This was the best premium economy experience I have had. Youll help us reduce waste, too, so everyone wins. I also would like to commend you on your transparency that you paid for the your own ticket and that you receive a small commission if we buy from a link off the post, what was written is believable and helpful, thank you again for this information. This starts in the check-in hall, where Virgin Atlantic offers dedicated check-in desks for all Premium customers. This is the first time that I have seen a pillow on an airline that is cut to fit around the passengers neck much more comfortable than a standard pillow. The Points Guy, Forbes Advisor, AwardWallet, LendingTree. However, passengers report that these aren't noise-canceling. reward seats 354 days out going back into inventory? She is a regular copy editor of Fodor's Travel guidebooks and an occasional contributor to AFAR and Marriott Traveler. Virgin Atlantic has a variety of alternatives to help you manage your booking effectively, whether you wish to alter your flight dates, upgrade your ticket, or add special requests. Whilst many airlines treat premium economy as a better economy product, Virgin Atlantic still seems to approach it as Upper Class minus. Then, passengers board in Group 2 (out of 9). You also get individual air vents in Premium: Waiting for me at my seat was a small cushion, a set of headphones and a purple fleece blanket. Enjoy a feast at 38,000 feet with Virgin Atlantic's new menu Virgin Atlantic has a great reputation in the premium-economy market, and there was plenty to like about the experience. The Virgin Atlantic loungecalled the Clubhouseis only for Upper Class passengers, or certain gold and platinum card holders or elite status members (such as Delta SkyMiles Diamond Medallion or Flying Blue Platinum) flying between the UK and US. Everything youd expect from a luxury menu, with a stylish table setting, attentive service and really delicious dishes. When not traveling, Megan adventures around her Midwest home base where she likes to attend theme parties, ride her bike and cook Asian food. British Airways World Traveller Plus (2022) Review: Is it Worth It? No amenity kits were laid out and when I asked the crew they said these are only available on overnight flights. The experience definitely justifies the price and I will be happily flying Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy again. Each of the airplane layouts on Virgin Atlantic have various advantages: the 787 and the A330 have wider seats (21 vs 18 on the A350) and a more intimate cabin (28-35 seats vs 56 seats in Premium on the A350), the A350 planes are newer and may be in better condition. Each seat features 38 of pitch, which is sufficient, though not amazing, for premium economy. kind regards Amanda. After spending my 20s and 30s as a Marketing Director who made use of every vacation day travelling the world I am now a nearly full time travel blogger who focuses on unique adventures in interesting places which end with a high thread count on the sheets and a decent glass of wine! Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy: What to Know - NerdWallet Virgin Atlantic doesnt fly to as many destinations as some other airlines, but there are a few that I have visited and written about. Get the world's best flight deals delivered daily. As you would expect the Virgin Atlantic premium economy in-flight entertainment is excellent. The food was a decent step up economy from and not much worse than some of the plates we've been served in Upper Class. 5 best uses of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points, Virgin Atlantic checked baggage allowance, Virgin Atlantic premium economy amenity kit, Other aspects of Virgin Atlantic premium economy. The Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy service is excellent as you will read in most Virgin Atlantic premium economy reviews. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. EVA Air may often be credited as the first airline to introduce a premium economy cabin, but in fact, several other airlines also introduced the cabin around the same time. British Airways has upgraded its soft product in the past few years and now actually offers a better (and more stylish) amenity kit, pillow and blanket. Seats in Premium. The Virgin Atlantic premium economy headphones are ok but better if you bring your own if you have a good pair. Virgin Flying Club has launched a new sale on flight redemptions. Economy Light, Classic and Delight - Virgin Atlantic On my flight the service consisted of a three course meal served shortly after take-off followed by afternoon tea 90 minutes before landing. Others benefits have changed. Dedicated check-in desks and free seat selection for all are key benefits that set it apart from British Airways. In terms of Virgin Points, you earn 100% of miles flown on a non-refundable ticket or 200% if you book a fully flexible ticket. The airline's premium economy seats measure 21. Available now in Premium and Upper Class. For Virgin Atlantic, introducing one of the first international premium economy classes in the early nineties was mostly notable for giving passengers a snazzy amenity kit and a pre-takeoff glass of bubbly. I passed on the sparkles so that I could manage a flight without climbing over a seat mate, but many