Virgin Australia Domestic Business Class Boeing 737-800 review Flight Duration: 1 hour 25 minutes
Departure Time: 6:00PM, lands at SYD Terminal 2 at 7:25PM local time
Aircraft: Boeing 737-800
Flight Number: VA875

This Virgin Australia Domestic Business Class review covers flight VA875 from Melbourne to Sydney on the Boeing 737-800, including the seat, lounge, food, Wi-Fi, service, and overall value.

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Booking and Value: Virgin Australia Domestic Business Class Boeing 737-800 Review

For our Virgin Australia Domestic Business Class Boeing 737-800 review, return tickets cost 760 AUD, which felt pretty reasonable. This was around 300 AUD cheaper return than Qantas Business Class on the same route.

Baggage Allowance

The business class ticket came with a very generous baggage allowance, including two checked bags of up to 32kg each, plus two pieces of hand luggage at up to 7kg each. That is an excellent allowance for a short domestic route and adds a lot of practicality if you are travelling with more than just a cabin bag.

Airport Amenities and Lounge Access

The fare did not include fast track security, but it did include lounge access and priority boarding. We reviewed the Virgin Australia Domestic Business Class Lounge Melbourne Terminal 3 in full, but in short it is a very solid lounge and one of the better domestic lounge experiences we have had. The huge floor space, runway views, natural light, barista coffee, fast Wi-Fi, charging ports, showers, and clean bathrooms all make it an enjoyable place to spend time before a flight.

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Melbourne Hotel Options

If you are flying early, arriving late, or connecting through Melbourne Airport (MEL), staying nearby keeps things simple. If you are heading into the city, the Melbourne CBD is best for sightseeing and business visits. See below for excellent hotel deals on Booking.com, filtered based on our top picks.

Boarding Process and Timing

Boarding was smooth and well organised, with the benefit of priority boarding included as part of the Business Class ticket.

That made the whole process feel more relaxed from the outset, and everything ran efficiently. The crew and ground staff were friendly, bubbly, and professional, which gave the flight a polished feel before we had even taken our seats.

The aircraft departed on time and landed into Sydney on schedule, which only added to the impression of a very well run service. Once we arrived, being seated at the front meant we were among the first passengers off the aircraft, which is always a nice final benefit of flying Business Class on a short route.

Seat Comfort on Virgin Australia Domestic Business Class Boeing 737-800

The seat is the real highlight of this product and rather impressive for such a short domestic flight.

Virgin Australia’s Boeing 737-800 has 176 seats in total, with 168 in Economy Class in the usual 3-3 layout, while Business Class has just eight seats across two rows in a 2-2 layout. A curtain divides the Business Class cabin from Economy, helping the front cabin feel more private and exclusive.

For a narrow-body domestic aircraft, the Business Class seat is gorgeous and huge, and it definitely puts the typical European short haul Business Class product to shame. Rather than the blocked middle seat model you often get in Europe, this is a proper dedicated Business Class seat with noticeably more space and comfort.

Seat pitch is a generous 38 inches, which is the same as many long haul Premium Economy products, while seat width is 19.5 inches compared to 17 inches in Economy. Recline is also far better, with 5 inches in Business Class instead of 2 inches in Economy. There was also an adjustable headrest and footrest, which made the seat very comfortable for the full flight.

In-Flight Entertainment Virgin Australia Domestic Business Class Boeing 737-800 Review

There was no seat back entertainment on this flight, which is to be expected for a short domestic route.

What did impress me though was the free Wi-Fi for Business Class passengers. You could connect your phone and use it throughout the flight, and unlike many airline Wi-Fi systems, it actually worked very well!

Food and Drink on Virgin Australia Domestic Business Class Boeing 737-800

The onboard service was seriously impressive, especially considering this was just a 1 hour 25 minute domestic flight.

As we found our seats, pre-departure drinks were offered, with a choice of water or Australian sparkling wine. I went for the sparkling wine, which was delicious and served in gorgeous Virgin Australia branded glasses. It was a wonderful start to the flight, and certainly set the the flight on the right footing!

As soon as the seatbelt sign was turned off, the crew moved quickly into a pre-dinner drinks service. I had another sparkling wine, there was a full bar service available, and this was accompanied by nuts.

A light meal then followed, with a choice between chicken with lemon and herb rice or a creamy pasta dish. I was seated in 1F and my partner was in 2A, so between us we were able to try both options and photograph both dishes. The meal also came with a bread roll and a Dairy Milk chocolate sweet treat.

After that, the crew came round again with another round of drinks and then handed out Tim Tams and more chocolate. For such a short flight, the level of service was excellent and far more generous than I expected.

Overall, this was a very impressive short haul Business Class service. The crew were attentive without being overbearing, the drinks offering was strong, and the amount of service packed into such a short flight was genuinely impressive.

Cleanliness and Onboard Facilities

The aircraft was spotless throughout, and the toilets were also clean and well maintained.

The crew deserve particular praise. They were friendly, bubbly, chatty, and seemed happy to be at work, which made the whole experience feel warm and welcoming. That kind of service really elevates a flight and is one of the reasons this journey stood out so much to us.

Everything felt smooth, polished, and professionally delivered from start to finish, and the whole service had a premium feel despite the short flight time.

Judging Parameters: Is Virgin Australia Domestic Business Class Worth It?

Overall, this Virgin Australia Domestic Business Class Boeing 737-800 review shows a genuinely excellent short haul premium product. The spacious dedicated Business Class seat, strong baggage allowance, working free Wi-Fi, polished lounge access, priority boarding, and highly impressive onboard service all combine to create a flight that feels far more premium than many short haul Business Class offerings elsewhere. The only real area for improvement would be the addition of Champagne instead of sparkling wine, but even so this was an outstanding domestic Business Class experience and one that we quite frankly did not want to end!

• Value for Money: 9.5/10
• Staff: 10/10
• Food and Drink: 9/10
• Entertainment: 7.5/10
• Seat Comfort: 9.5/10

The Airport Lounge Bro Flight Rating: 9.5/10

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