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Virgin Australia has marked 25 years in the skies, having carried more than 200 million passengers since its initial launch as Virgin Blue a quarter of a century ago.
The carrier that would become Australia’s second largest airline group operated its first flight, from Brisbane to Sydney, on 31 August 2000, and benefited from the collapse of Ansett a year later before rebranding to Virgin Australia in 2011.
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“From two aircraft and one bold vision in 2000, to more than 200 million guests flown, our journey has always been about doing things differently – with our guests and our people at the heart of everything we do,” the airline said in a post in LinkedIn.
“From day one, we’ve believed flying should be more than just getting from A to B – it should be wonderful, memorable, and uniquely Virgin.
“Thank you to everyone who has been part of our story – here’s to the next 25 years of remarkable flying together.”
As part of the celebration, Virgin gave away prizes and Velocity Points to passengers aboard a Sydney-Brisbane service, VA925, on Sunday, which airline CEO Dave Emerson said was a way to celebrate the “significant milestone” with passengers.
“For 25 years, Virgin Australia has been creating memorable experiences in the skies and today is a wonderful example of sharing that joy with our guests,” he said.
“A birthday is best celebrated together and we’re thrilled to mark this occasion with our incredible guests who continue to be at the heart of everything we do.”
The anniversary comes shortly after Virgin achieved an underlying net profit after tax of $331 million in the 2025 financial year. It follows a successful 12 months for the group, including a new partnership with Qatar Airways and a strong IPO in June.
“These achievements are only possible thanks to our wonderful team, who live our values and bring our ambition to be Australia’s most loved airline to life every day,” said Emerson in the ASX announcement.
“This weekend we celebrate 25 years of Virgin Australia. We have come a long way since our days as an irreverent start-up that shook up Australian aviation, but one thing remains the same – our people, and their care, passion, and Virgin Flair.”
Virgin returned to the ASX earlier this year, having left the stock exchange when it went into administration in 2020.
