Virgin Australia confirms major upgrade to mobile app and airport check-in experience

Virgin Australia announced (14-May-2026) plans for major upgrades to its mobile app and airport check-in experience, designed to reduce check-in time by up to 50% across 10 domestic airports. The project includes the launch of the following mobile app features:

• Fly Ahead and Fly Later: An "Australian airline first" enabling Velocity Gold, Platinum and Platinum Plus members to request to change to an earlier, same-day domestic flight via the Virgin Australia app when travelling on an eligible fare. Platinum Plus members can also request to change to a later same-day domestic flight via the app;
• Fly Earlier: A complimentary service enabling eligible Virgin Australia guests to move onto earlier flights on the day of travel where space permits, free of charge, during busy periods or where inclement weather may disrupt services. These guests - who would not normally be eligible for flight changes based on their fare type - will receive a notification via the Virgin Australia app if Fly Earlier is available;
• Seating upgrades: Virgin Australia guests can also bid for business class and the airline's Economy X premium extra legroom seating on the app.

Effective May-2026, the carrier plans to transition its check-in kiosks to new bag tag printers, encouraging travellers to check in for their flights via the Virgin Australia app or online before arriving to the airport. The new bag tag printers will be paired with a one-step automated bag drop, powered by advanced camera and barcode recognition technology. Guests will scan their boarding pass to print a bag tag, then proceed to drop off their bag without needing to rescan their boarding pass. Virgin Australia will also introduce a dedicated Priority Bag Drop area for Velocity Frequent Flyer Gold, Platinum and Platinum Plus members and business class guests at participating domestic airports. The new bag drop upgrades will roll out progressively across select major domestic airports, with most airports upgraded before the end of 2026. [more - original PR]