restaurants at Doha’s sprawling Hamad International Airport.

This dining credit is linked to your boarding pass, so you’ll have to ensure your Velocity membership number is included in your booking.

This is obviously very convenient for travellers who aren’t eligible for lounge access, but can also be used to supplement a lounge visit with an indulgent visit to the likes of the Harrods Tea Room or Oreo Café.

Splash out on high tea at the Harrods Tea Room.

Beyond Doha

While the Qatari capital is worth a short stopover, most passengers on these Virgin Australia flights will be continuing onto Qatar’s network of more than 100 destinations across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Those flights can all be booked as part of your Virgin Australia trip under a VA flight number for a seamless connection including a transfer checked luggage and consistent Velocity frequent flyer benefits.

For example, Sydney-Barcelona would combine VA1 from Sydney to Doha with a Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Barcelona listed as VA6154.

Several Qatar Airways flights to Europe are on the A380 with its superb business class lounge.

Upgrading to business class with points

If you’re in economy class on one of these Virgin Australia flights between Australia and Doha, your stash of Velocity Points can be used to apply for an upgrade to the comfort of Qsuites business class as of 1 July 2025.

All Velocity members – including Red and Silver – can upgrade from an Economy Flex fare into business class at an asking price of 69,000 Velocity Points.

In addition, Velocity Gold and Platinum members can upgrade from the lower-priced Economy Choice fares for 99,000 Velocity Points.

You can (and should) use your Velocity Points to apply for an upgrade to business class.

However, at the time of writing, points-based upgrades can’t be done online or at the airport. To request an upgrade you’ll need to call the Velocity Membership Contact Centre at least 24 hours before your flight departs.

Any Business Reward seats which are available when you request an upgrade might even be confirmed immediately.

Otherwise, you can go onto an upgrade waitlist which will be processed up to 24 hours before departure, with the following priority:

• Velocity Platinums, then Golds, Silvers and Reds booked on an Economy Flex ticket;
• and then Velocity Platinum followed by Velocity  Gold members booked on an Economy Choice ticket

Earning Velocity Points and Status Credits on Doha flights

Virgin’s Sydney-Doha, Melbourne-Doha and Brisbane-Doha flights will earn around 3,800 Velocity Points on an Economy Choice ticket; around 7,500 Velocity Points on an Economy Flex fare; and around 15,000 Velocity Points in business class.

The equivalent Perth-Doha earning rates are 2,900, 5,800 and 11,600 Velocity Points, respectively.

There’s also a ‘tier bonus’ depending on your Velocity status at the time of your flight; this is set at 50% of miles flown for Velocity Silver, 75% of miles flown for  Velocity Gold and 100% of miles flown for Velocity Platinum.

Velocity frequent flyers can earn from 50% to 100% bonus points on Virgin's Doha flights.

However, when it comes to Status Credits, these long-range flights will be an exception to Velocity’s controversial move to spend-based status earning.

Under that recently-introduced scheme, most travellers earn one Velocity Status Credit for every $12 of their airfare.

But on Australia-Doha flights, travellers will earn Status Credits the old-fashioned way, based on the fare type and the number of miles flown.

Until October 1 2025 on flights each way between Australia and Doha that’s:

• 45 Status Credits in Economy Choice
• 80 Status Credits in Economy Flex
• 160 status credits in Business

After October 1, the tally is reduced to around 35 Status Credits in Economy Choice, 55-70 in Economy Flex and 110-130 in Business (depending on which Australian city you’re flying to or from).

On flights beyond Doha, partner earning rates for Qatar Airways will apply. 

Booking Virgin’s Doha flights with Velocity Points

Looking to redeem your stockpile of Velocity Points?

One-way business class Reward Seats on Sydney-Doha, Brisbane-Doha and Melbourne-Doha will cost 119,500 Velocity Points, or 89,500 Velocity Points for Perth-Doha (plus fees, taxes, and carrier charges).

One-way economy Reward Seats on Sydney-Doha, Brisbane-Doha and Melbourne-Doha will cost 56,000 Velocity Points, with a lower 42,000 Velocity Points for Perth-Doha (plus fees, taxes, and carrier charges).

Watch for these points bargains on Virgin's new Doha flights.

Travel beyond Doha sees destinations grouped into several regions such as Western Europe (the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland) and Southern Europe (Italy, Austria) and Northern Europe (Finland, Scandinavia).

As an example: all from way from Sydney Melbourne or Brisbane to Western Europe will total 158,500 points in business class and 80,000 points in economy.  

Also read: How to get a lifetime of Virgin Australia Gold perks