The Ultimate Virgin Australia Seat Guide

Virgin Australia operates a fleet of more than 100 Boeing 737 jets, including a mix of the 737-700, 737-800 and 737-8. Virgin’s regional subsidiary also uses newly built Embraer E190-E2 regional jets.

The airline recently completed a refurbishment program of its Boeing 737 fleet, meaning all 737s now have Virgin’s new-style Economy and Business seats.

Virgin Australia no longer uses the Airbus A320. It has also ended its partnership with Alliance Airlines, so you’ll no longer end up on an Alliance-operated Fokker 100 when booking a Virgin Australia flight.

To give you an idea of what to expect when flying Virgin Australia, we’ve put together this guide to all Virgin Australia aircraft seats. Our guide also reveals the best and worst seats on each aircraft type.

Virgin Australia’s Boeing 737s

The Boeing 737 is the backbone of the Virgin Australia domestic and international short-haul fleet.

There is no seatback in-flight entertainment on Virgin’s Boeing 737s. Instead, you can stream a moderate selection of movies and TV shows to your personal electronic device.

Virgin’s 737-800s and 737-8s have Wi-Fi, and this is being rolled out now to the few remaining jets which don’t yet have it. The Boeing 737-700s do not have Wi-Fi.

Virgin Australia Boeing 737 Economy seats

Virgin Australia has installed the same contoured leather seats in Economy on all the different versions of the Boeing 737 that it flies. These are configured in a 3-3 layout and have 30 inches of seat pitch, which is standard for this aircraft type.

Virgin’s Boeing 737 Economy seats recline and offer adjustable headrests, USB-A charging outlets and tablet holders.

The best Virgin Australia 737 Economy seats are the Economy X seats in rows 3, 4 and the exit row/s, which have more legroom. Economy X seats are free for Velocity Platinum and Platinum Plus members, and available for an extra charge to anyone else.

Virgin Australia Boeing 737 Business seats

There are two rows of Business Class on Virgin Australia’s Boeing 737s. The leather recliner seats have 38 inches of pitch and are laid out in a 2-2 configuration.

Virgin Australia’s updated 737 Business Class seats have adjustable headrests, fold-out calf rests and a reasonable amount of recline. The tray table folds out from the armrest, and there’s a small table to rest drinks on the centre console.

There is ample legroom in both rows, but there is a bulkhead in front of row one. Many frequent flyers prefer the second row of Business as you have more space to stretch your legs out underneath the seat in front.

In its recent cabin refurbishments, Virgin Australia removed the cabin dividers separating Business from Economy. It is now installing shower curtains and overhead panels between rows 2 and 3 to make up for this.

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines Embraer E190s

Virgin Australia recently introduced the Embraer E190-E2 into its regional fleet. This modern regional jet primarily operates within Western Australia.

USB-C charging outlets are available at each seat. Virgin eventually plans to offer Wi-Fi and streaming entertainment on these jets, but it is not yet available.

Virgin Australia E190-E2 Economy seats

In Economy Class, the E190-E2 is laid out in a nice 2-2 configuration – meaning there are no middle seats. The leather Economy seats have adjustable headrests.

The standard Economy seat pitch is 29 inches, which is a bit tight. But for those seeking a bit more legroom, Economy X seats are available.

Virgin Australia E190-E2 Business seats

Virgin Australia offers similar, reclining Business Class seats on these jets to its mainline 737 product. The leather seats are reasonably wide and offer good legroom.