people were happily reveling. These days Virgin Atlantic calls premium economy Premium (not to be confused with Economy Delight, which is the extra legroom section of the Economy cabin). ALL were long haul flights. Food And Drink In Premium Economy - Virgin Atlantic All Virgin Atlantic premium economy seats feature universal power and USB outlets, as well as an in-flight entertainment touch screen. Darn! (Photo by Jean Arnas/The Points Guy) Virgin Atlantic advertises that these amenity kits are only for overnight flights. Alcohol, including spirits, is also included throughout the flight. Virgin Atlantic has made a number of changes to its inflight dining service, as it gradually resumes more routes across its network this month. Virgin Atlantic - Airline meals information for economy/premium/upper class My ticket was $1300 including connection from CHS. Regulated and authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a credit broker (FRN 690573). Going has found deals as low as $1,121 from DCA to London on Virgin Atlantic. How do i manage my Virgin Atlantic Booking? - Issuu Premium meals also come with Virgin Atlantics adorable, highly covetable, and often-stolen (some come stamped pinched from Virgin Atlantic) salt and pepper shakers, Wilbur and Orville, shaped like planes., In between meals, peckish Premium passengers can find the self-service Wander Wall in the galley in front of their cabin, filled with snacks like popcorn and gummy bears, along with beverages., Starting in summer 2022, Premium passengers will be able to pre-select their meal choice up to 72 hours before their flight., As with most international flights, alcoholic beverages are complimentary for all Virgin Atlantic passengers. Virgin Atlantic premium economy seats. So all you get is an extra two inches of . These contain three masks, some hand sanitiser and a wipe. I had pre-booked my aisle seat for my day flight from London to Seattle. You can check in up to two bags when flying Virgin Atlantic Premium and they are given a priority bag tag. I bought wifi on the flight but had major problems. Daytime flights (mainly from the UK) also feature a Mile High Tea with warm scones and sandwiches in Premium. Virgin Premium Food, Drinks & Service. We've booked 1.7 million of rooms to date. The in-seat entertainment (named Vera, along with the in-flight magazine) has a slightly bigger screen in Premium (13 vs 11 in most cases) with a good selection of current films, TV shows, and games. Each seat is 21 inches wide and has a 38-inch recline. There is also a pull-out footrest or if you are in the front row the attendant brings a footrest all of your own. Terms and conditions | However, passengers report that these aren't noise-canceling. Frequently Asked Questions about Flying Virgin Premium Economy. Economy Classic comes with advanced seat assignment included*, so there's no worries about paying extra to get the seats you . We make sure the inflight dining experience for little ones is just as considered as the one for grown ups. In advance of your flight, you can now choose what youd like to eat in advance - then relax knowing therell be something delicious waiting for you onboard. We ended up stuck on the ground at Newark on the way out for quite some time. Virgin Atlantic and other airlines soon followed with premium economy . But there is a fantastic what they call Wonder Wall area which has excellent premium snacks and drinks on offer throughout the entire flight. The Boutique Adventurer is owned by Beyond the Horizon. Virgin Atlantic For breakfast, Premium customers will receive a new, enhanced selection of hot cooked breakfasts, served with fresh seasonal fruit, yoghurt and breakfast pastries. Virgin Atlantic advertises that premium economy passengers get "premium" headphones. Having flown both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic premium economy both pre and post-pandemic I definitely think Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy is better than British Airways Premium Economy. As usual, you will need to do a major contortion with a torch actually to get access to the power point but it is there. There was a good selection of movies and tv but not as good as I have seen on other airlines like American. Regulated and authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a credit broker (FRN 690573). Meet our sky superheros making your journey the most memorable, We are proud to have one of the youngest and cleanest fleet in the skies, Grab the popcorn for our inflight entertainment, 2022 Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. All rights reserved.Registered office: Registered office: The VHQ, Fleming Way, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 9DF So how does their mid-priced premium economynow called just Premiumcompare? Virgin Atlantic Premuim Economy seats onboard the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Im pleased to see these are now in paper packaging as they were plastic-wrapped previously. reviewing BAs premium economy (World Traveller Plus), Virgin Atlantic won Worlds Best Premium Economy, my review of the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at Heathrow here. We have a range of soft drinks, including juices and fizzy drinks, and hot drinks too. In 1992 you could check in at Victoria Station for London