Virgin Australia brings back lounge access on arrival

Eligible Virgin Australia passengers will once again be welcome at the airline’s lounges on arrival after their flight. This benefit comes back into place from 25 April 2022, and follows a two-year pause of the much-appreciated perk.

Capped at 60 minutes per visit, there’s enough time for a quick coffee and snack before hitting the road. When shower facilities return, that’s also sure to be a popular go-to with passengers arriving on overnight flights.

Who qualifies for Virgin Australia Lounge access on arrival?

From 25 April, access to the Virgin Australia Lounge will be offered to the following travellers on arrival:

• Business Class passengers
• Virgin Australia Velocity Platinum
• Virgin Australia Velocity Gold
• Members of the invitation-only Beyond tier
• Virgin Australia Lounge members
• Virgin Australia Lifetime Lounge cardholders

Access for these members is subject to available capacity in the lounge. With that in mind, access on arrival may not be possible at peak times or during disruptions, where available seating can be at a premium.

Where are Virgin Australia’s lounges located?

Virgin Australia has lounges in seven domestic airports. All of these lounges are available on arrival, subject to capacity and opening hours.

Here’s where you’ll find them:

• Sydney Airport, Terminal 2
• Melbourne Airport, Terminal 3
• Brisbane Airport, Domestic Terminal
• Adelaide Airport, Domestic Departures
• Perth Airport, Terminal 1
• Canberra Airport, Domestic Departures
• Gold Coast Airport, Domestic Departures

Generally, these lounges open 60 minutes prior to the first Virgin Australia flight of the day. They remain open until the last Virgin Australia flight is called for boarding.

For travellers with checked baggage, stopping by the Virgin Australia Lounge after a flight may not be practical. That’s because most lounges are located within the secure area of the airport, not near baggage claim.

The Virgin Australia Lounge at Melbourne Airport is the exception, being positioned before the airport’s security checkpoints. That makes it easy to arrive, collect any checked bags and still venture to the lounge for a quick pit stop.

Summing up

Virgin Australia’s airport lounges will once again welcome eligible travellers after arriving on a Virgin Australia flight. It’s a benefit many travellers had come to appreciate prior to COVID-19, but which had remained paused during the pandemic.

With many contact tracing requirements eased and indoor capacity restrictions largely back to normal, the timing was certainly right for Virgin Australia to bring this benefit back.