Fun Luxury: Virgin Atlantic A350-1000 Upper Class from London Heathrow to New York JFK
by Krish Patel
Flying Business Class can be a fun experience in various ways, depending on the airline. Some offer private, enclosed suites with doors. Others may hype up the soft product and offer restaurant-quality fine dining and amenities such as pajamas. Virgin Atlantic is considered to be a fun airline when it comes to traveling in Business Class, and I had the opportunity to see for myself aboard the A350-1000. Is flying Virgin’s Upper Class Suites a great way to cross the Atlantic? Continue reading to find out!
On the Ground in London
Virgin Atlantic operates out of Terminal 3 at London’s Heathrow Airport, where Upper Class passengers (and Delta One passengers) can use the dedicated Upper Class wing to check-in before the flight. Before entering the wing, I was required to give my name flight information to a Virgin Atlantic staff member via an intercom. Within seconds, the barrier was raised, and our Uber pulled up to the special wing.
Once your car pulls up, you won’t have to lift a finger. The friendly Virgin Atlantic Upper Class wing staff will carry all of your bags inside to be checked in. Inside, the check-in area truly embraces the Virgin vibes, with a red color palette and comfortable seating where you can relax if you’re not ready to clear security. In addition, there’s a table with snacks and drinks. Of course, I loved seeing the airplane model of both a Virgin Atlantic A350-1000 and 787-9 Dreamliner.
When you’re ready to clear security, there’s a dedicated checkpoint for Upper Class passengers. It barely takes five minutes to clear, and then you’ll find yourself in the area near the duty free shops. I followed the signs for the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Lounge and walked through the duty free area. You can take either an elevator or set of stairs to reach the Clubhouse. After showing my boarding pass at the front desk, I was directed into the lounge.
The Clubhouse lives up to its name. There’s lots of comfortable seating, a ceiling with an interesting geometric design, and plenty of luxurious amenities. There are many seating variants to choose from, including lounge chairs, chairs that swivel, armchairs, comfortable sofas, high-top bar stools, restaurant-style seating, and hanging egg chairs. The seating branches off to almost every angle of the main level of the lounge.
Virgin’s LHR Clubhouse features a restaurant, however, you can order food and drinks directly to your seat by scanning the QR code. In addition, there’s a buffet offering cold meats and fish, a selection of salads and grains, and a selection of dessert. I suggest grabbing a bite from the buffet if you prefer to have a light snack rather than a proper meal.
The bar in the Clubhouse is stunning and offers a variety of beverages, including coffees, teas, soft drinks, cocktails, wines, and spirits. I enjoyed a St. Kitts mocktail pre-flight, which tasted refreshing and put me in the right mood for a flight on one of the world’s most fun airlines. Behind the bar are glass panels that give the appearance of a bright red accent.
During the day, the lounge’s windows overlooking Terminal 3’s gates allow for plenty of natural light. There are several comfortable seating options lining the windows, making it a great spot to eat, read, or get some work done with a side of aircraft views.
As far as amenities, Virgin’s Clubhouse offers a lot, however, it no longer features a Peloton gym with bikes or a hair salon. However, the lounge offers a Peloton yoga studio, sleeping quarters with relaxation beds, shower suites and bathrooms stocked with Ren skincare products, and a games room with a shuffleboard. Best of all, there’s an outdoor garden terrace where you can hear the sound of jet engines and watch the planes taxi by and take off. I spent some time planespotting on the terrace and then went for a shower before boarding my flight. The water temperature and pressure of the shower was great and felt relaxing. From this visit, I can say that the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at LHR is my favorite airport lounge in all of Europe so far.
Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class passengers receive Sky Priority boarding in group one. Prior to boarding the aircraft, there was a short security screening, where my carry-on bag, passport, and boarding pass were all validated. Boarding commenced on two jet bridges, one of which was exclusively for Upper Class passengers. Virgin Atlantic has special names for their airplanes, and our A350 (G-VRNB) was named Purple Rain.