Gatwick flights, you only got a pre take-off orange juice and the in-flight entertainment screens were a high-tech 3 across! Learn how your comment data is processed. Click for details. Screen sizes vary by aircraft but this time the pattern is reversed from what you can expect with seats. Dessert was a cheesecake. While the price of Premium vs Economy fares may be greater depending on the route length, passengers on Virgin Atlantic can count on a true premium product on every flight. Try our chicken & leek pie with . . There are 56 seats in the cabin on both the Heathrow and leisure configured A350s. Our partners compensate us. All financial products, shopping products and services are presented without warranty. At the gate, Premium Economy also gets priority boarding, which is always nice. Challenging ourselves to do things better lies at the heart of everything we do. There are 5 rows of seats in premium economy and the configuration is 2 x 3 x 2. Points convert at 1:1 into Virgin Points. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The UK's biggest frequent flyer website uses cookies, which you can block via your browser settings. Food And Drink On-Board Our Planes | Virgin Atlantic However, your experience will vary between aircraft types. An economy meal on board Virgin's A350. The bifold tray table is stored in the armrest: I like this sort of tray table because you can have it out without having it full extended, which can be convenient when you dont want to be completely blocked in. Click hereto see our recent articles on Virgin Atlantic and Flying Cluband click herefor our home page with the latest news on earning and spendingother airline and hotel points. Is Premium Economy Worth It? | Flipboard The team continued to serve drinks and turned the in-flight entertainment on to keep us occupied. An elevated inflight dining experience that feels well, Premium. Later, youll enjoy treats like afternoon tea, an theres the Wander Wall of snacks to help yourself to if you get peckish. Cabin crew come around several times with drinks so you are always topped up. Virgin Atlantic 787 Premium Economy Boston to London Review Heres what you need to know about Virgin Atlantic premium economy so you can decide whether it's worth booking for your next international flight. The whole experience is way better than Economy. theboutiqueadventurer.com - Amanda OBrien. Good review, I try to just stick to Virgin now, (wish I had been using them on my years abroad) I do premium and love it. American-style waffles with berry compote. She is passionate about wine had has just completed Level 3 of the WSET. The London-based company has always marketed itself as the cheeky alternative to staid British Airways, with flight attendants in striking red, Vivienne Westwood-designed uniforms, purple on board mood lighting, and sassy aircraft names like Miss Moneypenny and Lucy in the Sky. Let us improve how you travel. I would love to hear about your experience! Meg Alcazar is a freelance writer based in Durham, North Carolina, and a former expat of Istanbul and Wellington. Bags are tagged with priority handling which theoretically makes them first off the plane on arrival. Virgin Atlantic launched its new premium seats this week, and they let you recline seven inches. I highly recommend Virgin Atlantic Airlines to the world.. FIVE STARS always Just found the post, Id like to say thank you. Here are the contents, including red eye mask, bamboo dental kit, ear plugs, and pen: The A350 Premium Economy cabin has a 13.3 screen which looks great: If youre in the bulkhead it is slightly smaller as it needs to be stowed inside the arm rest during take-off and landing: The selection is decent with 114 films available. Sleep through a meal? Sign up for free to start getting flight alerts. Currently, all check-in desks also handle COVID-related documentation such as vaccine or test verification and EU passenger locator forms, which means each party spends longer at the check-in desk but saves you from waiting in separate lines. With a hub at London Heathrow Airport, Virgin Atlantic connects passengers from 10 different US cities, including Boston, New York, Orlando, and Los Angeles, with the UK cities London, Glasgow, and Manchester (and more seasonally). While theres no special security area for Premium passengers, you may find some airports may allow you to use an expedited lane. Economy Food and drink when you fly Economy Comforting favourites for everyone Dining in Economy Fabulous food and drink is always included in Economy. Virgin Atlantic premium economy passengers get more than just extra legroom and better food. However, passengers can also choose to bid for an upgrade. Were the UKs most-read source of business travel, Avios, frequent flyer and hotel loyalty news. Review: How Good Is Virgin Atlantic A350 Premium Economy? love premium with Virgin but travel mainly to dubai which they no longer do. Their premium economy is usually quite reasonably priced relative to their economy seats. Flew club BA there and premium back absolute garbage serviceno one looking to serve breezing through cabins so they dont look up and see the call bell ..which you shoudnt have to keep using. The seats are made of a chocolatey-burgundy leather, whilst the tray table and other flat surfaces have stoney texture. Virgin Atlantic is definitely one of my preferred airlines. Their economy seats have a maximum recline of five inches. 