to gaurantee a reserved seat via the virgin web site how early do i have to get to check in ?[:?]
Technically Joanne, there's no such thing as a 'reserved' seat when flying.
You can increase your chances of getting the seat you would like by checking in at least 3 hrs before your departure at the airport.
The best option would be to OLCI (online check-in) 24hrs before, but again, your seats selected could change by the time you get to the airport - they probably wont, but you never know.
Regards