A major benefit of using virtual machines is their ability to allow multiple operating systems to run on a single physical machine. This can lead to better utilization of resources, enhanced scalability, and easier backup and recovery. Virtual machines facilitate development and testing, enabling developers to create isolated environments without affecting the host system. Moreover, they improve security by isolating applications, which limits the risk of malware affecting the host machine. Lastly, they provide cost-effective solutions for servers and computing power management.