When Does Virgin Australia Open Check-In & Bag Drop?

Wondering when the earliest and latest times are that you can check in and drop off your bag for a Virgin Australia flight? Well, it depends on which airport you’re flying from and whether it’s a domestic or international flight…

Check-in & bag drop times for Virgin Australia domestic flights

Virgin Australia opens online check-in for domestic flights 48 hours before departure. At that time, you can check in using the Virgin Australia website or app, confirm your seat and collect your boarding pass.

If you have an Economy Choice, Economy Flex, Business Class or reward ticket with Virgin Australia, you’re entitled to a checked baggage allowance.

When departing from a major domestic airport, you can drop your checked bag/s any time on the day of departure after Virgin Australia opens its airport check-in counters (generally 4am at major airports). Major domestic airports include Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Cairns and Canberra.

This even means you could drop your bag at Sydney Airport in the morning for a Virgin Australia domestic flight departing that evening. So, you could enjoy more time in the Virgin Australia Lounge… or even head out of the airport for the day!

In fact, AFF members have done exactly this. As one person wrote on our forum:

I once did it at SYD at 7am for a 7pm departure to PER. The check-in desk didn’t bat an eyelid at me doing it, printed me a board pass and baggage receipt and noted I’d need to check the gate closer to departure.
I then flew SYD-CBR-SYD for work for the day.

SeaWolf on the AFF forum

However, it might not be possible to drop your bag quite so early at smaller regional airports. That’s because the check-in counters at these airports are not staffed throughout the day. At smaller Australian airports like Uluru, Newcastle or Emerald, Virgin Australia only opens its check-in counters for a couple of hours prior to each scheduled flight departure.

For Virgin domestic flights, bag drop and check-in close 30 minutes before your flight is scheduled to leave.

Check-in & bag drop times for Virgin Australia international flights

Virgin Australia does not extend all-day check-in to its international flights. It only opens the check-in counters for its international flights between 3 hours and 1 hour prior to departure.

Virgin currently does not offer online check-in for its international flights. So you won’t be able to head airside more than three hours before the departure of a Virgin Australia international flight, even if you’re flying with hand luggage only. At least you won’t be missing out on lounge time, since Virgin Australia does not offer lounge access for international flights – even if you’re in Business Class!