THE AFL and Virgin Australia have today announced a new partnership for 2026 and beyond, marking one of the largest sporting airline partnerships in the country.

The new deal will see AFL and AFLW players, coaches and support staff continue to travel exclusively on Virgin Australia, with the airline cementing its place as the carrier of choice for footy fans across the country.

The partnership will extend across the Toyota AFL and NAB AFLW Premiership Seasons and will help more than half-a-million fans who travelled interstate to support their teams in 2025, get closer to the action.

In 2025, Virgin Australia operated more flights than any other Australian airline during the 2025 Toyota AFL and NAB AFLW seasons, and with AFL fan travel expected to grow in the double digits over the next five years, this partnership will continue to meet the demand of travelling fans.

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said:

“As we celebrate 15 years flying together in 2026, the AFL is pleased to extend our partnership with Virgin Australia,” Dillon said.

“Fans are the heartbeat of our game, and together with Virgin Australia we will continue to connect more people with key moments and events throughout the season.

“It is shaping up to be another big year for the game, with a sold-out AAMI AFL Origin, the AAMI Community Series starting and then the opening of the home and away season all in the next month to get 2026 off to a massive start.

“The partnership with Virgin Australia will help deliver more value and choice for fans to travel and support their club across Australia.”

AFL Executive General Manager Customer, Commercial & Technology Bec Haagsma said:

“Virgin Australia have been a long-valued partner of the AFL and we are thrilled to extend this partnership and take it to new heights in 2026,” Haagsma said.

“With iconic marquee events all over the country throughout the year including AAMI AFL Origin, Opening Round, Gather Round, an expanded Toyota AFL Finals Series, and a growing NAB AFLW competition, this extended partnership with Virgin Australia will connect fans with their teams like never before.”

Virgin Australia Chief Executive Officer, Dave Emerson said:

“Footy is stitched into the fabric of Australian culture, and we’re proud to play our part in connecting fans to the moments that matter,” Emerson said. 

"As the official airline of the AFL and AFLW, we’ve seen firsthand the growing appetite in Australians travelling for events and experiences, and our extended partnership allows us to deliver even greater value and choice for fans heading to the game they love.

“There is a huge opportunity for Virgin Australia to leverage the AFL travel market, and we’ll continue raising the bar with more value, and fan-first experiences when our guests fly to see their teams.”

Virgin Australia Chief Marketing & Customer Operations Officer, Libby Minogue, said:

“Partnering with Australia’s most-loved sport gives Virgin Australia the opportunity to bring fans and communities together, something that sits at the heart of what we do,” Minogue said.

“Our continued partnership with the AFL and AFLW delivers value to our brand, with AFL fans almost 70 per cent more likely to consider flying with Virgin Australia.”

Geelong Cats Captain, Patrick Dangerfield, said:

“The whole team loves travelling with Virgin Australia. They’re reliable, friendly, and the airline’s Economy X seating is ideal for our team, especially with nearly half of our players being over six foot two!” he said.

To mark the extension of the partnership and reinforce its commitment in delivering tangible value for fans, Virgin Australia has today launched a sale for fans to primary away game cities. The sale is available to book here now until 11:00pm AEST Saturday 7 February 2026 for select dates between 1 March 2026 and 30 June 2026.

Virgin Australia has been the official airline partner of the AFL since 2011, transporting players, coaches, league officials and support staff on more than 5,000 flights (or 183,000 seats), carrying more than 3,600 tonnes in club cargo in that time, while sharing the magic of the game all over the country. The renewed agreement extends the partnership to almost two decades.