Up to 60% off thousands of sale styles
Virgin Australia review: Sydney to Sunshine Coast (Maroochydore)
It seems that “happy holidays” is more than just something to say at Christmas, with cheery staff and a quiet flight.
I really wanted to go away for a few days and treat myself to an extra-long weekend over Christmas. Having never been up to the Sunshine Coast, but constantly eyeing the destination’s stunning beaches and hinterland walking tracks, I decided this was where my next domestic holiday would be.
Knowing that all I needed to get Velocity silver status was two flight segments, I wanted to make sure I flew with Virgin on this trip.
Virgin Australia details
- Route: Sydney to Sunshine Coast (Maroochydore), return
- Duration: 1h 35m
- Flight number(s): VA479, VA484
- Aircraft type: Boeing 737-800
- Dates travelled: 22 December 2018; 25 December 2018
- Class: Economy
- Frequent flyer program: Velocity
- Points earned: 2,220
Alex’s Virgin Australia review: ★★★★☆
- Empty flight
- Little touches on Christmas
- Friendly staff
- Price
What did I like?
- Empty return flight: Likely because it was Christmas, it seemed like there were only about 15-20 people on the entire flight with most people having their own row. If only this could happen on long-haul flights!
- Christmas snack: Sometimes it’s the little things. We were served the usual Virgin Australia drink-and-snack combo, but a few minutes after the initial food service, flight attendants came around again and served a Christmas tree-shaped gingerbread cookie to each passenger.
- Friendly staff: I’m not sure if everyone was just in the holiday spirit, but the staff on my return flight were some of the smiliest and friendliest I’ve come across on any airline.
- Quickly reached status: With many partner airlines, or just sheer luck, I quickly earned the 250 status credits needed to get silver status and these two segments were able to seal the deal for me.
What didn’t I like?
- Few departure options: Flying to a small airport does often mean limited options when it comes to flight times. I like making the most of my travel days, so I was disappointed that the latest Virgin flight available from Maroochydore back to Sydney was only at 4:45pm.
- Price: For such a short flight, I don’t think the $400 fare was justified. That said, the only cheaper option was only about $50 less and I admittedly did want to get status.
Would I use Virgin Australia again?
Yes. The service was wonderful compared to my recent Tigerair experience and the little touches were much appreciated. Since I do want to retain my status with the airline, I will also be more likely to book with Virgin over another airline.
Virgin Australia flight deals and sales:
It looks like we don't have any coupons at the moment. Take a look at our most recent deals
More guides on Finder
-
Virgin Australia review: Sydney-Adelaide
A smooth flight from start to finish with ample leg room and on-time flights. It was a shame about the breakfast, though.
-
Jetstar flight review: Adelaide-Sydney
A smooth, stress-free flight back to Sydney on a Sunday night.
-
Tigerair review: Melbourne to Sydney
Although I’m a regular flyer on budget airlines, this time I got what I paid for. This Tigerair experience was full of delays and chaos, and was an overall unpleasant experience.
-
Tigerair review: Sydney to Melbourne
It was all smooth sailing to Melbourne for New Year’s with Tigerair (though the same couldn't be said about the Sydney public transport system).
-
Etihad Airways review: Sydney to Manchester (via Abu Dhabi)
We took Etihad Airways for a spin from Sydney to Manchester via Abu Dhabi to see how the 5-star carrier stood up. Here’s how we found the check-in process, entertainment, food and more.
-
Virgin Australia Review: Sydney to Coffs Harbour
With limited flight options from Sydney to Coffs Harbour, it pays to know what you can expect when you choose Virgin Australia.
-
Virgin Australia review: Melbourne to Sydney
It’s been named the second-busiest flight route in the world in 2018, so what’s it like travelling from Melbourne to Sydney with Virgin Australia?
-
Qantas review: London to Perth (non-stop)
The ins and outs of what it's like flying non-stop between London and Perth for just under 17 hours.
-
Jetstar review: Sydney to Adelaide
Looking for the best-timed flights for a weekend getaway landed me on a Jetstar flight, but how was it?
Ask an Expert