Virgin Australia – LAX to Sydney – Economy “X”
My Airfare and Route Information - Virgin Australia - LAX to SYD
Australia and New Zealand have been on my radar since I started traveling internationally, but I never could find cheap airfare to either Sydney or Auckland on either Virgin Australia or Qantas. For readers who do not regularly follow my blog, I typically use Google Flights to look for cheap airfare. I choose my destinations based on where it is inexpensive to fly. Unfortunately, I never have found any great deals for Sydney or Auckland.
You can read more about Finding Cheap Flights using Google Flights by clicking HERE.
So after three years of not finding any great deals to Australia or New Zealand, I decided to use my Delta Miles to purchase my outbound flight from Minneapolis to Sydney. My flight included one stop in Los Angeles (LAX,) with the second leg operated by Virgin Australia. The total cost was 40,000 flyer miles plus $28. I spent an additional $128 to upgrade the Delta Leg from Minneapolis to LAX to first class. At the time of booking. I was unable to upgrade the Virgin Australia leg as it was ticketed by Delta, which I thought would mean spending 15+ hours in economy. Thankfully, at LAX, I was able to upgrade to Economy X, which provided additional legroom.
Virgin Australia - LAX to Sydney in Economy "X" - Table of Contents
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Leg 1: Minneapolis to Los Angeles (LAX)
The first leg of my flight left around noon from Minneapolis International Airport. I arrived at the airport just under three hours early as it is recommended for an international flight. I did have access to the first-class check-in counter and the TSA Pre-Check line, so I would have been okay getting to the airport only two hours early.
The flight from MSP to LAX was on Delta’s 737-900er, and seat 3C provided a relaxing journey to Los Angeles. In addition to a great meal of Chicken Enchiladas, there was one unique occurrence on my Delta flight to LAX. The pilot spent about five minutes thanking us in the first-class cabin for our loyalty and service. He said this was “the best part” of his job and that he wanted to make sure that every one of us knew he appreciated our loyalty to Delta.
Best Western Plus Suites LAX - A Quick Rest Before the Flight from LAX to Sydney
My flight arrived at LAX just after 2 pm local time. Since my flight to Sydney would not depart until 11:50 pm, I decided it was worth getting a hotel. Many hotels offer a day rate, but that requires checking out between 5 pm and 8 pm. I wanted to relax as long as possible before 15+ hours in economy, so I decided to go with the Best Western Plus Suites LAX. I chose this hotel because it had a free shuttle to and from the airport. Having a Suite was nice as well, as I figured if I couldn’t fall asleep, I’d have a desk to sit at and work on my website.
After arriving at LAX, I did not have to pick up any luggage and went right to the ground transportation area. To request the hotel shuttle, I was supposed to call (310)-677-7733 and then wait under the red sign that read “Hotel’s and Parking Shuttles.” Due to construction, the shuttle was likely going to take 30 to 45 minutes, so I decided to take an Uber.
The Best Western’s King Suite was just what I needed to recoup before my 15+ hour flight to Sydney. My room included two workspaces, a king bed, and a comfortable sofa. The only minor disappointment was a lack of shower pressure.
When I booked the room, I had expected that I would spend some time working on my website before going to sleep. Upon arrival, I was so tired that I went right to sleep. Five hours later, I woke up, checked out, and once again took an Uber to LAX. The Uber didn’t bother me because the fare was less than $10 due to the proximity of the hotel to the airport.
If you are in transit to LAX and need a hotel room, I highly recommend the Best Western Plus Suites LAX.
Leg 2: Los Angeles (LAX) to Sydney on Virgin Australia in Economy "X"
Check-In - Virgin Australia - Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
The check-in process for Virgin Australia is slightly confusing as the check-in counter is inside terminal 3, but the flights depart from terminal 4 (Tom Bradley Terminal.)
There was no line for check-in, and I was thrilled to hear there were upgrade options available. I had been worried before check-in thinking that I was going to have to spend the entire time in regular economy.
The upgrade options were as follows:
Business – $2200
Premium Economy – $1100
Economy X – $170
I chose to go with Economy X and was issued seat 26D.
LAX Tom Bradley International Terminal
The Tom Bradley Terminal, also known as Terminal 4 is the International Terminal at LAX. After checking in, I left Terminal 3 following the signs to get to Terminal 4. Although the walk was outside, it was less than 100 yards.
Upon arriving at the Tom Bradley Terminal, I was swallowed up by a massive crowd of people. It seemed like every check-in counter had a huge line of people unsure where to go or how to wait in line. Apparently, 9 to 12 pm is the popular departure time for flights to Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.
