Review: Virgin Australia Lounge Sydney Airport

Premium Entry is a godsend, I am VA Platinum and use the facility often and it just makes everything easy, I have never had to wait at security there.

I thought it would be fun if there's a shared review between you and Zac. Each can show appreciation of critique in different view of something you both review altogether.

That is a pretty good idea, I like it!

It's not one of the busiest air routes in the world for nothing (3rd or 4th depending on aircraft movement, passengers or seat capacity).

On Mondays and Fridays QF have flights going every 15mins between 6-8am and evenings. They have to specify departure times in the lounge there are so many flights going at the same time

We used this lounge last month when we were traveling from LAX-SYD-CNS. As we were a bit stale from the long flight over we used the showers that are available in this lounge. The shower rooms were private with plenty of room for your belongings. Just ask the front desk for a time slot.

Being our first trip down under and to ensure a smooth connection we took the early afternoon flight. While that had us 'stuck' in the lounge for over 5 hrs, it gave us the unique opportunity to sample both breakfast and lunch. Both were much above par for USA lounges.

Another worthwhile tip: VA does not give away Biz seats like they do in the US. We booked at a very good rate using Etihad miles (from another Lucky post). There were 3 in our group and we had the front to ourselves in an otherwise full plane.

Thanks for yet another great review!

There is also an upstairs part to this lounge that they seldom open. Generally by 7am on a weekday the lounge is packed of what looks like hundreds of starving hyenas, I normally just grab a drink and get out of there before they mistake me for a piece of ham.

Syd-Mel top 3 busiest routes in the world. Mel-Bne, Syd-Bne top 7 busiest. Sometimes refered to the air conveyer belt. Qantas often shuttles A330 on this route on the half hour with 737 on the quarter hour. Often with international configeration best domestic business class on the planet.

My wife and I went through the VA lounge as a result of a points upgrade on the last leg of ZUR-SIN-SYD-BNE. Arriving at T2 at about 7am on a Friday and having gone through the 'back door' (air-side) of the valet entry (which has stupidly slow even though there was only 8 of us to go through security again?!?!) it was a bit crowded but we managed to tuck into breakfast #2 and a good coffee for my wife while waiting for our 9am connecting flight.

Lucky, the beer and wine is only served after 11am so you wouldn't have been able to get anything in that department. It's amusing being in the lounge as the clock strikes the eleventh hour as everyone descends on the poor bartender.

As for the barista made coffee, Australians expect nothing less. The swill that Americans call coffee can never match our own. Little wonder that most Starbucks stores in Oz closed their doors in years past. Besides Italy, if you want good coffee then Australia you must go. Sadly they don't serve it on domestic flights.

I spent a good chunk of a year commuting between Sydney and Melbourne every other week and the Virgin Lounges were an absolute treasure! Being able to get work done right up until flight time with high-speed Internet and good charging for my phone and surface meant that I would always board relaxed, well-fed and with a full stomach of the delicious food they serve.

It isn't a patch on International lounges but in preparation for a usually sub-2 hour flight I think Virgin has done an amazing job.

meant to say "full charge" not "full stomach" 🙂

@Dale - Did you go to the lounge at LAX ? My husband has an 8 hour layover at LAX and flying Virgin to Sydney . Curious if you went to Etihad lounge ? Thanks.

After 6 am there is also hot breakfast in the lounge - either bacon or sausage.

There is also hot lunch from 12-2 (usually a risotto or similar) and hot dinner from 530 to 7.

Much, much better than domestic lounges in the USA.

All Business Class ticket holders welcome, plus Gold and Platinum Level frequent flyers (including from Delta, NZ, SQ, Etihad and South African).

I'm a Virgin Platinum frequent flyer: I only get a Business Class upgrade by burning at least 6,000 miles or bidding cash in an eBay style auction - which usually requires at least $300.

There's no such thing as a free upgrade, except Virgin Platinum's get four per year applicable only on very expensive flexible fares. So if I pay $380 instead of the usual $100 for a SYD-MEL one-way fare, I am eligible to be upgraded "free" into a $450 Business Class seat!

For passengers flying VA from LAX to Australia.......

Business Class passengers are sent to the Etihad lounge. Great lounge, but VA - not Etihad - do the evening catering and it is cheap garbage. Much worse than VA's own lounges in Australia.

Top tier elites are sent to the Emirates lounge. Equally luxurious, but it has the "real" Emirates catering, so is far better than the Etihad offering.

Hainan airline have this sort of thing in Beijing also

Good Lord, that fridge ( if I can even call it that!) looks like my local Dan Murphy (that's a chain of liquor stores in Australia). How much beer is in there?

Been there many a time- recommend anyone make a grilled ham and cheese sandwich using the hot press! And yeah, great cappuccinos. Also, do avoid at peak times as it seems like everyone else there is chomping at the bits to get their fill of free food and drink

I agree fantasic lounge when I am commuting between Perth and Sydney this lounge is always a very nice start to the journey