Virgin Australia Boeing 737 Business Class Review

For just $56 more than an Economy Lite fare, I flew from Melbourne to the Gold Coast in Virgin Australia business class. The trick was a Velocity Platinum complimentary upgrade, which turned a cheap fare into a seat at the front of the plane.

Virgin has spent the past few years upgrading its Boeing 737 business class product, swapping its old leather recliners for an enhanced version, using the Collins Aerospace MiQ platform. On most domestic journeys, Virgin Australia business class is a genuinely comfortable way to fly. But for longer international flights, like the five-plus hours to Bali, it's rarely the best option, since you're still in a recliner.

I was flying on one of Virgin’s Boeing 737 MAX 8s, which were delivered with the refreshed business seat from day one. The same seat has since been retrofitted to most of Virgin’s older 737-800 jets, so this review applies to both aircraft.

How I Booked Virgin Australia Business Class

One of the few remaining Velocity Platinum perks I find genuinely useful is the four complimentary UpgradeMe Platinum credits you get per membership year. The catch is that availability is limited, and Platinum members can only use their upgrades on Economy Flex fares, while Platinum Plus members can also upgrade from Economy Choice.

In my experience, there is always UpgradeMe Platinum space if you're able to see Velocity Reward Seats in business class for the flight you want. Otherwise, it's a little bit of a gamble.

When I booked, the cheapest Lite fare was $122 and Flex was $178. As reward seats were also showing, I booked Flex and called Virgin Australia straight away to apply an upgrade. That turned a $56 fare difference into a business class seat.

Melbourne Ground Experience & Lounge

The ground experience is where this trip lost the most points. Check-in in Melbourne was almost entirely self-service kiosks, which is efficient but doesn't feel premium.

Virgin Australia only offers priority security screening at certain times, typically on weekdays in the morning and evening. It wasn't running when I came through, which, again, doesn’t make the experience feel very premium.

Virgin Australia Business Class Lounge Melbourne

Business class includes access to the Virgin Australia Lounge in Melbourne. It’s a large space with plenty of seating zones, and the fit-out itself is perfectly fine. The problem is that it’s rarely a calm place to spend time before a flight.

Food was a mix of a hot buffet dish, DIY toasties, salads and cold items. It’s enough to fill a gap, but the quality is inconsistent, and in my experience it’s more often a letdown than a highlight. If you’re flying around lunch or dinner, you’re better off saving your appetite for the onboard meal.

Drinks are a stronger point. There’s barista coffee, self-serve wine and beer, and soft drinks and juices, which covers most of what you’d want.

This lounge is a fine place to sit, charge your phone and grab a coffee, but not somewhere I usually arrive early for.

The Seat: Virgin 737 Business Class

The business cabin on Virgin’s Boeing 737 has eight seats across two rows in a 2-2 layout. The ribbed leather recliners present well and are wide and comfortable, with an adjustable headrest and a legrest that folds out for extra support.

I was in 2F, a window seat in row two, which I prefer over row one. There’s more room to stretch your legs under the seat in front, plus you can keep a bag at your feet.

Legroom at row one is fine, but it’s tighter than it used to be. The advantage here is that you can climb out of the window seat without your neighbour needing to move.

Virgin used to separate business from economy with a solid bulkhead, which felt quite premium and meant row two came with guilt-free recline. Unfortunately, Virgin removed its bulkhead when retrofitting its jets, in order to cram in an extra row of seats. In its place is a tattered curtain that looks like your nan’s old nightie, minus a decade of washes. It does the job, but the moth-eaten material is just awful.

The centre console has a fixed cocktail table, with a second push-to-release extension below. Seat controls sit on the side, alongside a well-sized storage compartment containing a universal AC outlet and USB-A port.

Business Class Dining

Virgin offers welcome drinks on the ground, with a choice of water, orange juice or sparkling wine. It’s a premium touch other domestic airlines skip. Business menus are set by departure time, with normally two options to choose from. On shorter sectors, I’ve often found that Virgin Australia cheaps out with cold dishes only.

For my lunch service, the options were:

• Mexican-style chicken parmigiana with sweet potato fries
• Pumpkin casarecce pasta with sweet potato and zucchini, with the option to add grilled chicken

I went with the pasta and added the chicken, alongside cheese and crackers and a glass of sparkling wine. It was a tasty dish that did the job for a domestic lunch, though no dessert was offered.

I really appreciate that Virgin crew plates most meals rather than heating up the dish itself. It makes a real difference to both presentation and taste, without the soggy, steamed look of a reheated tray.

Wi-Fi, Entertainment & Power

Wi-Fi is free in business class, as well as for Velocity Platinum, Platinum Plus and Beyond members in any cabin. The connection on my flight was fast and easily capable of streaming and social media.

Virgin does not offer seatback screens, so entertainment is streamed to your own device. With universal AC and USB-A at every business seat, keeping a laptop or phone charged for the whole flight is not a problem (provided you have a cable).

Business Class Service

The crew on my flight were friendly and efficient, as is often the case with Virgin Australia. My meals and drinks arrived without any fuss, and there wasn’t much to fault.

At the same time, there was also nothing that stood out. Virgin built its reputation on crew with personality and a bit of cheek, but in recent years that flair has softened into something more standard. It's good service, just not the kind I used to tell people about after landing.

Summing Up: Virgin Australia 737 Business Class

Virgin’s weak link is on the ground, where kiosk check-in, patchy priority security and average airport lounges don't feel particularly premium.

Still, Virgin Australia’s Boeing 737 business class is a competitive product, and one I’d happily fly again. Let’s be honest: on cash fares, Virgin business is often half the price of Qantas, or less, and the experience isn’t far behind. In some areas, it’s actually better.