2023 Head for Points. Or I was taking the frequent flyer points on my singapore Airlines scheme. Read our full review. Small business owners should consider the two American Express Business cards. What are the best seats in Virgin Atlantic premium economy? As a Delta partner, you may also use Delta SkyMiles on flights operated by Virgin Atlantic., Its important to note that upgrades are subject to taxes, fees, and surcharges, which can be more than $500 round trip going to or from the UK due to their hefty Air Passenger Duty on all flights departing British airports.. I wanted to make sure you were aware of this. Headphones: Virgin Atlantic advertises that premium economy passengers get "premium" headphones. Food And Drink In Economy | Economy Meals | Virgin Atlantic Interestingly, the front row of premium economy was virtually empty. We like: Priority boarding, wide reclining chairs with footrest, the enhanced menu offering served on china with stainless steel cutlery, the snack bar on the new 787 aircraft with free snacks and drinks that you can help yourself . Virgin Atlantic premium economy seats might be a tight fit width-wise on some aircraft. Approx 90 minutes before landing Virgin serves delicious afternoon tea. Virgin Atlantic economy tickets, including Light, Classic and Delight, include a complimentary three-course meal, snacks and drinks. . I covered the cost of my flights on Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy. And you can tidy up using the linen napkin. Explore Premium Upper Class Stretch out and enjoy every minute. Virgin Atlantic premium economy gets you priority check-in, two free checked bags and impressive in-flight meals. Boutique Hotels I loved the pillow offered in premium economy. I must admit I went to pret before I boarded and bought some extra food. As such Virgin Atlantic Economy Delight legroom is broadly half way between standard economy and premium. However, all Virgin customers can purchase entry to the No 1 lounge (Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh and Birmingham Airports). I'm all for individuals utilizing their recline but if I'm paying for premium economy, I should not lose that much space from the person in front of me reclining. Whether youre veggie or vegan, halal, gluten free (and beyond) weve got you covered. A culinary adventure of flavourful dishes to nourish and excite, drinks to relax and unwind, and snacks to surprise and delight. Lounge access is not included with Premium unless you are Flying Club Gold or have your two Clubhouse passes as a Silver, as I did. However, it was more than sufficient. Premium Economy has a long history at Virgin Atlantic. The flight does have full Wifi but of course, this requires credit card payment. I was planning on working on the trip so I moved to the free two seats in front of me which had bulkhead leg room and only returned to my seat to watch a movie. Flying back from Atlanta tonight in PE on the A350 so hopefully will be good, PE cabin is totally full but hopefully not much moving around. And it is definitely worth the extra cost relative to economy, particularly on a long flight. This larger capacity has its pluses and minuses. The staff on Virgin were extremely friendly and fun as always. Virgin Atlantic's premium economy continues to impress almost 30 years after it was first introduced. Virgin Atlantic Economy Delight Food. Virgin Atlantics premium economy continues to impress almost 30 years after it was first introduced. Once I finally reached the top of the queue the check-in staff were very friendly. On the way to Newark airport, we also had afternoon tea later in the flight. We want everyone to have a truly tasty meal, no matter what they can (or cannot) eat. In comparison, Virgin Atlantic premium economy cabins are massive: Airbus A350: 56 premium economy seats seven rows with eight seats per row. Premium travelers also have Priority boarding after Upper Class.. When I asked why I was told that none of the entertainment systems were working. The bad news is that the number of routes are restricted. I didnt realize that my return flight was on Delta rather than Virgin. How do BA American Express companion vouchers work? I would absolutely pay at least 20 or 30% more to fly premium economy with Virgin Atlantic rather than British Airways. Full details are on the Virgin Atlantic website here. Plus I found it helpful to have prices for Virgin Atlantic Economy cabin, Premium Economy class Virgin Atlantic and Virgin premium class next to each other for comparison. There are then nicely purple branded eye masks, socks, earplugs, toothbrushes, pen etc. Flying Virgin Atlantic Airlines Guide - The Points Guy You can find out more about Virgin Atlantics Premium cabin on their website here. Its 47,400 from Premium, 71,200 from Economy Classic or Economy Delight., Peak season upgrades from the US to UK on Virgin Atlantic range from 27,400-37,400 for Premium, and 57,400-116,200 for Upper Class. Nice Drinks is a Virgin StartUp funded business that offers delicious wine in a can. Order up. Once in the air, Virgin Atlantic premium economy flyers enjoy a meal with an appetizer, dessert and choice between three main dishes including one vegetarian option.