Virgin Economy X: the upgrade you need, from just $8

Economy X is Virgin Australia’s upgrade to the standard economy seat, with up to 40% more legroom and a smoother run through the airport at both ends.

And right now, it’s available across most domestic routes from as little as $8 – that’s right, just $8 on routes like Sydney–Melbourne, Sydney–Brisbane, Brisbane–Melbourne, Melbourne–Adelaide, Sydney–Gold Coast, Sydney–Hobart, Melbourne–Hobart, and more, until 9 July 2026.

Heading overseas on one of Virgin’s short-haul international flights? You can land an Economy X upgrade from a low $12.

A little extra room to stretch

The legroom is what you notice first.

Economy X gives you up to 40% more of it, with as much as 39 inches of pitch against the 31 you get in a standard economy seat.

That’s the difference between sitting with your knees up and being able to open a laptop, lay out a few papers, or just lean back without the seat in front becoming your problem.

On Virgin’s Boeing 737s, the seats to aim for are rows 3 and 4 at the front of the cabin, directly behind Business Class.

The over-wing exit rows offer the same generous pitch a little further back, and often at a lower price again.

A little extra space for your stuff

Economy X has also gained a useful new perk: a larger carry-on allowance of up to 14kg across two small bags (one bag cannot exceed 8kg), where standard economy gives you a single 8kg bag.

For anyone travelling with a laptop bag and a suit carrier, that’s often enough to skip the check-in counter entirely, which means no carousel wait and a quicker exit at the other end.

And your bag also stays with you. The overhead lockers above the Economy X rows are reserved for Economy X passengers, so there’s no fight for space and nothing to hand over at the gate.

A little extra VIP energy

A good deal of the value Economy X lands before you’ve taken your seat.

Economy X passengers board alongside Business Class, ahead of the main economy queue, so you’re settled in while everyone else is still filing down the aisle.

On selected international services, you’ll also have a dedicated priority check-in counter, which takes the early stress out of the airport.

And because the prime Economy X seats are right at the front, you’re among the first off the plane when you land, which counts for a lot when there’s a meeting to make or a connection to catch.

Worth choosing, not just nice to have

The best news? None of those Economy X benefits comes with a Business Class price tag.

Upgrades start from around $12 on shorter domestic routes for exit row, rising to about $35 for the front rows on busier east-coast services and around $57 on front row international flights, and those are the standard rates before any sale!

It pays to book early, on two counts: you’ll usually pay less, and you’ll have the pick of the seats.

You can add Economy X when you book, at online check-in, or at the airport if you decide closer to the day.

Right now there’s one more reason to choose it. Economy X upgrades are 30% off on selected flights until 9 July, starting from $8.

Click here to learn more about Economy X and book today.

This article produced in collaboration with Virgin Australia.