PERTH, AUSTRALIA — 6 NOVEMBER 2026
Which produces more worth in an airport lounge: having more space to wait, having a calmer environment to work in, or gaining access to an area where most travelers cannot get? Virgin Australia seems to approach the issue differently in Brisbane and Perth by launching a renovation that reopens an exclusive lounge in Western Australia and simultaneously expands its lounge area in the domestic airport in Queensland.
Announced on November 5, 2026, the redesign of the lounges includes returning the Beyond Lounge in Perth in early 2027 and making costly changes to the lounge in Brisbane, with the completion date expected in mid-2027. These actions are unrelated to flights and terminals; the renovation only affects the area before departure.
The Beyond Lounge will start functioning at the place of the previous The Club in Perth that has been out of operation since the pandemic started. With the relaunch of this lounge, Virgin Australia is expanding its exclusive information system, likened to Beyond Lounge, to four cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth.
The Perth facility is purposely different from a standard airline lounge. Access is via an invitation from Virgin Australia and is meant for executives from high-end corporate accounts along with key business players, the elite of the sport world and the top leaders of the public. It doesn’t suffice to have a ticket for the business class, frequent-flyer status or being a member of the standard lounges of the airline to get inside. On the other hand, members have to show their digital password and enter through a hidden door which is not easily recognised, with all amenities expected to include private office rooms, meeting rooms and charging units for each pod. Food and drinks will also be provided, turning the lounge into a place for work rather than just a waiting area.
Virgin Australia has announced a major investment across its lounge network, highlighting the strategic importance of Western Australia for its growing corporate customer base in the energy, mining, and resources sectors. As part of a broader expansion in the region, the airline is introducing a new maintenance hangar and a fleet of eight fuel-efficient Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, which will primarily operate Fly-In, Fly-Out (FIFO) charter services for remote mining operations.
Simultaneously, the airline is undertaking a multi-million-dollar refurbishment of its Brisbane domestic lounge, which originally opened more than a decade ago, to better accommodate its high volume of frequent business travelers. Scheduled for completion by mid-2027, the upgraded space will increase capacity by adding approximately 100 seats. Every single seat in the expanded area will feature dedicated power connections for charging devices. Additional upgrades include new furniture, a refreshed aesthetic with indoor greenery, upgraded bathroom and shower amenities, a self-service hot and cold beverage station, an enclosed four-person meeting room, and private individual work pods for taking calls.
However, following the completion of the Brisbane refurbishment, Virgin Australia will permanently retire its Priority Entry express lane at Brisbane Airport. This direct, premium lounge entry point has been a fixture for more than ten years. The airline defended the decision by referring to the improvements in the airport security inspection technology and the availability of regular all-day priority inspection lanes for qualifying passengers.