Virgin Atlantic A350 Upper Class Cabin and Seat
From the moment I boarded the Virgin Atlantic A350, I became a fan of the Upper Class cabin. The bright purple mood lighting and rose gold accents of light made the interior feel modern and exotic. Business Class was configured in one cabin, featuring 44 reverse herringbone seats set up in a 1-2-1 configuration. Unlike British Airways Club Suites, the seats in the center section face towards the cabin wall and not towards the center. Each Upper Class Suite offers 20 inches of width and features an IFE screen that measures to be 18.5 inches.
Virgin Atlantic opted to install overhead bins in the center section of Business Class on their A350. The bins are spacious and can easily accommodate a large carry-on.
Located in front of you is the touchscreen entertainment system. VS doesn’t have IFE remotes at each Upper Class Suite, allowing you to pair your phone with the screen and use it as a remote instead. The screen can be brought towards you with the push of a button. Beneath the screen is an ottoman, which serves as a leg rest.
Virgin’s IFE offers an extensive selection of movies and TV, with several genres to choose from. There’s also a selection of games, music, and a dedicated section for kids. The inflight map powered by FlightPath 3D is very responsive and easy to use.
Next to the screen is the tray table. It releases with the push of a button and can be slid to the left or right for easier use. The table’s compartment also serves as a small storage unit for a water bottle or small personal item.
Since the seat is a suite, it offers an elevated level of privacy and comfort. The Upper Class seat on the A350 features high seat walls to allow for more privacy, as well as a door. However, the door doesn’t fully close and only slides partially across to give you more privacy from the aisle. Beneath the partition is an adjustable armrest that can be pushed down to allow for more space when sleeping.
The opposite end of the suite plays house to an open storage shelf. There’s also an adjustable reading light next to the storage unit.
Below the storage unit is a headphone jack and USB port.
At the same end of the seat is the side table, which serves as a well-sized flat surface for storing items. You’ll also find the seat controls to adjust the seat to a variety of customizable positions, including lie-flat bed mode. There are also controls for the IFE’s volume and brightness of the sconce lighting.
Way beneath the side table is a small storage pocket, which houses the inflight literature and headphones upon boarding. Next to the side seat pocket is a universal outlet.
Located above each seat are personal air vents and individual reading lights.
There are three lavatories for Upper Class passengers on the A350, each of which are quite spacious. At the front of the plane, the lavatories have windows, which is often the case on the Airbus A350. It’s quite spacious and includes a well-sized sink and toilet, a fair amount of counter space, and plenty of room for you to stand comfortably.
After returning from the lavatory, I decided to get some sleep. In bed mode, the seat is very comfortable: There’s plenty of room for your legs and knees to stretch out and a great amount of width for your shoulders. When paired with the memory foam mattress pad, blanket, and pillow, this turned out to be a very comfortable bed.
About four and a half hours into the flight, I went to the Loft, an onboard lounge accessible to Virgin Atlantic Upper Class passengers. Of course, it’s nothing like the Emirates A380 bar and lounge or Etihad Lobby.
However, this was the first time I’ve visited an onboard lounge on a single-deck aircraft. There’s some comfortable seating, as well as a small table where you can have a drink or play some cards. I ordered the non-alcoholic version of Virgin’s signature Ruby Slipper cocktail and enjoyed the vibes.
If you want to get some work done, there’s also a universal outlet beneath the couch and seat belts so that you don’t have to return to your seat when it’s turbulent.
At the Loft, you can grab a snack from the snack basket. The TV at the onboard lounge allows you to view the flight map or the exterior via the tail camera. I love the onboard Loft and its cool atmosphere with the fun party-vibe mood lighting.
Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Food and Beverage
Waiting at each suite upon boarding is a menu card with a fun purple exterior. The menu offers a comprehensive selection of food and drinks to enjoy during the flight, as well as a wine list.
Shortly after settling into my seat, I was offered a pre-departure beverage. The choices included champagne and orange juice. I opted for the juice.
Once airborne, service commenced with hot towels. I was then offered a bowl of Luxury English Potato Crisps and a drink of choice. I chose to have The Flamingo cocktail (non-alcoholic), which was very sweet and sparkly.
