Now with Virgin Australia, people can fly directly from Melbourne to popular vacation destination Hamilton Island in style. The airline is offering the first business class service for the route since 2004. The carrier is operating the route with a Boeing 737-800 with eight business class seats and 168 economy class seats. Both classes have leather seats, though only premium passengers will enjoy a menu created by Australian celebrity chef Luke Mangan.
Virgin Australia, the country’s second-largest carrier, competes with Jetstar, which already flies the 1,960-kilometer route to the island, located in the Great Barrier Reef, five times a week.
The Virgin Australia flight departs Melbourne at 8:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, and arrives on Hamilton Island at 11:30 a.m. The return flight leaves Hamilton Island at noon on the same days and lands in Melbourne at 3 p.m. Between February and June, Virgin Australia will scale back the service to three days a week.
“Hamilton Island remains a very popular holiday destination for Australians. We continue to review customer demand and the local community and tourism operators have told us that a direct service to Melbourne would be beneficial in bringing more choice to those flying in and out of this popular destination,” Virgin Australia Chief Commercial Officer Judith Crompton said in a press release.
To celebrate its 21st route out of Melbourne, Virgin Atlantic is offering special fares that start from AUD$185 one-way.
For more information, visit virginaustralia.com.