Virgin Australia 737-800 Seat Selection Guide (2026)
Virgin Australia operates three different interior configurations on its 737-800 fleet, and the version you get materially changes what you experience — particularly around power, Economy X row positioning, and the cabin divider between Business and Economy.
Quick Verdict
| Aircraft | Boeing 737-800 (IATA: 738) |
| Fleet size | ~65 airframes across three configurations |
| Version lottery | Yes — three active configurations |
| Configurations | Refreshed (8C/174Y, 182 total); Legacy (8C/168Y, 176 total); 2022 Prototype (8C/162Y, 170 total) |
| Layout | 2-2 Business; 3-3 Economy (all configs) |
| Business pitch | ~37–38" recliner (Refreshed seat has 40% more recline than Legacy) |
| Economy X pitch | ~34" (3" extra legroom over standard) |
| Economy pitch | 30–31" |
| Best seats (Business) | 1A/1C/1D/1F (front row, maximum knee space) |
| Best seats (Economy X) | Row 3 on all configs; exit rows 14–15 (Refreshed) or 13–14 (Legacy/Prototype) |
| Seats to avoid | Last row (31 Refreshed, 30 Legacy/Prototype); 12A/F and 13A/F on Refreshed (misaligned overwing windows); 9A on the older configs (no window) |
| IFE | Streamed to personal device — no seatback screens on any config |
| Power | Refreshed/Prototype: USB power at every seat. Legacy: none |
| WiFi | Intelsat 2Ku — selected aircraft only |
The three configurations
Refreshed — The growing majority. 13+ aircraft as of late 2025 and rolling across the full fleet over two years per Virgin's 2023 announcement. Boeing Sky Interior, Space Bins, mood lighting, new Business seat with 40% more recline, USB power at every seat, streamed IFE, and three Economy X rows. Exit rows sit at 14 and 15 (moved back one row from Legacy). No cabin divider between Business and Economy — replaced with a curtain on some aircraft. The Refreshed cabin itself has two seat sub-variants: earlier airframes use the MaxShine Meridian Economy seat, newer airframes use the Collins Meridian.
Legacy — The un-refreshed original cabin. 8C/168Y = 176 total. Original Business Class seat, no in-seat power, the old 3-row Economy X pattern in Row 3 plus legacy exit rows 13 and 14. Being progressively retired as refurbishments complete.
2022 Prototype — Only two aircraft. Early trial of the new interior features with five Economy X rows identified by red-accented headrests. 30 total Economy rows. Known quirk: seat 9A on the left side has no window — unique to the pre-Refreshed configs.
Which is better
The Refreshed config is materially better in every cabin — newer seats, USB in-seat power, modernised IFE streaming infrastructure, and updated cabin finishes. Legacy is the config to avoid if you're paying a premium for comfort. The 2022 Prototype sits in the middle — new features but slightly less dense at only two airframes.
Business Class (8 seats, all configs)
Two rows of recliners in a 2-2 layout, 8 seats total across all three configurations. Business rows 1 and 2.
✅ Best seats
- 1A / 1F (windows) — Front-row bulkhead with maximum knee space. Note: on Refreshed aircraft, the removal of the cabin divider means some spillover from Economy, including occasional passengers trying to use the forward lavatory.
- 1C / 1D (aisles) — Same front-row knee space, aisle access on both sides of the cabin.
⚠️ Seats to be aware of
Row 2 (2A, 2C, 2D, 2F) — On Refreshed aircraft this row backs directly onto Economy Row 3 without a divider. Slight privacy trade-off versus Row 1. Per Virgin, a redesigned divider is being retrofitted progressively.
Cabin features
- Recliner seats, not lie-flat. Virgin Australia offers no lie-flat product on any 737 regardless of flight length, including overnight Perth-east coast and Bali sectors.
- Refreshed Business seat has adjustable leg and footrests, in-seat high-powered USB-C, and a movable tray table with built-in device holder. The seat has 40% more recline than the Legacy product.
- Buy-on-board catering menu, with meal service included in Business on flights over a defined sector length.
Economy X (Refreshed — 3 rows, 18 seats)
Economy X on the Refreshed config sits in rows 3, 14 and 15, with dark grey and red-accented headrests as the visual marker.
