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Virgin Australia

Virgin Australia at a glance

  • 579flights a day2nd busiest of 9 airlines
  • 120routes flown
  • 32airports served
  • 01:30 – 23:20first and last

Checked baggage included with the fares we recorded: 23 kg. Airlines sell more; this is what the cheapest fares carried.

Collected between 11 October 2026 and 12 October 2026. Not live — check with the airline before booking.

Virgin Australia runs a domestic network, short-haul international services, and charter and cargo operations. It was founded in 2000, relaunched in 2020 as what it calls a "value carrier", and is part of the Virgin Group. On the domestic flights it operates itself, its fares are Lite, Choice, Flex and Business.

A Lite fare includes carry-on baggage but no checked bag, and domestic check-in closes 30 minutes before departure. The deadline for reaching the boarding gate is the time given to you at check-in, and arriving after it lets Virgin Australia cancel the booking, including any onward or return flights.

Virgin Australia terminals at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth

Sydney Airport

In Sydney, the Virgin Australia flights recorded use Sydney Airport (SYD). Sydney Airport places Virgin Australia in Terminal 2 (T2), and Virgin Australia's own page on its new check-in process lists "Sydney T2 Domestic".

Virgin Australia's Sydney guide says construction works may cause congestion at Sydney Airport and asks you to allow extra time. Sydney Airport says the T2 upgrade will be completed by the end of 2026.

Melbourne Airport

In Melbourne, the flights recorded use Melbourne Airport (MEL). Virgin Australia's Melbourne guide says it operates domestic flights from Terminal 3 (T3), which it calls the Virgin Australia Melbourne T3 Terminal. Melbourne Airport says Virgin Australia passengers collect their bags at T3.

Brisbane Airport

Virgin Australia's Brisbane guide says its flights arrive and depart from the Brisbane Domestic Terminal at Brisbane Airport (BNE).

Virgin Australia passengers transferring from an international flight to a domestic one can use the Domestic Transfer Desk in the International Terminal.

Perth Airport: Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 by flight number

At Perth Airport (PER), Virgin Australia's own airport guide sets the terminal by flight number. Check the flight number on your booking against this split. The guide says its flights are at the T1/T2 airport precinct, a short walking distance apart.

Perth terminalVirgin Australia flight numbers
Terminal 1 (T1) DomesticVA0200 to VA2499 (except VA1900 to VA1999), VA9020 to VA9049 and VA9100 to VA9199
T1 InternationalVA0050 to VA0199 and VA1900 to VA1999
Terminal 2 (T2)VA2500 to VA2999, VA9050 to VA9099 and VA9200 to VA9499

T1 Domestic check-in opens 2 hours before departure from Monday to Friday, and 90 minutes before the first departure on Saturday and Sunday. The T2 check-in counter keeps its own hours, which Virgin Australia says may change without notice. Virgin Australia's page on its new check-in process lists the terminal as Perth Virgin Australia Regional T2.

Virgin Australia fare types

As of October 2026, Virgin Australia sells the domestic flights it operates itself as Lite, Choice, Flex and Business. Lite, Choice and Flex are economy fares, and Business is sold in the Business cabin.

FareFood and drinkCarry-onChecked baggageSeat selectionChanges and cancellation
LiteWater, tea and coffee; other food to buy8 kgNot included; a bag can be boughtA standard seat can be boughtChanges up to midnight before departure, with a fee and any fare difference; cannot be cancelled, and the fare is lost
ChoiceMeals included8 kg1 x 23 kgIncludedChanges until departure, with a fee and any fare difference; cancelling gives travel credit with a fee, not a refund to the original payment
FlexMeals included8 kg1 x 23 kgIncludedChanges allowed, plus any fare difference; cancelling gives travel credit, or a refund to the original payment with a fee applying
BusinessMeals included14 kg2 x 32 kgIncludedChanges allowed, plus any fare difference; cancelling gives a refund or travel credit

In-flight entertainment is included on every fare. A booking cannot be changed or cancelled after the scheduled departure, and Virgin Australia's fare page sets out the full conditions for each fare. Of the four fares, only Business includes priority bag drop, boarding and baggage, where available, and the same page lists them for Velocity Gold, Platinum and Platinum Plus members.

