I’m back at another Virgin Australia Lounge, and this one in the Gold Coast is excellent, like most of them really. While the food is plentiful, the lounge offers sweeping views of the tarmac, making it a relaxing and great aviation viewing spot before my flight.
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Virgin Australia domestic lounges are open to Business Class travellers, Velocity Platinum and Gold members, and Lounge Members when flying with Virgin Australia. Access is also available via certain credit cards or single-entry passes (Velocity Silver members receive two annually). Children aged 2–17 may accompany an eligible adult, while infants under 2 are admitted free.
Although the lounge is on the smaller side, it carries a similar vibe to the Melbourne and Sydney ones, with its curved dining areas, stylish design, and playful lighting that creates a modern yet welcoming atmosphere.
I grab one of the solo seats near the window, this is where the action is for this aviation enthusiast…
…perfectly positioned for runway views, you can watch arriving and departing aircraft, including this Air New Zealand A320, for which the airline operates up to four daily flights from various ports across New Zealand.
Drinks are plentiful and well catered for in the lounge. Guests can help themselves to post-mix soft drinks, tea, coffee, and chilled water throughout the day. From midday, an alcohol service begins, offering a selection of beers, ciders, and wines, perfect for those wanting to enjoy a more relaxed start to their journey.
From the bain-marie, a small but satisfying selection is available, including a spicy sausage served with rice, a simple, hearty option that would add a bit of warmth and comfort to the lounge offerings.
There’s also a mixed vegetable soup accompanied by different types of cretzels… ‘sea salt cretzels and honey mustard cretzels’. I can’t help but wonder what exactly a cretzel is meant to be…. Ahhh, a cross between a crouton and a pretzel maybe?
There are the usual suspects at the Virgin Australia Lounge in the Gold Coast, wraps and salads (and cakes for those with a sweet tooth…), but I find the salads are the real winners here.
I serve myself some sweet potato and cauliflower couscous along with a potato, bacon, and egg salad. Both are fresh and flavourful, while simple they’re both satisfying, I especially like the potato salad, The dressing tastes almost whipped into the salad, blending effortlessly with the ingredients. It gives a smooth, light texture that complements the potatoes beautifully, soft and tender, rather than the overly firm kind often found in potato salads.
Once the clock strikes midday, I take advantage of the lounge’s bar service and pour myself a glass of Tatachilla Chardonnay. It’s certainly not a premium drop by any means, more of an inexpensive, everyday drinking wine, but it does exactly what it needs to in this setting. Crisp and easy to sip, it pairs well with those salads I’m enjoying from the buffet.
As I make my way out of the lounge, my attention is immediately drawn to a model aircraft tucked away in the corner. It’s a detailed replica of a Virgin Australia A330, a type the airline hasn’t operated in years. In fact, Virgin hasn’t flown wide-body aircraft at all since 2020, when the fleet was simplified to focus on domestic and short-haul international routes.
Seeing the model sparks a wave of nostalgia, reminding me of the days when Virgin Australia competed on long-haul services to destinations like Los Angeles and Hong Kong. At the same time, it feels symbolic—a small reminder of the airline’s past ambitions, its more recent challenges, and perhaps a hint at where the airline might be heading in the future.
Matty Somewhere 