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Flight Review: Virgin Australia Hamilton Island – Sydney in Economy

March 04, 2014
•
5 min read
Rope between biz
Flight Review: Virgin Australia Hamilton Island – Sydney in Economy
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So far in my series on my trip to Australia with TPG Managing Editor Eric, I’ve covered how I used miles to book my award ticket, my flight from LAX-MEL in United GlobalFirst, the day I spent wine-tasting out in the Yarra Valley, a restaurant review roundup of all the fantastic places we ate in the city, my review of the Westin Melbourne, flying Jetstar to Hamilton Island, and my review of the Reef View Hotel on Hamilton Island. Here's my review of the flight down to Sydney for the final leg of my trip.

My plane on the runway.

After a couple of great days scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef (more on that in a future post), it was time to head down to Sydney for the final few days of my first trip to Australia. While I had flown Qantas's budget airline partner Jetstar to Hamilton Island, for the flight down to Sydney, I booked Virgin Australia instead. That's because the flights were basically the same price, but Jetstar's left 1:50pm and arrived in Sydney at 5:10pm, while Virgin's left at 11:50am and got in at 3:10pm so I'd have a bit more time to settle in before evening plans.

Not only that, but I could also earn Delta SkyMiles and MQM's (but not MQD's since I booked directly through Virgin's site rather than booking through Delta). The flight was 946 miles and thanks to my Medallion bonus, I earned a total of 1,892 miles.

Business class seats.

I paid $219 AUD ($196 USD). Getting a confirmed seat in the Exit Row (which I needed because a regular economy seat just wasn't going to cut it for my 6'7" frame) would have cost an extra $35 AUD ($30), however, I was just able to call up and request it because of my Platinum status, and for his flight the following day, Eric was able to use his Silver Medallion status to snag an Exit Row seat for free at check-in.

The business class seats.

Both our fares included a checked bag, and Eric actually had to check his carry on because it weighed more than 7 kgs. We're still not sure why since the overhead bins are normal-size, but he wasn't given a choice.

The colorful main cabin.

On this route, Virgin operates its 737-800, and it was pretty swanky for such a workhorse plane. I liked the charcoal-y leather seats with colorful headrests, and purple mood lighting. There were two rows of four seats (2 x 2) in business class where the seats were just slightly wider than in economy a 19.5 inches with 38 inches of pitch.

The exit row was definitely roomier but not huge.

They recline 8 inches. Though the seats looked nice, they were definitely not roomy. In economy, the seats are 31 inches by 17 inches, so not the roomiest, but not too terrible. Exit row and bulkhead seats have 38 inches in pitch according to the Virgin site, though it didn't feel like quite that much.

Another shot of the main cabin - is that a velvet rope separating the cabins?

For entertainment, Virgin offers a system called live2air that includes 24 live FOXTEL/AUSTAR channels and a selection of pay-per-view movies for flights over two hours. To access it, you have to download the Virgin app to your smartphone or tablet and then once the WiFi is working you can connect and surf. The system can easily be accessed on iPads, iPhones, iPod touch devices; Android devices; and laptops with MicrosoftSilverlight, so no surfing on your Mac. The other thing is, you must download the app before your flight since you cannot do so on the plane. To do so, visit the Wireless In-flight Entertainment page and follow the instructions to download the app. In business class, the flight attendants hand out free tablets for passengers who want to use them. The WiFi is just to stream entertainment, no web surfing either, so get your work done before your flight.

Download the app before your flight or you won't be able to watch the entertainment.

The food/beverage items in economy included free water and sodas as well as snacks for sale, and complimentary beer and wine on flights departing between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday - so I just missed the cut off!

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Though I wish I could have used the internet while onboard, it was a quick flight so it didn't really take a huge chunk out of my day, and the flight itself was a decent experience. The plane felt new and clean, the service was polite and efficient and the trip was quick - I wish more domestic US flights were like this!

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4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.