Virgin Australia does not participate in TSA Pre-Check, so I went through regular security. The process was very efficient for the number of people waiting in line. Before the queue to present boarding passes and passports to TSA, there was an area where passengers had to walk by a K9 Unit. It was during this portion of the security process that something very amusing happened.
Another passenger had a dog that started barking at the K9 unit. The barking caused the K9 unit to start wagging its tail and barking back. It took the poor agent about 10 minutes to calm the poor K9 unit down before he could begin sniffing everyone’s bags again. Although somewhat humorous, thankfully, this did not cause a delay.
Once inside the secure area I ate a quick meal at PF Changs. While I ate, I had a great view of the terminal area.
Boarding My Virgin Australia Flight - LAX to SYD in Economy "X"
The boarding process for Virgin Australia is very streamlined. Passengers line up in four different queues based on their ticket type. There is a queue for passengers who need to pre-board, business class, premium economy/economy X, and economy. Thanks to my upgrade, I was in the premium economy/economy X line. Boarding started 50 minutes before departure, and everyone was on the plane 15 minutes before departure.
There were two separate entrances, one for Business Class and one for everyone else. As I boarded, I was able to see into the Business Class Cabin. It looked spectacular and was one of the nicest business classes I’ve ever seen. The cabin included a sit-up bar, a lounge area, and extremely private seats.
The Seat - 26D - Virgin Australia - Economy "X"
Seat 26D is considered an exit row seat although it is a bulkhead seat. The seat is technically not in the Economy X Cabin. Instead, it is behind the galley which separates the Economy X section from the Economy Section.
Obviously, the positive of the seat is the added legroom although the tray table is in the armrest, which makes the seat slightly less wide. Also, the entertainment unit is mounted, which makes it somewhat more challenging to watch. I actually enjoyed this because it can be stowed when not being used.
If I were picking a seat in this section, I would prefer 26F. The reason I would prefer this seat is that there is a movable armrest between 26E and 26F. 26D is surrounded on both sides by immovable armrests that have tray tables. On my flight, there was no one in the middle seat, which gave the gentleman in 26F the chance to lift the armrest and spread out over two seats.
Flight Amenities on Virgin Australia
Unfortunately, the WiFi, which is the one service that I get the most use from was not working. A lack of WiFi meant that I wouldn’t be able to work on my website during the almost 15-hour flight. Although I did type some descriptions and highlights on my computer, I would have preferred to be able to upload my content during my flight. The lack of WiFi also made it so I couldn’t stay in touch with friends and family.
As is common on these larger planes, the lavatory had plenty of room. It always seems like foreign carriers have nicer lavatories than American carriers, and Virgin Australia was no exception.
Throughout the trip, the flight attendants kept the galleys stocked with juice, bottles of water and snacks. As this flight took off around midnight, meal service began quickly and then the flight attendants left everyone alone so they could sleep.
An Economy X ticket comes with a small amenity bag and a set of noise-canceling headphones. The amenity bag had a sleeping mask, earplugs, and a tiny pen. I found the sleeping mask blocked out only a small amount of light. Thankfully, I brought my sleeping mask that I received last spring from SAS Airlines. It is the best mask I’ve ever used.
Landing Card
Everyone entering Australia has to fill out a landing card. The card is slightly more complicated than other countries, and without WiFi, I had to use my printed itinerary to write down the address of my hotel. I checked the “yes” boxes to declare my prescription medications and my hiking boots. When traveling, I always declare if I am not sure as I do not want to take any chances.
First Meal Service - Virgin Australia - Economy "X"
The meal options for the first meal service were a beef stir fry, a chicken dish, and a vegetarian option. I chose to go with the beef stir fry.
Congratulations to Virgin Australia on providing the best economy airline meal I have ever had. The beef stir fry was served with fried noodles and crispy vegetables was restaurant quality. My meal also included a roll with butter and a tasty chocolate salted caramel dessert.
Second Meal Service - Virgin Australia - Economy "X"
About 90 minutes before landing the second meal was served. The choices were a ham and English Breakfast with hash browns and tomato or pear crapes with syrup. I decided to get the omelet.
Meal two was typical airline food and wasn’t nearly as good as the first meal.
Conclusions - My Review of Virgin Australia's Economy "X" Service from LAX to Sydney
Virgin Australia is a great airline. The staff is friendly, the boarding process is streamlined, the seats are comfortable, and the food was delicious. Thanks to my Economy X upgrade, I was able to sleep at least 6 hours during my flight. The combination of earplugs and the noise-canceling headphones muffled the couple that talked for the entire trip, and my sleeping mask blocked out the light. I would definitely fly Virgin Australia again.
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