VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: the end of Premium Entry, and what replaces it

For a long time, Virgin Australia’s fast-track security offering was one of the airline’s most quietly valuable perks. Known as Premium Entry, it allowed eligible travellers to bypass the main security queues at key airports and move swiftly from kerb to lounge with minimal friction. Premium Entry was available at Sydney and Brisbane airports.

That era is now ending.

Virgin Australia will permanently close Premium Entry at Sydney Airport and temporarily shut the Brisbane facility, according to ET, The service will be replaced with expanded Priority Screening lanes within the main terminal security checkpoints. The airline is claiming this as a streamlining exercise. But for frequent flyers, it marks a clear shift in how Virgin delivers a downgrade of one of its most tangible loyalty benefits.

What Premium Entry offered

Premium Entry was designed as a semi-private security channel, separate from the main passenger flow. At Sydney and Brisbane domestic terminals, eligible travellers are allowed to clear security quickly emerging into the Virgin Australia Lounge, avoiding crowds and congestion altogether.

It was highly valued by frequent flyers travelling during peak periods, particularly early weekday mornings, when the regular security queues could extend well back into the terminal. For those travellers, Premium Entry wasn’t just a nice-to-have; it materially changed the airport experience.

However, in the years following the pandemic, Premium Entry had become increasingly constrained. Operating hours were reduced to narrow weekday-morning windows. This will leave many eligible passengers unable to use the lane outside a small slice of the day. While the concept remained popular, its practical usefulness was diminished.

Changing now

From just before Christmas (19 December 2025), Premium Entry at Sydney Airport closed permanently. The Brisbane Premium Entry lane has also closed from that date, but on a temporary basis while major building works take place at the terminal. It’s hoped that the service will return in late 2026. But as the only service in a Virgin terminal, I bet that it will not reopen. I hope I’m wrong.

In place of Premium Entry, Virgin Australia is expanding its Priority Screening lanes within the main security areas. Without a separate entrance, Priority Screening operates as a fast-track queue alongside general screening. This will make it similar to arrangements used by many international carriers.

Virgin claims the change will double access to priority screening for eligible travellers across major domestic airports. The new Priority Screening lanes will operate for longer hours and are integrated into central security zones.

Who has access

Eligibility for Priority Screening includes Virgin Australia Business Class passengers, Velocity Gold, Platinum, Platinum Plus, and Beyond members, plus Lifetime Lounge members.

Virgin partner airline frequent flyers also get access. That includes Qatar Airways Privilege Club Gold and Platinum members, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Gold and PPS Club members, and United Airlines Premier Gold, Platinum, 1K and Global Services members.

Priority Screening operations

At Sydney and Melbourne, Priority Screening lanes operate during weekday peak periods, from 5am to 10am and again from 2pm to 7pm, Monday to Friday. While weekends are excluded, these windows cover the most popular business travel periods.

In Brisbane, Priority Screening is available all day at the new central security zone on the mezzanine level. At Perth, Priority Screening is also available all day.

Virgin argues that longer operating hours and new scanning technology should deliver time savings even without a private security channel.

Better or worse for travellers?

It depends. For travellers who valued the simplicity of moving directly from the kerb to screening point and into the lounge, this is a downgrade. That experience no longer exists in Sydney, and Brisbane passengers will lose it for at least a year.

For others, Priority Screening may prove more reliable. A fast-track lane that’s open more often and in more locations may be preferable to tho old limited premium facility. Arriving at the airport only to find Premium Entry closed was a common frustration among eligible flyers.

2PAXfly Takeout

I used to love that old Premium Entry at Sydney Airport. It did speed entry to the terminal, screening and lounge entry. In my experience, you were lucky if you had two people before you, so there was virtually no waiting. Security staff had time to chat and be personable, and you went straight into the lounge.

When this was introduced by John Borgetti, back around 2015, Virgin Australia was at the height of its battle with Qantas to attract Business passengers. It came along with capacity, lounge, and pricing wars. That era has long since passed, especially after Virgin Australia went bankrupt during the pandemic and was acquired by Bain Capital.

Now that Virgin Australia positions itself between a full-service airline (Qantas) and a low-cost airline (Jetstar), attracting business customers is no longer central to its operational plan. But Virgin still wants business customer, and the loyalty of frequent flyers, so this new system, although definitely not as good as the old system, may prove more servicable to their corporate aims.