Virgin Australia has officially unleashed a new era of travel, making history with Australia’s first Pets in Cabin flights taking off between Melbourne, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.

The Pets in Cabin service will initially launch as a trial until 30 January 2026 in order for the airline to gather important feedback from customers and Virgin Australia said it is planning on expanding the service to all eligible domestic flights by late next year.

With more than 50 per cent of Pets in Cabin bookings made to date for the summer holiday period, the service is already proving popular among Aussies who are looking to holiday with their four-legged companions for the first time or find an alternative solution to pet boarding services.

Virgin Australia Chief Executive Officer, Dave Emerson, said the airline is excited to once again be making Australian aviation history.

“Launching Australia’s first Pets in Cabin flights is a milestone we’re incredibly proud of,” he said.

“We’re excited to give Australians a new way to holiday. Pets are part of the family, and this new service is about making sure every member, human or furry, can enjoy the journey together.

“We’re very confident the Pets in Cabin trial will be a success. It’s an offering that’s worked effectively in the US and Europe for decades, and something Australian travellers have waited for, for years.

“Innovation has always been in Virgin Australia’s DNA. From being the first airline in Australia to offer online check-in and baggage tracking, to being the first airline in the world to reward guests for sitting in the middle seat (through our Middle Seat Lottery promotion), we’ve consistently led the way.

“That spirit of innovation, combined with our focus on our customers, is what sets us apart in the market,” Emerson said.

Virgin Group Founder, Sir Richard Branson, added: “I’m thrilled to see Virgin Australia once again rewriting the rule book of aviation.

“Allowing pets to travel in the cabin speaks to Virgin Australia’s spirit of doing things differently and I can’t wait to see the joy this new service brings to travellers and their four-legged companions,” he said.