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An in-depth review of the Upper Class suites aboard the Virgin Atlantic Airbus A350

Fast take: Virgin Atlantic’s Higher Class brings enjoyable again to flying, although the seats are displaying some put on and tear.

Professionals

  • Phenomenal, pleasant service.
  • Wonderful inflight eating, together with meals you may order forward of time.
  • Snug bedding and lengthy, lie-flat beds.

Cons

  • They’ve solely been in service for round 5 years, however seats are already displaying indicators of age.
  • Tray tables are designed in such a approach that they will really feel tight.
  • Taxes and costs on award tickets are sky-high and solely getting larger.
ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

The final time I skilled Virgin Atlantic’s new Higher Class suites was on their inaugural flight throughout the Atlantic from London to New York greater than 5 years in the past, in September 2019, when the airline started rolling out service aboard its Airbus A350-1000s.

It wasn’t till this previous November that I had the chance to strive them out once more — this time on an extended route from London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX).

Upgrades clearing much less? Airways say extra passengers are simply paying for these first-class seats

These semiprivate suites nonetheless really feel revolutionary and funky, with whimsical finishes and wonderful leisure screens. They’re, nevertheless, beginning to present their age, with some scratches on their sturdy elements and put on and tear on the upholstery. That mentioned, I used to be nonetheless in a position to get very snug and loved the expertise due to a superb and pleasant flight crew in addition to scrumptious menu choices.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

This is what it was like flying Virgin Atlantic’s A350 Higher Class and the way I booked it.

How a lot does it price to e book Virgin Atlantic Higher Class?

The price of a Virgin Atlantic Higher Class ticket will rely in your origin and vacation spot, the time of 12 months, and whether or not you might be flying one-way or round-trip.

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When it comes to award tickets, the airline not too long ago carried out dynamic pricing. We noticed some one-way Higher Class awards between the U.S. and the U.Okay. drop to a mere 29,000 Virgin factors, although some flights additionally skyrocketed in worth to a jaw-dropping 350,000 factors per phase. And that is not even together with taxes and costs of round $600-$900 every approach. These taxes are additionally going up by about 12% subsequent 12 months, so even if you happen to redeem Virgin factors for a premium ticket, you may nonetheless be paying fairly a bit of money out of pocket.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Virgin Atlantic is within the SkyTeam alliance, so you can too money in associate loyalty currencies reminiscent of Delta Air Traces SkyMiles and Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles for tickets, although award availability in Higher Class is extra restricted and mileage costs can nonetheless be astronomical. As an illustration, there’s some award availability through Delta for 170,000 SkyMiles every approach between London and numerous U.S. airports in Virgin Higher Class. That is nonetheless quite a lot of miles, however at the very least the taxes and costs are considerably decrease ($5.60 touring from the U.S. to London, however round $945 on the return).

For my ticket — a one-way award from London to Los Angeles in mid-November — we paid 67,500 Virgin Atlantic factors and about $816 in taxes and costs. Paid tickets have been going for $13,100 one-way. No, that is not a typo; they have been certainly this costly for the whole month of November and most of December. Nevertheless, within the coming months, there are some round-trip flights pricing out at round $4,400.

Even if you happen to do not commonly credit score flights to Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Membership, you may nonetheless top off on factors shortly, thanks the next switch companions:

The next playing cards all presently provide appreciable welcome bonuses with factors and miles which you could switch into your Virgin Atlantic account:

One last notice: If you wish to fly this explicit sort of Higher Class suite, you may have to e book a flight on the airline’s A350-1000s since their different plane have totally different merchandise on board.

Older herringbone-style seats are nonetheless flying on its Boeing 787-9s and Airbus A330-300s. There’s additionally a more moderen, totally different type of Higher Class suite aboard its Airbus A330-900neos, so pay shut consideration to the plane working a flight you hope to e book.

Checking in to and boarding Virgin Atlantic Higher Class

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Virgin Atlantic Higher Class passengers can get pleasure from the next precedence companies on the airport.

Precedence check-inSure: Sky Precedence and Higher Class counters
Baggage allowanceTwo checked baggage of as much as 32 kilograms (70 kilos) every
Lounge entrySure: Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses, Delta One Lounges and Delta SkyClubs, in addition to different associate lounges
Does the airline take part in TSA PreCheck?Sure
Precedence boardingFirst, after preboarding

My flight from Heathrow to Los Angeles departed at 10:20 a.m. I had taken the Elizabeth Line of the Tube from the Bond Road cease straight throughout from the brand new Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, London, the place I would been staying, out to the London Heathrow Terminal 2/3 cease, and it solely took about 45 minutes early within the morning.

