Happy hour has landed! Before you book your tickets for this week's Happy Hour sale, have a look through our guide that answers all your questions, from how much these Virgin Australia fares usually cost to whether Velocity frequent flyer points are included.
Cheapest flight available:
$55
Travel dates
1 May to 24 June 2023
Flexible fares?
No
Baggage included?
Yes, Choice fares only
Virgin Australia's Happy Hour sale is here! This week the lead fare is Ballina to Sydney from $55 each way.
Other fares that have us smiling include:
Travel dates vary by route but run largely from 15 March to 13 September 2023.
This Virgin Australia Happy Hour sale ends 1159pm AEDT, 23 February 2023 unless sold out prior.
Grab your Happy Hour tickets with the deal below before you miss out or head to Virgin Australia for more sales.
Fly and earn up to 20,000 Velocity points
Australia flights from $60
Flights to Vanuatu from $480
Nadi, Fiji flights from $549
International flights from $525 on Virgin Australia
Flights to Bali from $532
Flights to Queenstown from $520
Flights to New Zealand from $520
Flights to Fiji from $396
Flights to Bali from $532
Virgin's Happy Hour sale typically happens every Thursday from 4pm-11pm AEST. Sometimes it drops early from 11am giving you 12 hours to nab those cheap flights.
Yes, you can collect Velocity frequent flyer points when you purchase tickets in the Happy Hour sale. You can receive 5 points for every dollar spent on your airfare.
There are no nasty surprises when you book tickets in Virgin Australia's Happy Hour sale. You receive the same benefits as you would with any ordinary Virgin booking, including the following:
Yes, Happy Hour fares are guaranteed the same protections as regular fares under Virgin's Passenger Promise.
Under its Passenger Promise, Virgin allows you to make unlimited changes to your flight with no change fee, or cancel your flight (and receive credit) with no cancellation fee for travel up to 30 April 2022. Changes must be made prior to your travel date and you may have to pay for fare differences.
No. Unfortunately, Happy Hour fares are not eligible for Virgin's Fare Promise. The Fare Promise guarantees that Virgin will match any lower (full-priced) fare that you find from an eligible third-party website and throw in a bonus of 500 points per booking.
No, we haven't seen a Happy Hour sale that has offered international fares recently. If we do spot international fares, we'll be sure to let you know.
Here's a glance at how Virgin Australia's Happy Hour sale stacks up against Jetstar's Friday Fare Frenzy:
| Virgin Happy Hour Sale | Jetstar Friday Fare Frenzy | |
|---|---|---|
| When is it? | Thursdays from 4pm AEST | Fridays from 12pm AEST |
| How long does it run for? | 7 hours until 11pm AEST | 8 hours until 8pm AEST |
| What are the lowest prices they've had? | From $45 one way | From $29 one way |
| Are international flights included? | No, not recently | Yes, we've seen flights to New Zealand offered from $185 one way |
| What do you get for your money? | 7 kg of carry-on luggage, 23kg checked baggage (Choice fares only), and in-flight entertainment | 7kg of carry-on luggage |
| Are flights flexible? | Free unlimited changes to your flight or cancel to credit for travel up to 30 April 2022 | You can add FareCredit, which is valid for three years from purchase – the credit covers your fare and any extras you choose if you have to cancel, and it costs from $15–$30 depending on the route |
Our verdict: While Jetstar's Fare Frenzy tickets are great for their low prices, you may end up paying more than you originally intended once you add baggage and any other inclusions. Virgin's offering is solid out of the gate and its flexibility policy is comprehensive and, best of all, costs you nothing at the checkout.
Never miss a flight deal! Check out our full list of all the latest flight sales.
Find out the best day to book domestic flights with Virgin Australia, Jetstar and Qantas.