Virgin Australia has launched its first international service from Canberra, with direct flights to Bali commencing 22 June, adding over 40,000 seats each year between the nation’s capital and Australia’s most popular international holiday destination.
The new route operates three return services per week and complements the airline’s other direct services between Bali and Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Virgin Australia operates its Boeing 737-800 aircraft on the route, with three seating options including Business, Economy and Economy X – the airline’s extra legroom seating which provides guests with an enhanced level of comfort and pre-boarding perks.
“This is the first time in the history of the company that we will operate internationally from the capital, marking an important milestone in our broader network expansion story,” Virgin Australia chief executive officer Dave Emerson said.
“Virgin Australia will be the only Australia-based airline operating internationally out of Canberra, and the only carrier on this new route.
“As we continue to grow our network, we’re focused on offering greater choice and seamless connectivity for our guests.”
The schedule has been designed with convenience in mind, featuring afternoon departures from Canberra and overnight returns from Bali.
“Indonesia has now overtaken New Zealand as one of Australia’s most popular international travel destinations,” Emerson said. “Last year, we carried more than half a million guests between Australia and Bali, and it’s great to see demand for the destination continue to grow.”
The new service coincides with the airline boosting capacity into Canberra this week, through upsizing its aircraft on the Brisbane-Canberra route from F100 aircraft operated by Alliance Airlines, to 737s operated by Virgin Australia.
“Bali is one of Australia’s most popular international holiday destinations, and we know this service will be warmly welcomed by travellers across the region,” Canberra Airport CEO Stephen Byron said.
“We’re delighted to be expanding our network with Virgin Australia and introducing Virgin Australia’s first international service from Canberra, with hopes that this marks the start of further international growth with Virgin Australia.”
The new route operates seasonally from April to January, to align with market demand, with the potential to increase frequency during peak travel periods.
The new flights are on sale today from 10am AEDT until 11:59pm AEDT 3 February 2026 at virginaustralia.com, with return fares from $399 in Economy Lite, from $499 in Economy Choice and from $1,449 in Business.
Virgin Australia currently operates services to Bali from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Gold Coast. The new Canberra services also have same-day connections to these ports, increasing connectivity between Australia and Bali.
