How to get free access to Virgin Australia Airport Lounges
Compare credit cards with airport lounge access and unwind before your next flight in a Virgin Australia lounge.
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Virgin Australia has dozens of airport lounges in Australia, where travellers can relax in the lounge before their flight and enjoy complimentary food and drinks, while taking advantage of Wi-Fi and dedicated check-in. You can access these lounges for free, with the right credit card.
Single entry passes to the lounge have also previously been available to purchase at a cost of between $44 and $65, depending on your Velocity Status. However since the onset of the pandemic, the rules have changed; Virgin is no longer selling single entry passes for the time being, and Virgin has temporarily paused the sale and renewal of memberships.
That means the only way you can gain entry to the Virgin Australia lounge network is if you are an existing member; you are flying business class; or you have the right credit card.
Use this guide to discover the benefits you can expect when you visit a Virgin Australia lounge and compare credit cards with complimentary airport lounge passes.
Who can visit a Virgin Australia airport lounge?
You can visit a Virgin Australia lounge if you're a Velocity Platinum or Gold member, Virgin Australia Lounge member or a Virgin Australia business class guest. Velocity Silver, Red and non-members with a valid Virgin Australia boarding pass can purchase a single-entry pass to a lounge on the day of travel for $65. These passes are only available for domestic lounges, not international lounges operated by partnered airlines.
Virgin Australia lounge members will also have access to Air New Zealand lounges in Australia and New Zealand, totalling 24 lounges when on domestic and trans-Tasman departures.
Get free entry with a credit card with complimentary lounge invites
There are a number of credit cards in Australia that offer Virgin Australia lounge invitations. The details will vary between cards, but you may receive two complimentary single-entry invitations to visit a Virgin Australia lounge in Australia each year. These cards are often linked with the Velocity Frequent Flyer program, so you can earn points as you spend. Some of these cards also come with other travel perks, such as flight vouchers and complimentary travel insurance.
Should I use my velocity points to pay for lounge access?
Somewhat unusually, Virgin offers the option of paying to get into its lounges around Australia.
For $65, you can make a single visit to any lounge (assuming it's not already packed to the rafters, which is often the case on Friday and Sunday afternoons and Monday mornings). If you don't want to spend the cash, you can also buy a lounge pass for 10,000 Velocity Points.
For a handful of less-popular airports, you can book a lounge access pass for $44 when you book your flight. That option's only available for Alice Springs, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, Mackay, Perth and Wellington.
As our reviews testify, the Virgin lounges are generally excellent. However, that doesn't mean that lounge access is a great use of your points.
Spending 10,000 points for what's effectively $65 in value means you're getting an average value of just $6.50 per 1,000 points. That's well below the target we always suggest at Points Finder: make sure you're getting at least $20 in value for every 1,000 points you spend. (If the airport is one where you could pay $44 for access in advance, the value on offer is even worse.)
You can get better value from those 10,000 points simply by spending them on a flight. A one-way trip from Melbourne to Sydney costs 7,800 Velocity Points (plus $27.24 in charges). The typical price for that route is between $135 and $215. That equates to a value of between $13 and $24 per 1,000 points.
That's not the maximum-value way to spend those points. Using them on an international flight or a domestic route where fares are more expensive (think regional Queensland or Western Australia) will take the total up much higher. But even a Melbourne-Sydney flight is already at least twice as good a use of points as spending them on lounge admission.
So our recommendation? Hang onto those points rather than using them for a lounge pass. If you're looking at other ways to access Virgin lounges, consider Velocity-earning credit cards, some of which include lounge admission options. Happy travels!
Features and benefits of Virgin Australia airport lounges
- Complimentary food and beverages. Fill up before your flight on complimentary breakfast, lunch and dinner served in the lounge. You can enjoy fresh barista-made coffee and treat yourself to snacks and cold drinks throughout the day. Premium wines and beers are also available from 11am daily.
- Priority check-in. If you have carry-on luggage, you can skip the queues when you check-in at the lounge.
- Flight information. Stay on top of flight information with large screens displaying departure times and flight updates located throughout the lounge.
- Bathroom facilities. Freshen up with shower facilities and enjoy skincare products created by Hunter Lab.
- Business services. Get some work done before you take off with business facilities including complimentary Wi-Fi, individual workstations and desktop computers, communal work tables, printers and photocopiers. You can also hire private meeting rooms in selected lounges.
Want to know more? Check out our latest hands-on Virgin Australia lounge reviews.
Compare credit cards with Virgin Australia lounge access
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Ask an Expert
Hi,
If I get this card, Bank of Melbourne Amplify Signature – Online Offer, do I select Amplify rewards or Qantas rewards to gain access to Virgin lounges?
Hi Mark,
Thank you for getting in touch with finder.
Currently, you cannot access Virgin lounges with Bank of Melbourne Amplify Signature card. You may receive 2 complimentary lounge invitations per year, which you can use when you travel on your next Qantas or Jetstar flight when you enrol at St George Amplify page.
I hope this helps.
Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any other enquiries.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Jeni
so the question is my Westpac Altitude Black will get me onto the virgin lounges
Hi Scott,
Thank you for leaving a question.
Yes, you may be able to get in the Virgin Australia Lounge by converting your existing Altitude points to velocity points. There are different tiers as well that have different access to these lounges. You would need to register first via Velocity Frequent Flyer to start the process. Kindly check the different Velocity membership tiers to know the benefits you can get. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
I am flying on Delta One from LAX-SYD then transferring to an economy seat on Virgin Australia from SYD-AYQ. Will I have lounge access in Sydney?
Thank you for reaching out to us.
Those who are eligible to get into a Velocity Airport Lounge are as follows:
– Velocity Gold or Platinum members
– Virgin Australia Lounge members
– business and first class Virgin Australia passengers
Though non-Members traveling with Virgin Australia can purchase Single Entry to the lounge on the day of travel with a valid Virgin Australia boarding pass for $65. Payable at lounge reception by credit card only and can only be used a maximum of 2 hours before departure time.
Cheers!
Maria
Hello Virgin Team, I am Silver Velocity member. Is there any way I can access the Virgin Lounge in Melbourne? Would there be a fee to pay? What would the fees as being a Silver Member? Thank You :)
Hi Alessandro,
Thanks for your inquiry.
For Virgin Australia’s Velocity Frequent Flyer Program, you can enjoy the facilities in the Virgin Lounge before you fly. Redeem your points for a single entry pass or an annual membership to the Virgin Australia Lounge. Silver members may also use points for the discounted annual lounge membership offer.
Please feel free to read more about Virgin Australia’s Velocity Frequent Flyer Program and dsiscover more ways to take advantage of their offers.
Cheers,
Rench
If I join the Virgin Australia frequent flyer program and fly business class with a star alliance partner, can I access the lounge in Australia? What about accessibility in overseas lounges in Asia and Europe.
Hi Rob,
Thanks for your inquiry.
For Virgin Australia’s Velocity Frequent Flyer Program, you can enjoy the facilities in the Virgin Lounge before you fly. Redeem your points for a single entry pass or an annual membership to the Virgin Australia Lounge. You can check our guide on Virgin Australia’s Velocity Frequent Flyer Program.
I suggest contacting Virgin Australia directly for further inquiries and confirm the information.
Cheers,
Rench