After spending 4 nights in Queensland, I had a flight from Brisbane to Newcastle to meet up with some mates.

Figuring out that we’d have entry to the Virgin Australia lounge from the home terminal at Brisbane’s airport, we had a really gentle breakfast on the Westin Brisbane and saved our urge for food for the lounge.

I used to be notably excited to take a look at Virgin Australia lounges throughout our journey ever since Air Canada and Virgin Australia introduced lounge entry for some Aeroplan elite members travelling in any class of service on Virgin Australia flights. 

Virgin Australia Lounge Brisbane – Entry

The Virgin Australia Lounge Brisbane is positioned throughout from Gate 41 within the home terminal. It’s open day-after-day from 60 minutes previous to the primary departing Virgin Australia flight till the final Virgin Australia flight departure.

The doorway is simple to identify, with the airline’s iconic purple wall giving approach to its Flying Maiden brand adorning the partitions of the entryway. The Flying Maiden brand can be discovered on Virgin Australia plane as properly, and is much like the Scarlet Woman on Virgin Atlantic plane.

Inside, you have got the selection of scanning your boarding cross on an computerized machine towards the again wall or heading to the desk for help. 

We needed to strategy the desk for help with our examine in, since we have been flying in financial system and didn’t have elite standing with Virgin Australia. 

There was a small line after we arrived, however it was handled very quickly. 

We loved entry to the lounge by our Aeroplan Elite standing, because of my Tremendous Elite standing and my spouse’s 50K standing. Friends with Aeroplan 50K, 75K, or Tremendous Elite standing can entry Virgin Australia lounges when departing on a same-day flight in any class of service, and are entitled to convey one visitor.

Passengers flying in enterprise class on a Virgin Australia flight may also get pleasure from entry, however aren’t allowed to convey a visitor with them.

Virgin Australia Velocity Platinum members might convey as much as three adults and three youngsters with them to a Virgin Australia lounge. Passengers with Velocity Gold standing, Virgin Australia Lounge Members, and Virgin Australia Lifetime Lounge Members can entry lounges with one other grownup and as much as three youngsters in tow.

Virgin Australia Lounge Brisbane – Seating

Upon being welcomed into the lounge, I did a lap round to get acquainted with my environment. My fast impression was that the lounge was fairly spacious, and that discovering seating wouldn’t be a lot of a problem through the morning rush.

To the left of the doorway is a protracted hallway that results in the eating space and a few seats set behind partitions. There gave the impression to be some further stations arrange for employees alongside this desk, which I think about is the place Virgin Australia may place workers throughout busy occasions to help company. 

To the precise of the doorway are two rows of easy purple chairs with espresso tables close by. There may be an escalator close to this space that was cordoned off throughout my go to. 

Strolling by this space results in a quiet aisle with two armchairs round a desk, in addition to some lounge chairs arrange across the partitions.

Heading into the carpeted space, the lounge opens up into a big room with a protracted, brown leather-based and a few purple leather-based bucket-style armchairs.

Tucked away within the nook is a small desk with 4 ergonomic chairs set towards a vibrant purple wall. Nearer to the home windows, you’ll discover some snug armchairs overlooking the car parking zone, which gave the impression to be fairly snug.

Heading across the bench seating, you’ll arrive at a collection of high-top chairs which double as work stations. It was additionally a preferred spot for travellers to sip on a barista-made espresso whereas ready for his or her flight.

By means of right here is the central attraction of the lounge: the barista espresso station. Having arrived within the lounge fairly early for our flight, we have been very happy to seek out this busy island serving up freshly made caffeinated drinks to company.

You possibly can select to sit down up on the bar, or if you want, you’ll be able to sit down within the close by eating space to get pleasure from your espresso alongside a meal.

The principle eating space is near the barista station, which has high-top chairs surrounding tall tables.

General, I felt that there was an amazing choice of seating obtainable for company within the Virgin Australia Lounge Brisbane. I appreciated that there have been quiet areas, areas conducive to working, and cozy seats obtainable for conversing over a drink. 

The lounge can be fairly spacious, and through a subsequent go to on a connecting flight a number of days later, it was once more fairly busy. We didn’t have any points discovering a spot to sit down then, even when it was only for a fast espresso earlier than working to our connection.

Virgin Australia Lounge Brisbane – Eating

The principle eating space is on the finish of the doorway corridor, near the barista station. Right here, you’ll discover a lengthy buffet providing each cold and hot meals objects.

Throughout our go to, breakfast was being served. Obtainable sizzling objects included potato röstis with a facet of baked beans and skinless rooster sausage. In the direction of the far finish of the buffet was additionally a pancake machine.

There have been quite a lot of chilly objects and baked items obtainable within the lounge, together with fruit salad, Greek yogurt, vanilla yogurt with raspberry or passionfruit purée, berry bircher, a choice of muesli, and freshly baked ricotta and blueberry muffins.

The potato röstis actually hit the spot, however the remainder of sizzling buffet meals was unremarkable, albeit higher than most contract lounge meals I’ve had. My spouse and I each loved the passionfruit yogurt, too. 

The baristas take orders at one finish of the station after which name out names on the different finish. We each ordered flat whites to get pleasure from alongside our breakfast, after which bought one other one to tackle the aircraft with us.

Alcohol is served as of 12pm within the lounge. On each of our visits, we have been within the lounge within the morning, so we didn’t get an opportunity to have a drink this time round.

You’ll additionally discover tender drink and water dispensers positioned all through the lounge, with nonetheless land glowing water obtainable from the faucets.

I can’t say sufficient about how good it was to have an amazing espresso in an airport lounge. In case you have entry to a Virgin Australia lounge, it’s value popping by only for a espresso, which was amongst the most effective I’ve needed to date in airports. 

Far too typically, airport lounges have computerized espresso machines, and I used to be very grateful to convey a pleasant espresso with me on the aircraft in the direction of Newcastle.

Virgin Australia Lounge – Showers

One other nice characteristic of the Virgin Australia Lounge Brisbane is the provision of showers. It is a characteristic sorely missing in lots of home lounges world wide, and even in lots of worldwide lounges.

The restrooms are positioned in between the buffet space and the check-in desks. 

Alongside the best way to the restrooms, there’s additionally another exit which leads proper again into the terminal. Merely hit the inexperienced button on the wall and a door will slide open.

The restrooms have been spacious and clear, with jet-black partitions, tall mirrors, and lightweight flooring.

The bathe rooms are at near the doorway of the restroom. Use of the showers is one a first-come-first-served foundation, and towels can be found on the entrance desk.

Contained in the bathe rooms, you’ll discover a sink, a rest room, and a bathe stall. 

Conclusion

The Virgin Australia Lounge Brisbane is a spacious, stress-free lounge with barista-made espresso, sizzling meals, and bathe stalls. You shouldn’t have an issue discovering a spot within the lounge, and there are nice seating choices for individuals who want to work, dine, chill out, or converse.

Air Canada’s lounge entry settlement with Virgin Australia is a superb perk for anybody who qualifies. Since most flights inside Australia are comparatively brief, having a meal and a drink on the lounge is definitely sufficient to tide most travellers over till they attain their vacation spot.

Moreover, since Virgin Australia doesn’t accomplice with Precedence Cross, Plaza Premium, or some other technique of lounge entry, there may be loads of worth for Aeroplan 50K, 75K, and Tremendous Elites travelling on Virgin Australia flights. 

I’d be glad to return again to Australia and fly in financial system with Virgin Australia so long as I can benefit from the lounges earlier than my flight. Having the ability to convey a visitor additionally opens up the door to extending the privilege to a journey accomplice.