Virgin Australia pet travel. How it works and what to know

Navigating the process of flying with your furry companion is difficult if you don’t know where to look. We have compiled the key things you need to know if you want to travel with your pet on Virgin Australia. This includes answering if it’s even possible and what you need to know before jumping right in to booking your pets journey.

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Is Virgin Australia pet-friendly for International travel

Unfortunately, Virgin Australia predominantly offers pet travel on their domestic service routes. If you need to move your pet internationally, you’ll have to use an approved International Pet and Animal Association (IPATA) provider or opt to use a different service such as Qantas airlines.¹

How does domestic pet travel work with Virgin Australia

Unlike simply booking a ticket and catching your flight at the designated time, pet travel requires a little more preparation. Here is a breakdown of how domestic pet travel works with Virgin Australia.

1. Check if you pet is eligible to fly

Before you book anything, the first thing you should check is if your pet is eligible to fly. This will help make sure you can pursue the right help to get your pet to where it needs to go. The basic eligibility requirements include the following.¹

• Your pet must be at least 8 weeks old
• Be in overall good health
• Must travel in a container that adheres to Virgin Australia’s standard
• The container must be of adequate size to your pet
• Weigh no more than 65kgs, including the container they’ll travel in
• Your pet does not display aggressive behaviour

There are a few health conditions that don’t restrict your pet from travelling, but require being signed off by a certified vet to get the all clear. These include¹:

• Being pregnant or has given birth in the 48 hours before
• Be over 12 years of age
• Be between 8 and 12 weeks old
• Be sick, injured or recovering from surgery
• Has been sedated before travelling

If your pet is of any of the above, they must have the vet certificate within 2 weeks of the travel day.

Read more: Qantas pet travel

2. Meet the state-based requirements

Each state in Australia has different rules when it comes to the movement of animals including pets. This includes restrictions on other animals travelling outside of a dog and cats. For cats or dogs in particular, if your destination is Tasmania, you’ll need to ensure your pet has received treatment for Hydatids Tapeworm prior to arrival. It’s important to keep up to date with state-based requirements for animal travel if you are anticipating a move at any point with your pet.¹

3. Contact a commercial pet travel company

Once you’ve determined that your pet can meet the eligibility requirements to travel and safely arrive in their new home state, Virgin Australia requires you to organise all pet travel with a commercial pet travel company.¹

Travelling with pets in the cabin vs in the cargo hold

As much as we’d love to say that your pet will be able to join you in the cabin, this is not the case on any domestic flight. All pets are moved using the cargo hold, and are categorised as freight.¹ The only exception to this rule is if you have a service or assistant dog that meets the strict conditions to carriage for Virgin Australia flights.²

Types of pets you can travel with on Virgin Australia

Virgin Australia only allows for dogs and cats to travel under their pet travel requirements due to container restrictions. There are also some caveats around certain breeds that can and cannot travel.¹

Brachycephalic animals and restricted breeds

These types of animals are commonly identified as being snub-nosed or flat-nosed. Virgin Australia has a strict policy that any brachycephalic breeds including cross-breeds must be organised through an approved pet travel specialist that specialise with transporting these breeds.

Some examples of brachycephalic breeds in cats and dogs include but not limited to¹:

• Affenpinscher
• Any bulldog breeds
• Boston Terrier
• Boxer
• Brussels Griffon
• Chow Chow
• Dogue De Bordeaux
• Certain types of Spaniel breeds
• Certain Mastiff breeds
• Lhasa Apso
• Pekingese
• Pugs
• Shih-Zhu
• Tibetan Spaniel
• Exotic Shorthair Cat
• Himalayan Cat
• Persian Cat

There are certain dog breeds that Virgin will refuse to carry. These include breeds that are either banned for import under Australia law or are domestic and non-domestic hybrids of certain wolf crosses. These breeds include¹:

• Fila Brasileiro
• Japanese Tosa
• Dogo Argentino
• Pit Bull Breeds
• Presa Canario
• Czechoslovakian wolfdog
• Saarloos Wolfhound
• Italian wolfdog
• Kunming wolfdog

This travel restriction extends to crossbreeds of these breeds.If you have another type of pet, you’ll have to organise their travel through an animal transportation supplier.

What are the fees or costs

As it is a requirement to book your pet travel through a commercial pet transport company, Virgin Australia doesn’t list any fees on their website.¹

What are the requirements for pet travel on Virgin Australia

To sum up all of the above, your pet will be able to travel domestically on a dedicated Virgin Australia flight when they¹:

• Meet all the eligibility requirements
• Have received clearance from a vet if they have a listed health condition
• Have an appropriate sized carriage that meets Virgins standard

Once you meet the formal requirements, you also can’t forget to prepare your pet for their big adventure. Here are some ways you can prepare your pet for air travel.¹

Consider variables related to weather

Avoid having your pet booked in peak temperature periods. This includes early morning or late evening flights in winter, or midday times for summer. Depending on what your pet is used to in terms of weather, it’s important to try to guide their booking around their comfort.

Refrain from sedating your pet

It is not recommended to sedate your pet before they travel unless it is recommended by a vet. Virgin Australia warns that if your pet is sedated at the time of their flight, it is at your own risk.

Crate training and comfort

The best way to feel confident that your pet will have the best possible journey they can is by crate training them before they fly. It is preferable to train them in the crate they will be flying in. It's also always good to include a water bowl to stop them from becoming dehydrated and adding in their favourite toys or a cushion.

Using pet travel specialists

There is a reason that Virgin Australia requires you to book your pet’s travel through a pet travel specialist. A pet travel specialist is an expert in navigating all the rules and regulations, while working with all different breeds to make sure your pet's trip is as stress free as possible.¹

Keep in mind

Not every flight route is available to fly your pet on. Virgin Australia has a dedicated list of ports that your pet can be flown into or flown out of.³

• Adelaide
• Brisbane
• Broome
• Canberra
• Cairns
• Darwin
• Emerald
• Gold Coast
• Hamilton Island
• Hobart
• Kalgoorlie
• Kununurra
• Launceston
• Mackay
• Melbourne
• Mt Isa
• Newcastle
• Newman
• Onslow
• Perth
• Port Hedland
• Proserpine
• Rockhampton
• Sydney
• Townsville

This also means if you fly your pet unaccompanied by you, you will have to drop off or pick up your pet from these locations if it is not otherwise organised by your booked pet travel company.

FAQs

When do I have to drop off my pet before our flight?

If you are in charge of your pets drop off or they are accompanying you on your own scheduled flight, the pet check in closes 90 mins before scheduled departure.³

What can my pet expect in the cargo hold?

Virgin staff endeavour to keep the cargo hold as comfortable as possible for your pet. However the cargo hold can be prone to noise during the airport ground staff loading and unloading cargo.¹

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Sources:

1. Virgin Australia Pet Travel
2. Virgin Australia assistant dogs
3. Virgin Australia drop off

Sources checked on: 4th March 2024