✅ Best seats
- Row 3 (3A, 3C, 3D, 3F) — Front of the Economy cabin, closest to disembarkation, 3" extra legroom. The pick if you want to combine legroom with a quick exit.
- 14A / 14F — Exit row window with 3" extra pitch. First of the two overwing exit rows.
- 14C / 14D — Exit row aisle, same legroom advantage as the window seats.
- 15A / 15F — Second exit row window. Marginally better than Row 14 because the row behind (Row 16) cannot recline into you.
⚠️ Seats to be aware of
Row 15 middle seats (15B/15E) — Extra legroom but a middle seat is still a middle seat on a 3-hour cross-continent sector.
Economy X (Legacy — 3 rows, 18 seats)
Legacy config places Economy X in Row 3 and the legacy exit rows 13 and 14.
✅ Best seats
- Row 3 — Front of Economy, 3" extra legroom.
- 13A / 13F — Exit row window, preferred over Row 14 because Row 14 loses recline (Row 15 exit is behind).
⚠️ Seats to be aware of
- Row 12 — Directly in front of the exit row. Reports of limited or no recline, though Virgin crew have sometimes unlocked the recline on request.
- Row 14 — Exit row with no recline behind the second exit.
Economy X (2022 Prototype — 5 rows, 30 seats)
The two Prototype aircraft were the testbed for the Refreshed interior and have an atypical 5-row Economy X distribution identified by red-accented headrests. With only two airframes in this config, odds of drawing one are low — but if you do, you'll have materially more extra-legroom choice than any other VA 737.
Economy (standard)
3-3 layout, 30–31" pitch depending on airframe. The standard Economy experience is broadly the same across all three configurations — the differences sit in power, Economy X positioning, and Business.
✅ Best standard Economy seats
- Rows 5–6 window (A/F) — Forward Economy, earliest off the aircraft, pre-wing so least noise.
- Rows 7–10 window — Mid-forward cabin, quiet ride, standard window alignment.
- Rows 16–19 window (Refreshed) — Post-exit-row forward cabin, same pitch but away from galley noise.
🚫 Seats to avoid
- Last row (31 on Refreshed, 30 on Legacy/Prototype) — No recline, proximity to aft galley and lavatories, seats often narrower due to fuselage curvature.
- Second-last row — Partial recline only, lav noise.
- 12A / 12F and 13A / 13F on Refreshed — "avoid" because the overwing wing fairing reduces or misaligns the window view despite the seats themselves being standard Economy pitch. The corresponding middle and aisle seats in those rows (12B–E and 13B–E) are standard rated.
- Row 11 on Refreshed — Limited recline. Not as punishing as the non-recline exit row immediately behind, but worth avoiding if recline matters.
- Row 12 on Legacy — Reported no recline due to the exit behind; crew can occasionally unlock.
- 9A on Legacy and Prototype — A known windowless seat on the older configurations. Not an issue on the Refreshed config where 9A is a standard window.
- Rear rows 28–29 window pair — Historical reports of narrower seats due to fuselage curvature at the rear.
