Virgin Australia introduced Economy X in March 2017 as an upgrade to the standard economy seat. As well as the extra legroom, Economy X seats feature inclusions such as priority boarding and dedicated overhead locker space.
Economy X seats can be selected from $35AUD, depending on the flight. Platinum Velocity members and their companions can select Economy X seats free of charge on domestic and short-haul international flights.
In this post:
Availability
Economy X is available on all Virgin Australia operated flights, although codeshare and interline customers are unable to purchase an Economy X seat. The seats are located at the front of the economy cabin and/or at the emergency exit rows as seen below.
| Aircraft | Economy X Seats | Location |
|---|---|---|
| ATR 72 | 4 | row 1 |
| Fokker 100 | 5 | emergency exit row 12 |
| Boeing 737-700 | 24 | rows 3-5; emergency exit row 10 |
| Boeing 737-800 | 30 | rows 3-5; emergency exit rows 13 and 14 |
| Airbus A330-200 | 8 | emergency exit row 28 |
| Boeing 777 | 57 | rows 20-25; emergency exit rows 26 and 39 |
Benefits of Economy X
Economy X provides both air and ground benefits, determined by the type of flight you are travelling on.
| Domestic flights | A minimum of 3 inches extra legroom Priority Screening (where available) Priority Boarding (where available) Preferred overhead locker space |
|---|---|
| International Short Haul flights | A minimum of 3 inches extra legroom Priority Check-in (where available) Priority Boarding (where available) Preferred overhead locker space |
| International Long Haul flights | A minimum of 3 inches extra legroom Premium Check-in (where available) Premium Boarding (where available) Preferred overhead locker space Guaranteed first meal choice Premium noise-cancelling headset |
Economy X Pricing
The cost to upgrade to Economy X differs depending on the flight. You can check the price for a specific route on the seating page when making your booking. Below are some examples of Economy X prices.
- Sydney to Melbourne – AU$35
- Perth to Melbourne – AU$59
- Brisbane to Perth – AU$69
- Brisbane to Wellington – AU$40
- Sydney to Fiji (Nadi) – AU$69
- Brisbane to Denpasar (Bali) – AU$89
- Melbourne to Hong Kong – AU$129
- Sydney to Los Angeles – AU$199
Platinum Velocity members and up to 9 companions travelling on the same booking can select Economy X free of charge on domestic and short-haul international flights.
How to Book
You can purchase an Economy X seat at the time of booking when selecting a seat, or afterwards through ‘manage my booking’. Economy X can also be booked or added afterwards over the phone.
Another option is to wait until check-in, where Economy X is occasionally offered for free. If you ask nicely or are a higher Velocity member, check-in staff may upgrade you at no additional cost. Also, flight attendants often try to fill emergency exit rows, so if you are sitting nearby you may be able to volunteer to move.
Earning Points & Status Credits
No additional Velocity Points or Status Credits are earned for upgrading to Economy X. You will earn at the rate of the original fare purchased. You can redeem Velocity Points for Economy X seats, however, the amount of points required varies.
Summing Up
Economy X is a product that sits between Economy and Premium Economy. The main selling point of Economy X is extra legroom, and on that front Virgin Australia doesn’t disappoint with 34” to 39” of seat pitch across all aircraft types. On the B737 for example, the legroom is comparable to that of the Business class seats up front.
It is important to note that priority security screening is only offered at five domestic airports, and access to preferred overhead lockers is not enforced. Therefore, you may not notice much difference until you take your seat.
So is Economy X worth the upgrade? Personally, I would say that if you are in need of extra legroom it may be worth the additional cost to have a comfortable flight. However, if you find the legroom at standard Economy seats comfortable I wouldn’t bother for shorter flights.