Every fare earns Velocity Frequent Flyer points, and Lite earns Status Credits at half the rate of the other fares. Choice and Flex can be upgraded using points, and Lite cannot. Flex includes the Fly Ahead option, subject to Velocity tier and availability.

Virgin Australia baggage allowances

Virgin Australia's Conditions of Carriage (as at 14 October 2025) say carry-on allowances are listed on its website and may change. The figures below are what Virgin Australia currently allows, as its baggage pages stood in October 2026, so check them before you fly.

Carry-on baggage on Virgin Australia

In economy, including Velocity Red and Silver members, Virgin Australia currently allows one bag for the overhead locker, up to 8 kg and 56 x 36 x 23 cm. One personal item of up to 45 x 33 x 20 cm that fits under the seat comes on top.

Business, Economy X (which the carry-on page lists with Business) and Velocity Gold, Platinum and Platinum Plus members choose one of these: one standard 8 kg bag; two small bags of up to 48 x 34 x 23 cm each, 14 kg combined; or one standard bag and a suit pack of up to 114 x 60 x 11 cm, 14 kg combined. A personal item comes on top, and no individual item may weigh more than 8 kg.

Under clause 9.1(a) of the Conditions of Carriage, a bag over the size, weight or piece limits, or one with no overhead space left for it, may be moved to the hold.

Checked baggage on Virgin Australia

FareChecked baggage for non-members and Velocity Red members
LiteNot included
Choice1 x 23 kg
Flex1 x 23 kg
Business2 x 32 kg

On Choice and Flex, Velocity Silver, Gold, Platinum and Platinum Plus members get a larger allowance, and on Business, Platinum and Platinum Plus members do. Lite includes no checked bag at any Velocity tier on Virgin Australia's checked baggage page. The allowance follows your Velocity status at the time you travel, not when you booked.

A bag can weigh up to 32 kg. Where the allowance is 23 kg a bag, a bag over 23 kg and up to 32 kg is overweight at the airport, and a fee applies. Length, width and height together can come to 140 cm at most, and anything over 32 kg has to go as freight through Virgin Australia's cargo service.

Up to two extra bags can be bought online or through the contact centre before check-in, and more can be requested at the airport, subject to availability.

Batteries, medical items and valuables

Power banks, spare batteries, vapes, e-cigarettes, cordless hair straighteners and wireless earbud charging cases go in carry-on only. Crutches and similar items are exempt from the carry-on limits, and medical sharps such as diabetes syringes may be carried on board. Virgin Australia's baggage page says to keep cash, medication, personal documents and keys with you.

Checking in and boarding with Virgin Australia

Check-in times for Virgin Australia domestic flights

Online check-in for Virgin Australia domestic flights opens 48 hours before the scheduled departure and closes 30 minutes before it. Airport check-in for domestic flights also closes 30 minutes before departure, and Virgin Australia recommends dropping bags at least 60 minutes before.

At Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, bags are not accepted earlier than 3 hours before departure. Under clause 11.1 of the Conditions of Carriage, missing the 30-minute deadline can mean losing the fare and any baggage fee already paid, and the booking may be cancelled or reallocated.

Bag drop and digital check-in

Virgin Australia's page on the change says that from May 2026 it is upgrading domestic travellers to a digital-first check-in. Where the change is in place, some kiosks at the major domestic airports print bag tags only, and the bag drop is automated, recognising the bag by camera and barcode with no boarding pass scan. There, the airline's advice is to check in online, print the bag tag at a kiosk and put the bag on the automated belt at least 30 minutes before departure.

The page, which carries no date, lists the change as complete at Mackay and Launceston, in progress at Sydney T2 Domestic, Sunshine Coast and Brisbane Domestic, and planned for 2026 at Darwin, Melbourne T3 Domestic, Adelaide, Perth T1 Domestic, Perth Virgin Australia Regional T2 and Gold Coast. It says group bookings can check in only online or at a service counter, and the app is not required.

