# Virgin Australia's invitation-only lounge is coming back to Perth. Brisbane gets 100 more seats

The Beyond Lounge reopens in Perth early next year, Brisbane's domestic lounge gets a rebuild due by mid-2027, and a new WhatsApp help line is only for top flyers.

By Patrick Karsh · Lounge Frog
Published: 2026-11-09T14:24:40.824342Z
Updated: 2026-11-09T14:25:54.290818Z
Canonical: https://www.loungefrog.com/news/virgin-australia-beyond-lounge-perth-brisbane-lounge-100-seats

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Virgin Australia is bringing back its invitation-only Beyond Lounge in Perth early next year. You cannot buy your way in. Entry is by invitation, and the airline says its guests include decision makers from its biggest corporate accounts and leaders from business, sport, tourism and society.

The news came in [Virgin Australia's Nov. 5, 2026 announcement](https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/newsroom/2026/11/virgin-australia-announces-major-investment-in-lounge-network-with-invitation-only-beyond-lounge-to-reopen-in-perth/). It also covers a multimillion-dollar rebuild of the Brisbane domestic lounge, Shark hair tools in lounge bathrooms, and a WhatsApp help line that only top-tier flyers can use.

## The Beyond Lounge returns to Perth

Virgin Australia says the Perth Beyond Lounge will reopen early next year. It is timing the opening for the first months of the year, when business travel starts to pick up.

Once it opens, Beyond will be in four cities: Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. Virgin Australia first launched Beyond Lounges in April 2022 as private spaces for invited guests to work and relax.

The airline ties the Perth move to Western Australia. It says its corporate base there is growing fast, especially in energy, mining and resources. It is also adding a new maintenance hangar and a fleet of eight Embraer E190-E2 jets. Those jets will mainly fly FIFO mining services, the fly-in, fly-out trips that take workers to remote sites.

Virgin Australia did not say where in Perth Airport the Beyond Lounge will be, or give an exact opening date. If you fly out of Perth without an invitation, the regular [Virgin Australia Lounge in Perth](/lounges/per-virgin-australia-lounge) is still your lounge.

## Brisbane's lounge gets about 100 more seats

The bigger news for most flyers is Brisbane. Virgin Australia plans a multimillion-dollar refurbishment of its domestic lounge there. It expects the work to finish by mid-2027.

The Brisbane lounge opened more than a decade ago. The airline says the upgrade will bring:

- About 100 more seats, with power at every seat in the new space
- New furniture and updated bathrooms and showers
- A four-person enclosed meeting room and individual work pods
- A self-service drinks area for tea, coffee and soft drinks
- Floor-to-ceiling windows for more natural light
- Fresh décor and more greenery

Virgin Australia says the redesign will bring Brisbane closer to its domestic lounge in Melbourne and its flagship lounge in Adelaide. It did not say whether the lounge will stay fully open during the work. Check before you fly. You can see our listings for the [Brisbane lounge](/lounges/bne-virgin-australia-lounge), the [Melbourne lounge](/lounges/mel-virgin-australia-lounge) and the [Adelaide lounge](/lounges/adl-virgin-australia-lounge).

## More refurbishments are coming

Virgin Australia says more domestic lounges will be refurbished over the coming years. It did not name which ones or when. For now, Brisbane is the only lounge with a firm plan and timeline.

The airline is also adding Shark Beauty hair dryers and hair straighteners to lounge bathrooms across the country. Shark is the brand the airline calls "TikTok-famous."

## The WhatsApp line is for top flyers only

Virgin Australia has also launched WhatsApp customer service. It is not open to everyone. Only three groups can use it:

| Who can use WhatsApp service | Group |
|---|---|
| Beyond members | Invitation only |
| Velocity Platinum Plus members | Velocity status tier |
| Business Flyer members | Small and midsize business program |

Eligible members can ask about upgrades to Economy X or Business Class, eligible changes to flight dates and times, or general questions. Terms and conditions apply, the airline says.

## Why this matters

Virgin Australia is aiming its lounge money at its most valuable flyers first. Group CEO Dave Emerson said the airline will keep investing "where it makes most commercial sense," and called Perth "an incredibly important market."

The logic is easy to follow. Frequent corporate travelers are the customers airlines fight hardest to keep, and an invitation-only lounge and a private help line are tools to keep them loyal. Everyone else still gets something: 100 more seats and power outlets in Brisbane are upgrades any lounge visitor can use.

For the full list of lounges at each airport, see our guides to [Perth](/airports/per) and [Brisbane](/airports/bne).