Ready, pet, go: Virgin Australia launches Pets in Cabin from Adelaide

Virgin Australia’s first Pets in Cabin flight from Adelaide will depart on June 23, 2026, with bookings now open.

The inaugural flight, VA218, was announced on June 9, 2026, and will leave Adelaide Airport (ADL) for Melbourne Airport (MEL) at 11:50 local time, with passengers and their pets set to receive a special send-off at the departure gate.

Where you can fly with your pet on Virgin Australia

The Adelaide expansion adds two new routes to the Pets in Cabin network: Adelaide to Melbourne and Adelaide to Gold Coast, both in each direction. These join existing services between Melbourne and Gold Coast and Melbourne and Sunshine Coast.

Services between Adelaide and Melbourne are available to book for travel through January 31, 2027, while all other Pets in Cabin routes are bookable through September 30, 2026. Subject to final airport approvals, Virgin Australia intends to make the service a standard offering on eligible flights starting next year.

Nearly 1,500 pets have flown since the Pets in Cabin launch

The Pets in Cabin program launched in October 2025, making Virgin Australia the first Australian airline to allow small dogs and cats to travel in the cabin on domestic flights. Since then, almost 1,500 pets have flown on the service.

“We’ve seen an overwhelmingly positive response to the Pets in Cabin service,” said Libby Minogue, Virgin Australia’s Chief Marketing and Customer Operations Officer. “Pets are part of the family, and we know how important it is for many Australians to be able to travel with them interstate.”

Adelaide Airport Executive General Manager Dermot O’Neill said the airport was excited to join the network. “It’s great that travelers will now be able to travel with their four-legged friends,” he said.

How Pets in Cabin it works and what it costs

Eligible pets (small dogs and cats only), can fly for an introductory price of AU$149 (approximately US$95) per animal per flight. Velocity Frequent Flyer members can also book using 18,600 Velocity Points per sector.

Each flight allows a maximum of four pets, each weighing under eight kilograms combined with the carrier. Pets must travel in an approved soft-sided carrier that fits under the seat, and owners are assigned designated window seats in rows 18 and 20. Pets must remain inside the carrier for the entire flight.

Virgin Australia said its aircraft are equipped with advanced air filtration systems that remove 99% of airborne particles including pet dander, and passengers with allergies can choose alternative seating in the same cabin class at no extra charge.

The airline said it is working with airport partners to assess further expansion, with additional destinations expected to be announced in the coming months.

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