The same page says Priority Check-in was to change to Priority Bag Drop at Virgin Australia's domestic airports from mid-June 2026, for Business Class and Velocity Gold, Platinum and Platinum Plus.

The boarding gate deadline

Clause 11.3 of the Conditions of Carriage ties the boarding deadline to the time given to you at check-in, which is also shown on the airport's flight displays. If you reach the gate after that time, Virgin Australia can cancel the booking, including any onward or return flights on it.

Identification for Virgin Australia domestic flights

Clause 3.4 of the Conditions of Carriage lets Virgin Australia refuse carriage if valid, satisfactory proof of identity in the same name as the booking cannot be produced, giving a passport or current drivers licence as examples. Minors need proof of age, such as a birth certificate, and identification matching the ticket name may be asked for before boarding.

Virgin Australia flights operated by partner airlines

Virgin Australia's Conditions of Carriage say a flight sold with a VA flight number may be operated by a partner airline, and that such a flight may use a different aircraft and different baggage rules. On flights that Alliance Airlines or Link Airways operate on Virgin Australia's behalf, the economy carry-on allowance applies, whatever the cabin or Velocity status.

Biosecurity on flights into Tasmania, Western Australia and South Australia

Tasmania, Western Australia and South Australia each set their own biosecurity rules for travellers arriving from interstate, and the three rules differ. Virgin Australia's assistance animal page says an animal travelling to Tasmania or Western Australia has to meet that state's biosecurity requirements, including an animal connecting through an airport in either state.

Flying into Tasmania

Biosecurity Tasmania, part of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, says some items need to be inspected by its officers on arrival. Its traveller's guide says fresh fruit and vegetables, including potatoes, fresh herbs, garlic, ginger and onion, are not permitted, and restricted items have to be disposed of or declared when you arrive. At Hobart Airport the bins are inside the terminal building, and Biosecurity Tasmania officers and detector dogs screen luggage.

Flying into Western Australia

Western Australia's Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development runs a quarantine service called Quarantine WA. Its rule is that quarantine risk material must be declared to a Quarantine Inspector on arrival in Western Australia. There are bins at airports, and inspectors with sniffer dogs may check baggage at the carousel.

Flying into South Australia

South Australia's rule is about fruit fly. The state's Fruit Fly SA pages say travellers must eat or dispose of fruit and vegetables at risk from fruit fly before entering South Australia.

Airports with Virgin Australia flights recorded

Direct domestic flights recorded for Virgin Australia use these airports:

Virgin Australia routes recorded

Direct domestic routes recorded for Virgin Australia include these, listed under one end of each route:

BetweenAnd
SydneyAdelaide, Ballina, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, Gold Coast, Hamilton Island, Hobart, Launceston, Melbourne, Perth, Sunshine Coast
BrisbaneAdelaide, Cairns, Canberra, Coffs Harbour, Darwin, Dubbo, Emerald, Gladstone, Hamilton Island, Hobart, Launceston, Mackay, Melbourne, Mount Isa, Newcastle, Perth, Proserpine, Rockhampton, Townsville, Uluru
MelbourneAdelaide, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, Dubbo, Gold Coast, Hamilton Island, Hobart, Launceston, Newcastle, Perth, Sunshine Coast, Uluru
PerthAdelaide, Broome, Darwin, Hobart, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Kununurra, Newman, Onslow, Port Hedland
AdelaideAlice Springs, Canberra, Gold Coast, Launceston
CanberraGold Coast, Hobart, Launceston, Newcastle

The Virgin Australia fleet

As of October 2026, Virgin Australia's fleet page lists the Boeing 737-8, Boeing 737-800, Boeing 737-700 and Embraer 190 E2.