I made a beeline for the Higher Class check-in space, which was additionally accessible to Sky Precedence elite members, the place there have been no strains, and checked my bag and had my boarding go printed out.

I used to be then directed to a particular elevator that took me as much as a safety line put aside for Higher Class and elite flyers.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

I contemplate it a private victory that I acquired by the notoriously strict Heathrow safety procedures with out present process a secondary search of my individual or bag — no forgotten water bottles or unfastened containers of disinfectant gel for me, thanks!

Then it was a couple of 10-minute stroll by the duty-free space and alongside a part of the concourse to the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, which is up a flight of stairs or accessible through elevator from the bottom ground.

I will not give an in depth overview right here since we’ve got coated the lounge exhaustively prior to now, and little has modified. The general vibe nonetheless feels fairly swanky, with loads of seating areas starting from modular built-in banquettes and Eames chairs to restaurant-style tables, a bustling bar and a quiet upper-level parlor.

I arrange camp at a desk within the nook farthest from the doorway and used a QR code on the desk to order a cappuccino and avocado on a toasted bagel with a poached egg and spicy soyrizo, plus a bowl of recent fruit.

Slightly greater than an hour earlier than my flight, I packed up and began the 20-minute stroll to the gate (this is among the downsides of Terminal 3, if you happen to ask me — a few of the gates are fairly a hike from the lounges) so I could possibly be among the many first to board. That course of started proper on time at 9:30 a.m.

How snug is Virgin Atlantic Higher Class?

Virgin Atlantic really flies A350-1000s with two totally different seating configurations.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

There’s a “leisure” model with simply 16 Higher Class suites (4 plane sport this model). The airline’s different seven A350s, certainly one of which I used to be flying, have a bigger Higher Class cabin of 44 seats unfold throughout 11 rows of 4 seats every in a 1-2-1 sample.

Variety of seats44
Cabin structure1-2-1 
Seat reclineAs much as 82 inches, absolutely flat
Seat width22 inches
Display dimension18 1/2 inches

Not like the kind of reverse-herringbone seats many different airways have opted for, these Higher Class suites are Cirrus NG fashions that every one angle barely outward towards the edges of the aircraft.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Meaning aspect seats really feel reasonably non-public, angled towards the home windows, whereas these within the middle part have their seatbacks nearer to 1 one other and their foot cubbies towards the aisle. They’re higher for people touring collectively since you may chat fairly simply, even if you happen to’re not absolutely going through each other, although in addition they have privateness screens for solo passengers.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY
Greatest seats for solo vacationersA and Okay seats
Greatest seats for {couples}D and G seats

All seats have an extendable privateness panel on their aisle aspect that deploys to a full 8 inches. That is not fairly the identical as having a closing door or divider, like many different airways have began implementing, nevertheless it does present loads of shielding from the aisle.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Whereas many airways appear to play it protected with regards to the palette and supplies they use of their cabin interiors, Virgin is thought for its daring colours (simply image that signature purple you see splashed throughout its jets). So when it got here time to design these Higher Class suites, the airline made some distinctive selections, together with claret-toned leather-based cushions and nearly shimmery pearlescent seat shells harking back to the clouds with textured pink backsplashes, Champagne-colored metallic panels and reddish accent lighting.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Mixed with vibrant purple cabin lighting (that adjustments all through the flight to assist passengers alter to a brand new time zone), the general impact feels fairly stylish but in addition heat and comforting.

I had chosen seat 3K on the suitable aspect of the cabin. I measured it to be 22 inches vast between armrests, although the broader one on the aisle aspect could possibly be lowered to present about 7 inches extra space.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

The seat had 44 inches of pitch — the area between its seatback and the again of the previous seat — although this narrowed to a mere 29 inches to the floor from which the tray desk folded down.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Talking of the tray desk, it’s reasonably chunky and flips down from the aisle aspect of the previous seatback then swivels into place. I measured it to be 17 inches vast by 12 1/2 inches deep, so there was loads of area for my Macbook. The grievance individuals appear to have about this desk is that it may be exhausting to maneuver out and in of the seat when the desk is getting used, and it finally ends up being fairly near the seatback. I’m 5 ft, 8 inches tall and have a 30-inch waist, so I am on the smaller aspect and I nonetheless discovered it to be fairly shut once I was making an attempt to eat. In reality, I ended up placing my seat into the absolutely upright place whereas eating simply to have a little bit extra room.

