Virgin Australia has taken off with its first Pets in Cabin flight from Adelaide today, giving South Australian pet owners the opportunity to now travel with their small cats and dogs in the cabin on eligible flights.
The expansion of the Australian-first service to Adelaide follows strong customer demand since first launching in October 2025, with almost 1,500 pets having travelled onboard in that time.
Two Chihuahuas, Pickle and Jet, were the first pets to fly on the inaugural service, VA 218, from Adelaide to Melbourne, alongside owners, Prue Burston and Zahra McDonald, marking the beginning of Pets in Cabin services for South Australian customers.
Adelaide Airport joins Melbourne, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast airports in the growing the Pets in Cabin network, with services now operating between Adelaide and Melbourne, and Adelaide and the Gold Coast.
Pets in Cabin network*
Virgin Australia Pets in Cabin services are now available to book as follows:
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Adelaide > Melbourne
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Melbourne > Adelaide
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Adelaide > Gold Coast
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Gold Coast > Adelaide
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Melbourne > Gold Coast
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Gold Coast > Melbourne
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Melbourne > Sunshine Coast (Maroochydore)
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Sunshine Coast (Maroochydore) > Melbourne
Commentary
Virgin Australia Chief Marketing and Customer Operations Officer, Libby Minogue, said the addition of Pets in Cabin services in Adelaide reflected the successful rollout of the program across the airline’s network.
“Since launching Pets in Cabin services, we’ve welcomed almost 1,500 pets on board and have continued to receive positive feedback from customers across our network,” said Ms Minogue.
“Importantly, 90 per cent of travellers without pets who have travelled on a Pets in Cabin service reported they were unaware a pet was on board, demonstrating how seamlessly the program has been integrated into the travel experience.
“The introduction of the service in Adelaide is another positive step forward as we continue to provide more Australians with the opportunity to travel alongside their pets.
“By extending Pets in Cabin services to Adelaide, we’re not only providing greater choice and convenience for pet owners, we’re also supporting tourism and local businesses by making South Australia more accessible to a growing segment of travellers who want to holiday with their pets.
“South Australia is a fantastic destination for travellers with pets, with a growing range of pet-friendly accommodation, outdoor experiences and regional tourism offerings that make it easier for Australians to explore the state alongside their furry companions,” she said.
Adelaide Airport Executive General Manager, Corporate, Alicia Bickmore, said it was great to partner with Virgin Australia to bring the Pets in Cabin network to Adelaide.
“Pets are cherished members of the family, and this initiative ensures our passengers no longer have to leave their four-legged friends behind. We are supportive of providing customers with greater choice to bring their pets on holidays and look forward to working with Virgin Australia to deliver an enhanced, stress-free travel experience for our customers,” said Ms Bickmore.
Veterinarian and pet expert, Dr Katrina Warren said:
“For many Australians, pets are cherished members of the family, so having more opportunities to travel with dogs and cats is a welcome step. It’s wonderful to see Virgin Australia recognising the important role pets play in our lives and making it much easier to include them in travel plans”.
Among the first customers to experience Virgin Australia’s Pets in Cabin service on the inaugural Adelaide flight, Zahra McDonald said: “Pickle is a big part of my family, so being able to travel together is so exciting. The Virgin Australia team made the experience easy from check-in to boarding, and it was reassuring to know Pickle could stay close by throughout the trip.”
Also travelling on the inaugural Adelaide Pets in Cabin service, Prue Burton said: “Jet and I regularly travel between Adelaide and Melbourne, and until now that has usually meant a long drive so we could stay together. Having the option to fly with him is a real game changer, making the journey much quicker and giving us more time to enjoy our trip once we arrive.”
Velocity Frequent Flyer members can continue to book Pets in Cabin flights using just 18,600 Velocity Points per eligible sector, in addition to their own fare.
First introduced in October 2025, Virgin Australia Pets in Cabin services have reshaped Australia’s domestic aviation landscape by providing a new travel option for eligible cats and dogs while creating new opportunities across tourism and the pet travel sector.
The expansion of the Pets in Cabin network to Adelaide builds on Virgin Australia’s track record of customer-led innovation. In recent years, the airline became the first in Australia to offer baggage tracking and rewards for sitting in the middle seat. More recently, it was the first to launch a dedicated app within ChatGPT, an Australian-first all-in-one flight search tool on its website, as well as slashing the check-in time by up to 50 per cent# across 10 domestic airports through new technology upgrades.