My table was then set up for the meal service. I love the way Virgin Atlantic sets up a restaurant-style presentation, with a purple table mat and special wooden bread tray. I had opted for a soft olive bread when the bread basket was offered. The placemat is inspired by the shape of the cockpit window, which I found to be very interesting when the flight attendant told me. Provided with the table set up are salt and pepper shakers, which Virgin encourages you to “pinch.” The salt and pepper shakers are shaped like aircraft jet engines and make for a good souvenir.
For my appetizer, I opted to try the curried cauliflower soup. It was delicious, with the perfect amount of spice. The textures of friend onions paired well with the warm soup.
I had pre-ordered the pumpkin girasoli as my entree before flying. It was tasty and felt fresh out of the kitchen thanks to the flavors of mint pesto, pumpkin, and pistachio cream.
I wrapped up the meal with the dark chocolate and cherry delice. It was sweet and rich in flavor. Overall, I have to say that Virgin’s menu is quite adventurous compared to those on most other airlines.
Snacks were available throughout the flight, as were small containers of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Flight attendants were at the Loft several times during the flight to offer small containers of ice cream.
Shortly before arrival at JFK Terminal 4, the pre-arrival meal was offered. Since I had taken this flight shortly after Christmas, the menu consisted of several festive light options, including a Christmas afternoon tea. The afternoon tea included a plate of scones served alongside clotted cream and jam, as well as a special Christmas tea. The tea was quite refreshing and paired nicely with the pastries.
Amenities in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class
At each Upper Class seat, you’ll find each of the following upon boarding:
A bedding set, including a blanket and foam mattress topper
A plush pillow
A bottle of water
A pair of headphones
The Goodie Bag (amenity kit)
The amenities provided in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class are mostly of a good quality. I found the bedding materials to be very plush and enjoyed a few hours of solid sleep. The headphones functioned well with the IFE, however, they weren’t the most comfortable ones I’ve had on a Business Class flight.
Virgin Atlantic provides a “Goodie Bag” for its Upper Class passengers. The kit is well-stocked with amenities, however, the bag isn’t of the most premium quality and emphasizes recycling over reuse. Its contents include a pair of socks, an eye mask, earplugs, a dental kit, and moisturizing Ren skincare products. Pajamas are available for passengers on request, which are comfortable to sleep in. I found it nice that Virgin offered these because most airlines will only provide PJs on longer routes.
Provided in the seat pocket is the inflight literature, which consists of the safety card and inflight Vera Magazine. The magazine includes travel information and highlights several magazine articles. In addition, you’ll also find an air sickness bag in the seat pocket.
Wi-Fi was available on this flight at a fee. You can purchase a messaging package (2.99 GBP) or choose between purchasing a Wi-Fi package for one hour (5.99 GBP) or the duration of the flight (20.99 GBP).
Booking Virgin Atlantic Upper Class
Round-trip Virgin Atlantic Upper Class flights between London and New York start at around $4,000 and exceed even further. Sometimes, it’s possible to find slightly lower round-trip fares that start at approximately $3,500 instead. You can also book using your points and miles.
Note that Virgin Atlantic uses a dynamic award pricing method, meaning that rates can vary based on the date of travel. A round-trip Virgin Atlantic Business Class flight from LHR to JFK can cost somewhere between 28,500 and 58,000 Flying Club points. Note that this price excludes taxes and fees. Several credit card points programs transfer to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, including Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Rewards.
Overall Thoughts
My flight onboard Virgin Atlantic’s A350-1000 in Upper Class was the best experience I’ve had with a European airline. The ground experience at Heathrow felt super fun and enjoyable, especially the Clubhouse with all of its amenities. Onboard, Virgin’s Business Class cabin and the Loft felt quite modern and made for a fun space to spend seven hours. Both the food and amenities were quite impressive and of a good quality. However, the crew were very friendly and made the Upper Class experience feel that much better. I would not hesitate to fly Virgin Atlantic Upper Class again on the A350 when crossing the pond.