The area between the armrest and the aisle was 12 inches, which is someplace in the midst of the vary for business-class seats. Lower than on KLM, as an example, however greater than in United Airways Polaris. I did not have any bother squeezing out and in for bathroom visits.

Other than that, the seat’s footwell was 15 inches vast by 11 inches excessive and 14 inches deep, so I had no bother becoming my dimension 9 1/2 ft in, however in case you have bigger tootsies, you would possibly have to check out a couple of totally different positions to get snug.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

A panel of buttons alongside the window-side armrest had preset positions for takeoff and touchdown in addition to lie-flat mode, and controls for adjusting particular person parts, together with the seatback and the leg relaxation. I unintentionally hit these with my elbow a couple of instances, however as soon as I discovered to keep away from that, they functioned properly. There have been additionally buttons to name the flight attendants and management the overhead and studying lights.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Simply above this have been a USB-A port and an earphone jack plus two small open cubbies for storing little gadgets throughout flight.

There was one other common energy plug and USB-A charging port under the window-side armrest that made it straightforward to maintain my units charged with out cords getting in the way in which.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

After the primary meal service, I reclined the seat to the lie-flat place and flight attendants made it up with the offered bedding, together with a cushioned mattress pad, a light-weight quilt and a tender full-size pillow.

Given the seat’s dimensions, I discovered it very straightforward to stretch out and alter positions, so I had a pleasant relaxation. It was even higher because the cabin featured particular person air nozzles, so I may maintain my seat space cool. I additionally like how the A350 has old-school handbook window shades reasonably than the digital ones you have a tendency to seek out aboard Boeing Dreamliners, which do not block out all the sunshine, so the cabin was good and darkish for the lengthy center portion of the flight.

Higher Class passengers can use two bathrooms on the entrance of the cabin, although it may get fairly busy throughout meal service since one of many primary galleys is up there. There are additionally 4 bathrooms aft of the cabin shared between Higher Class and premium financial system. They have been stored very clear and have been stocked with REN skincare merchandise; they even had home windows so you can benefit from the view as you probably did what you are promoting.

Facilities in Virgin Atlantic Higher Class

Ready at my seat once I boarded, I discovered the full-size pillow plus a “goodie bag,” or amenity equipment, and the menu for the flight.

The amenity pouch, which was produced from recyclable paper, contained a dental equipment with a biodegradable toothbrush, earplugs, a cloth eye masks, socks and REN pure skincare merchandise, together with Atlantic kelp and magnesium hand cream, mineral lip balm, and facial moisturizer.

There was additionally a offered pair of primary noise-canceling headphones (sadly, you may’t pair a set of Bluetooth headphones with the leisure system, although you may pair your telephone with it to make use of it as a management).

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

The seatback monitor was 18 1/2 inches vast and featured an in depth library together with a whole bunch of flicks starting from classics to new releases, tv exhibits, musical playlists and albums, and loads of video games. I largely stored mine on the shifting map.

The system additionally had directions on how to hook up with Wi-Fi and could possibly be used to manage the seat’s lighting and to name the crew in addition to notify them that you simply didn’t need to be disturbed.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Wi-Fi was accessible on my flight, however the system had bother sustaining a connection till we have been over North America, and several other different passengers talked about this to the crew. There have been three packages accessible:

That was reasonably steep contemplating the lengthy pockets of time the place the sign did not work, however I sprung for the full-flight go so I may get work finished when it was operational.

Virgin Atlantic is famend for its onboard socializing areas. Aboard the 787 and A330-300, these quantity to bar counters the place Higher Class passengers can order drinks, get pleasure from a snack or meal, and customarily have a superb outing of their seats.

When it created its new A350 Higher Class product in 2019, nevertheless, Virgin Atlantic completely reconceived one of these area on board the A350 to be extra of a lounge with sales space seating for as much as 5 passengers, plus a single seat and standing areas for as much as three different individuals. There’s additionally a 32-inch HD leisure display that passengers can watch utilizing offered Bluetooth headphones.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

On my flight, the Loft ended up being fairly fashionable so I used to be solely in a position to sneak again as soon as throughout meal service to get some pictures with out disturbing different passengers. Though it was busy, the noise from it didn’t attain me at my seat, and even once I used the aft bathrooms it appeared pretty quiet, with people chatting discreetly. The flight attendants have been readily available to assist visitors with drink and snack orders, and there was a bowl of fruit for individuals who needed a wholesome nibble.

