Virgin Australia

Upgrading the Journey: Virgin Australia Scent

Every journey begins before take-off. For Virgin Australia, creating a calm, welcoming atmosphere is as important as where you’re going. Through considered design, thoughtful service and a subtle sensory layer, the Australian airline elevates the passenger experience, transforming everyday travel into something distinctly modern, comfortable and memorable.

With Air Aroma’s expertise in brand storytelling through scent, Virgin Australia enlisted us to design a custom signature scent for their aviation brand, designed around their core characteristics and built to make the space feel calm, engaging and warm. Working alongside Virgin Australia’s brand and experience teams, we employed our exclusive methodology to capture Virgin’s authentic and carefree spirit and deliver this through an elevated, engaging signature scent, diffused throughout all of the airline lounges in locations across Australia.

Virgin Australia

Virgin Australia is one of Australia’s major leading airlines, founded in 2000 and headquartered in Brisbane, Queensland. As the country’s second largest airline group, they operate a comprehensive domestic network, flying to 30+ destinations across Australia from major hubs in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney, with additional hubs in Adelaide and Perth. Virgin Australia and its regional arm have won industry awards, including recognition for service and regional connectivity.

Virgin’s friendly flair and laid back, rebellious spirit is evident in design choices like the cheeky red and purple brand colors, and especially in the character and attitude of their people. This mirrors the broader Virgin brand ethos created by Richard Branson—breaking monopolies with personality and customer-friendly pricing. Sensory cues signal modernity and friendliness, balancing premium feel with approachability. Virgin Australia’s emotional tone and contemporary design differentiates them within the airline industry and gives them a design-led, lifestyle-oriented brand feel.

Virgin Australia is part of the larger Virgin brand family, where Air Aroma designs custom brand scents, like Virgin Voyages for oceanfront cruises.

The Scent Experience

With its bright red logo and quintessential playfulness, Virgin Australia needed a scent that captured its adventurous spirit while inviting guests to relax and find ease in their lounge spaces. As a brand standard across all Virgin Australia airport lounges, the Virgin Australia signature scent diffuses effortlessly through the space, enticing guests with a subtle sensory element of aromatic woods and herbal comfort.

Effervescent bergamot and garden mint open attention, while a crisp core of lemon balsam and aromatic sage infuse sensations of calm. A vibrant sunny radiance of honeyed mimosa pairs with warm atlas cedar and orris root for a rooted sense of luxury. The ambient scent gives a feeling of being taken care of, of having arrived. Take a breath, you’re here.

Discreet Aroscent diffusers are strategically placed to blend in with the modern interiors and diffuse a dry mist of scent intermittently. This technique allows for a holistic positive first impression on entry into the space, while remaining a subtle piece of the design puzzle – enhancing but not overpowering the arrival experience. The Virgin Australia scent evokes a sense of ease, comfort, and reassurance, a practical tool in calming nervous passengers and reinforcing brand identity.

Why Scent Matters in Aviation

Scenting in airports and lounges has gained traction, and people are taking notice.

To create more memorable experiences and counter the transactional and sometimes stressful nature of moving through airports, brands have been implementing ambient scenting and olfactory branding into their design, complementing the overall feel of the space and connecting with consumers on an emotional and sensory level. Scents are crafted to reflect the brand but also put the customer experience first; creating a sense of calm or cleanliness. Airlines have high passenger volume and multiple environments, but a scented lounge further enhances the messaging of arriving and relaxing as a step in the travel journey. This is where the power of scent shines – in the feeling of a space, and in subtle, intentional design.

With nearly three decades of experience working with brands, we hold key insights into scenting complex, high traffic environments, and meet the strict regulations and safety standards for scenting in airports. We consider airflow and spatial constraints, and seamlessly integrate scent technology with existing brand design.

Air Aroma and Virgin Australia

With a signature scent program and Air Aroma as a strategic partner, Virgin Australia reinforces its modern positioning in the Australian aviation industry. Passengers experience a more welcoming environment and elevated perception of quality, while reliability is demonstrated through consistent brand touchpoints. By integrating scent into key customer environments, the airline enhances its brand expression, creating spaces that feel unmistakably Virgin.