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA), which the Conditions of Carriage name as one of the carriers covered by "Virgin Australia", put its first Embraer E190-E2 into service on 27 October 2025. Virgin Australia said the aircraft would mainly serve VARA's charter routes across Western Australia, and is set up for regular passenger operations on days with higher leisure demand and lower charter activity. It has a Business and an Economy cabin, wider seats than the Fokker 100s, and in-seat power.

Virgin Australia's ownership and share listing

On 27 February 2025 the Australian Government approved Qatar Airways Group's 25% investment in Virgin Australia, alongside Bain Capital, then the majority shareholder. On 28 March 2025 the integrated alliance between Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia received final authorisation.

Virgin Australia's shares began trading on 24 June 2025 under the code VGN. Its release says the offer sold 30.2% of the shares on issue, and the rest stayed with the earlier ownership group, including Bain Capital, Qatar Airways Group, Virgin Group and Queensland Investment Corporation.

Velocity Frequent Flyer and Virgin Australia lounges

Velocity Frequent Flyer is Virgin Australia's loyalty program, with Red, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Platinum Plus status tiers. The tier affects the checked baggage allowance and lounge access.

The Virgin Australia Lounge at Brisbane is opposite Gate 41, and at Melbourne it is to the right after the security screening area. At Perth the T1 Domestic lounge is on Level 1, on the left just after security screening, and at Sydney the lounge is past security on the departures level. The Brisbane and Perth lounges open 60 minutes before the first Virgin Australia departure.

Velocity status and lounge membership are among the ways in, and Virgin Australia's lounge page lists who can enter. Eligible guests on international flights from Adelaide, Canberra or the Gold Coast can use the domestic lounge there.

Contacting Virgin Australia

Virgin Australia's Guest Contact Centre in Australia is on 13 67 89. Velocity Frequent Flyer members can call the Membership Contact Centre on 13 18 75.

Questions about Virgin Australia

When does check-in close for Virgin Australia domestic flights?

Online and airport check-in for Virgin Australia domestic flights both close 30 minutes before departure. Online check-in opens 48 hours before, and Virgin Australia recommends dropping bags at least 60 minutes before departure.

Does a Virgin Australia Lite fare include a checked bag?

No. Lite includes carry-on baggage only, and a checked bag has to be bought. Choice and Flex include one 23 kg bag, and Business two 32 kg bags, for non-members and Velocity Red members.

How much carry-on baggage does Virgin Australia allow?

In economy, Virgin Australia currently allows one bag of up to 8 kg and 56 x 36 x 23 cm, plus a personal item that fits under the seat. Business, Economy X (listed with Business on the carry-on page) and Velocity Gold, Platinum and Platinum Plus members can take up to 14 kg across two small bags or a bag and a suit pack, with no individual item over 8 kg. The airline says the allowance may change, so check it before you fly.

Which terminal does Virgin Australia use at Sydney Airport?

Sydney Airport places Virgin Australia in Terminal 2 (T2), and Virgin Australia's page on its new check-in process lists Sydney T2 Domestic. Virgin Australia's Sydney guide says construction works may cause congestion at Sydney Airport.

Which terminal does Virgin Australia use at Perth Airport?

It depends on the flight number. Virgin Australia's Perth guide puts flights VA0200 to VA2499, other than VA1900 to VA1999, in Terminal 1 (T1) Domestic, and flights VA2500 to VA2999 in Terminal 2 (T2). The guide sets out further number ranges for both terminals.

What identification do I need to fly with Virgin Australia within Australia?

Virgin Australia's Conditions of Carriage let it refuse carriage if valid, satisfactory proof of identity in the same name as the booking cannot be produced, giving a passport or current drivers licence as examples. Minors need proof of age, such as a birth certificate.

Do I need to declare food when flying Virgin Australia into Tasmania?

Biosecurity Tasmania says restricted items have to be disposed of or declared when you arrive in Tasmania, and fresh fruit and vegetables are not permitted. That rule is Tasmania's own: Western Australia and South Australia set different rules.

Airports Virgin Australia flies to

Show all 32 airports

Routes flown by Virgin Australia

Show all 120 routes

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