How was the meals in Virgin Atlantic Higher Class?

Ten days earlier than my journey, I obtained an e mail telling me in regards to the food and drinks choices on board, together with what the predeparture drinks could be.

I used to be additionally provided the chance to preorder a primary meal from a bigger collection of dishes than could be accessible on the flight itself. This selection could be accessible up till 24 hours earlier than departure.

A number of days earlier than checking in, I perused the listings, which included 10 dishes starting from pan-roasted cod and chicken-mushroom pie to vegetable korma and a lightweight superfood salad. I chosen the lamb dahwalla (generally spelled dahiwala), which is an Indian dish of slow-cooked meat in a creamy, flavorful yogurt sauce over yellow rice and served with slices of roti on this case. I waited to see what else could be provided on board.

Worth verify: Are airline bank cards price it anymore?

Nearly as quickly as I took my seat, I used to be provided a glass of Hambledon Traditional Cuvee English glowing wine, orange juice or water.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

After the doorways have been closed and we started taxiing, flight attendants got here by to take meal orders. The starters included a selection of bread and curried cauliflower soup with spiced crispy onions and coriander oil, or lemon-chili prawns with child gem lettuce, pickled celery and avocado puree.

The mains accessible on board included:

Lastly, there was a collection of English cheeses and two desserts, a heat fig and polenta cake with orange syrup, or darkish chocolate and morello cherry delice with vanilla cream and blackberries.

There was an choice to have your meal again within the Loft or to get pleasure from an “specific lunch” with simply the cauliflower soup so you can relaxation or work longer.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

After takeoff, however earlier than the meal was served, flight attendants got here by the cabin providing passengers bowls of potato chips and their drink of selection. The wine record was pretty intensive and included:

There was additionally quite a lot of beers, ales and ciders on provide, plus specialty cocktails together with:

Apparently, there have been additionally health-focused drinks together with raspberry-lemon Lo Bros kombucha and a glowing peach-flavored matcha drink. The airline was additionally serving numerous espresso and espresso drinks and Teapigs teas. There was even Cadbury’s sizzling chocolate.

I had a glass of Laurent-Perrier with my crisps (I used to be choosing up on the Britishisms by now), which was provided about 20 minutes into flight.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Meal service began about 20 minutes after that and I started with the cauliflower soup, which was savory and filling however not overly wealthy. No have to season it with the airline’s iconic airplane-shaped salt and pepper shakers, lovingly dubbed Orville and Wilbur.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

For my primary, the lamb I had preordered was hearty and barely spicy, and it went properly with the pinot noir.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

I skipped the cheese course and went straight for the chocolate dessert, which was like a mousse-y eclair.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

I wakened round three hours earlier than our descent and ordered a cappuccino and a glass of glowing water, each of which have been shortly offered. Then, about 90 minutes earlier than touchdown, the cabin lights progressively turned again on and as passengers roused, flight attendants got here to ask people individually if they want a prelanding meal.

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The alternatives have been:

I needed one thing flavorful and substantial, so I selected the rooster bao. It was a small sandwich with fluffy bread and fried rooster thigh meat plus a sweet-and-sour sauce, and it was precisely what I needed to tide me over till dinner a number of hours later that night in L.A.

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Would you advocate Virgin Atlantic Higher Class?

Virgin Atlantic Higher Class is among the most nice methods to fly between Europe and the U.S., primarily due to the distinctiveness of the onboard socializing areas, the inflight facilities and the unparalleled service.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

When was the final time you have been on a flight the place the crew members have been comfortable to talk with you, unprompted, for 10 minutes in regards to the numerous meal choices and the way a lot enjoyable they’d working for his or her airline? It made the whole inflight expertise really feel like a breath of recent air.

On the draw back, the Higher Class suites aboard the airline’s A350s appear to be displaying indicators of wear and tear and tear, with scuffs and scratches, so hopefully there are some refurbishment plans. It is also exhausting to swallow taxes and costs that may vary as much as practically $1,000 on award tickets and which can be solely going to get larger, too.

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Nevertheless, given the worth of paid fares on routes between the U.S. and the U.Okay. today, that may not look like an excessive amount of of a burden.

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