Virgin America files for IPO

Virgin America announced Monday morning that it intends to go public. The company has filed for an initial public offering that the carrier says will help it finance future growth.

In a statement announcing its filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Virgin America says the number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering have not yet been determined.

Virgin America began flying in 2007, and has long discussed the possibility of going public. The company is backed by British tycoon Richard Branson, who currently owns a minority stake in the airline.

The carrier operates its biggest hub at its home base in San Francisco and also has a smaller base at Los Angeles. Virgin America also will open a small focus city at Dallas Love Field, where it won access to gates as part of a series of divestitures American Airlines agreed to make to win regulatory approval for its merger with US Airways.

Virgin America flies to about two-dozen cities overall. Most of its airports are in big-city destinations popular with business travelers, but the airline does fly to several leisure-oriented destinations, such as Fort Lauderdale; Palm Springs, Calif.; Cancun, Mexico; and Los Cabos, Mexico.

Virgin America has received high marks for its amenities and customer experience since it launched in 2007. For example, the carrier earlier this year was named the USA's top airline according to the 2014 "World's Best Awards" by Travel + Leisure magazine. That marked the seventh consecutive year T+L tabbed the Virgin America as the top in the nation.