Virgin Australia: flying with a dog
MyDogCanFly is not affiliated with Virgin Australia. The logo is shown for identification only. We do not sell tickets and take no bookings.
⚖️ Where does your dog travel?
« Be a small cat or dog, with a combined weight (pet + carrier) of no more than 8kg » Cabin travel for pet dogs is limited to selected domestic flights operated by Virgin Australia. The service names Cairns, Melbourne, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Adelaide, without guaranteeing every flight or connection between them. Our Finder does not yet cover Cairns, Adelaide, Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast: their absence from the tool does not mean the airline refuses pets. A domestic journey outside the listed airports is not established as eligible by this page either. Confirm the exact flight and pet space with Virgin Australia before booking. Third-party-operated and codeshare partner flights are excluded.
- virginaustralia.com — Verified on 14 October 2026
- virginaustralia.com — Verified on 14 October 2026
« The combined weight of your pet and the container must not exceed 65kg. » Cabin: Virgin Australia rules for pet dogs
- The 8 kg limit includes both your dog and its carrier.
« Be a small cat or dog, with a combined weight (pet + carrier) of no more than 8kg » Pet requirements
- Soft-sided, ventilated, escape-proof carrier: maximum 44 × 28 × 28 cm (length × width × height), with a leak-proof base and absorbent mat.
« Be an approved pet carrier (max dimensions 44cm L x 28cm W x 28cm H) · Be soft-sided, well-ventilated and escape proof · Have a leak proof base and be lined with an absorbent mat (no puddles please!) » Carrier requirements
- Your dog must be able to stand, sit, turn around and lie down comfortably inside the closed carrier.
« Allow your pet to stand up, sit, turn around and lay down comfortably when the carrier is closed. » Carrier requirements
- Book by telephone more than 72 hours before departure; pet spaces on each flight are limited.
« To book, call our Guest Contact Centre on 13 67 89. · You’ll need to book more than 72 hours before travel · Be sure to book early because there’s a limited number of pets spaces on each flight. » How to book your pet in cabin
- Check in with an agent at the airport no later than 75 minutes before departure.
« You must check in in person with one of our Guest Services Agents no later than 75 minutes before departure » Important things to remember
- Minimum age: 8 weeks; some routes require pets to be older than 16 weeks. Confirm the requirement for your flight.
« Be at least 8 weeks old. Some routes require pets to be over 16 weeks of age. » Pet requirements
- A veterinary certificate is required in certain cases, including snub-nosed breeds, which also need the specific Fit-To-Fly assessment. The certificate must be issued within 14 days of the flight.
« Virgin Australia may require a veterinary certificate for your pet; this is an official health report from a registered vet confirming your four-legged friend is ready to fly. It must be issued within 14 days of your flight. · Is a brachycephalic (snub nosed) breed Requires you to complete a specific (Brachycephalic Fit-To-Fly assessment form) » Veterinary certificate
- During the flight, your dog remains in its closed carrier under the seat in front of you, until disembarkation.
« Your pet must stay inside their carrier for the entire flight. · The carrier must remain closed and stowed under the seat in front of you until the aircraft has arrived and you’re ready to disembark. » Pet seating
- Measure the carrier at its widest, longest and highest points: the airline checks it at the airport and will not permit pets to travel in non-compliant carriers.
« You must measure your carrier at its highest, widest and longest points as often the supplier measurements differ from the actual size. · Measurements will be checked by Virgin Australia at the airport and pets will not be permitted to travel in non-compliant carriers. » Ready for travel
- Secure every opening except one with cable ties before arriving at the airport.
« Have all but one opening secured with cable ties prior to arriving at the airport. » Carrier requirements
- Your dog enters the terminal inside its carrier. It may come out for security screening or in designated animal relief areas.
« Must not enter the airport terminal outside of the carrier. · When passing through security screening, or · When using an airport animal relief area. » Pet requirements; Keeping your pet secure
- One pet per passenger.
« Only one pet per guest » Important things to remember
- Excluded, including crossbreeds: Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and Japanese Tosa. The list continues below.
« Please note that the following dog breeds (including crossbreeds) are prohibited from travel · Czechoslovakian Wolfdog (Czechoslovakian Vlcak) Dogo Argentino Fila Brasileiro Japanese Tosa » What breeds are prohibited?
- Also excluded, including crossbreeds: Kunming Wolfdog, Lupo Italiano, Presa Canario, all Pit Bull sub-breeds and Saarloos Wolfdog.
« Please note that the following dog breeds (including crossbreeds) are prohibited from travel · Kunming Wolfdog (Kunming Dog) Lupo Italiano (Italian Wolfdog) Perro de Presa Canario (Presa Canario) Pit Bulls (including all sub breeds) Saarloos Wolfdog (Saarloos Wolfhound) » What breeds are prohibited?
- The booking window differs by airport, with specific end dates for Melbourne and Adelaide. Confirm availability for your travel date.
« Melbourne available for booking through to 31 January 27, Adelaide available for booking through to 23 March 27 and all other ports available ongoing within standard Virgin Australia booking timeframes. » Booking availability footnote
💶 Fares for travelling with a dog
Every amount below is published by the airline itself and quoted from its own page. The Flight Finder shows the fare that applies to the trip you searched; this page lists all the official fares we have verified.
- A$149per dog · per flightEligible Australian domestic routes/dates
See the source
« introductory fee of $149 per pet »
We have not yet found an official amount for this channel. Rather than show a number we cannot source, we say so.
- Cargo or carriage on quotationper shipment · per journeyCargo transport where available
See the source
« contact our Cargo team »
🗺️ Virgin Australia's network and destination formalities
This is the airline's commercial network. Flying to a destination does not mean the airline accepts a dog on that route: check the channel statuses above and confirm with the airline.
Flying with a dog on Virgin Australia: common questions
Can my dog travel in the cabin on Virgin Australia?
Virgin Australia — To confirm. « Be a small cat or dog, with a combined weight (pet + carrier) of no more than 8kg » (https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/travel-info/specific-travel/pets/pets-in-cabin/) Cabin travel for pet dogs is limited to selected domestic flights operated by Virgin Australia. The service names Cairns, Melbourne, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Adelaide, without guaranteeing every flight or connection between them. Our Finder does not yet cover Cairns, Adelaide, Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast: their absence from the tool does not mean the airline refuses pets. A domestic journey outside the listed airports is not established as eligible by this page either. Confirm the exact flight and pet space with Virgin Australia before booking. Third-party-operated and codeshare partner flights are excluded. (https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/travel-info/specific-travel/pets/pets-in-cabin/terms-and-conditions/) (https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/travel-info/specific-travel/pets/pets-in-cabin/)
Does Virgin Australia carry dogs in the hold?
Hold — Virgin Australia — To confirm. No condition is published here for this channel: nothing on record has been confirmed against a quoted official source. Confirm the conditions — weight, dimensions, age, routes — directly with the airline before booking. Cargo — Virgin Australia — Under conditions.…
This page summarises the information currently on record. Conditions can change: confirm them with the airline before booking.
Where to next?
Go straight to what you need — no need to run a new search.
On a codeshare flight, the airline selling the ticket may be different from the airline operating the flight. Your dog’s travel conditions may therefore depend on the operating carrier. Always check the “operated by” notice before booking.