Cabin Features Comparison
| Feature | Refreshed | Legacy | 2022 Prototype |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total seats | 182 | 176 | 170 |
| Business | 8 (new seat, 40% more recline) | 8 (original seat) | 8 (prototype seat) |
| Economy X rows | 3 (rows 3, 14, 15) | 3 (rows 3, 13, 14) | 5 rows |
| Total Economy rows | 31 | 28 | 30 |
| Exit rows | 14, 15 | 13, 14 | 13, 14 |
| In-seat power | Yes (USB at every seat) | No | Yes |
| Economy seat product | Collins Meridian / MaxShine Meridian | Original recliner | Prototype recliner |
| Cabin divider | Removed (curtain on some) | Yes | Yes |
| IFE | Streamed (personal device) | Streamed | Streamed |
| WiFi | Intelsat 2Ku (selected aircraft) | Intelsat 2Ku (selected aircraft) | Intelsat 2Ku (selected aircraft) |
| Fleet count | 13+ and growing | Majority, retrofitting in progress | 2 aircraft |
Quick-Pick Summary
| If you're… | Book… |
|---|---|
| Solo, legroom priority | Row 15 window (15A/15F) on Refreshed — exit row + full recline preserved |
| Solo, quiet window | Row 5–6 window (5A, 6A, 6F) — forward of wing, peaceful |
| Couple, extra legroom | Row 14 A/C or D/F Economy X on Refreshed — exit row pair with legroom |
| Couple, standard | Row 16 A/B or E/F (Refreshed) — post-exit window and middle, no premium |
| Family of three | Row 5 or 6 whole row — 3-3 layout means ABC or DEF keeps you together |
| Frequent flyer upgrade | Row 1 Business (1A/1C/1D/1F) — bulkhead with new recliner on Refreshed |
| Price priority | Rows 5–11 standard Economy window — forward, quiet, no premium |
| Avoid at all costs | Last row (31 Refreshed, 30 Legacy/Prototype), 12A/F and 13A/F on Refreshed, 9A on Legacy/Prototype, middle seats in rear three rows |
How to Tell Which 737-800 You're On
Before booking or the day of travel:
- Check the seat map on the Virgin Australia app. The Refreshed config shows 31 Economy rows with exits at 14–15. Legacy shows 28 Economy rows with exits at 13–14. Prototype shows 30 Economy rows with five Economy X rows distributed across the cabin.
- Registration lookup. Refreshed airframes include VH-VUP ("Lighthouse Beach"), the first completed refurbishment. More are being added progressively.
- Rough fleet odds. As of late 2025, 13+ of ~65 active 737-800s are Refreshed, two are 2022 Prototype, the balance are Legacy. The odds of a Refreshed aircraft are rising month on month as the retrofit programme continues.
- Visible markers on board. Refreshed: no divider between Business and Economy, USB power at every seat, dark grey headrests in Economy X rows. Legacy: purple cabin divider, no seat power. Prototype: red-accented Economy X headrests on five rows.
Comparable Guides
| Qantas A330-300 | Direct domestic and trans-Tasman competitor on widebody routes |
| Qantas A321XLR | Qantas' newer narrowbody — closest like-for-like comparison |
| Ryanair 737-800 | Different use case but same base airframe |
| American Airlines 737 MAX 8 | US domestic 3-3 comparison with three-cabin product |
| Southwest 737-800 | US low-cost 3-3 comparison |
FAQ
Is Virgin Australia's 737-800 Business Class lie-flat?
No. All three 737-800 configurations use recliner seats in a 2-2 layout. Virgin operates no lie-flat product on any 737, even on overnight flights from Perth to the east coast or to Bali.
How do I know if my flight is on the Refreshed 737-800?
The clearest indicator is the seat map. Refreshed aircraft show Economy rows 3 to 31 with exit rows at 14 and 15. Legacy aircraft show 28 Economy rows with exits at 13 and 14. The Virgin Australia booking app displays this before you pay.
What is Economy X and is it worth the money?
Economy X adds roughly 3 inches of legroom (34" pitch versus 30–31" standard), priority boarding, and priority overhead baggage. Platinum Velocity members can get free Economy X upgrades; everyone else pays a premium. On flights over 2.5 hours — Perth/Darwin cross-continent and overnight sectors — it consistently earns its price.
Does the 737-800 have in-seat power?
Only on Refreshed and Prototype configurations, where USB power is fitted at every seat. Legacy 737-800s have no in-seat power of any kind. If power matters to you, check the aircraft type before booking.
Is there free WiFi on Virgin Australia 737-800s?
Only on aircraft fitted with the Intelsat 2Ku system, which is selective across the fleet. Virgin's 2023 refurbishment announcement promised complimentary WiFi on refreshed cabins; the roll-out continues progressively.
Are rows 12 and 13 good window seats on the Refreshed 737-800?
The aisle and middle seats in rows 12 and 13 are fine — standard Economy. The window seats (12A, 12F, 13A, 13F) sit at the front of the overwing fairing and have reduced or misaligned window views. If a clean window is important to you, pick Row 10 or earlier.
What's the windowless seat on Virgin Australia's 737?
Seat 9A on the left side is windowless on the older pre-Refreshed configurations (Legacy and 2022 Prototype). On the Refreshed config, 9A is a standard window seat with no issues.