The main was hot and tasted great, and I could have easily gone for seconds. Note, 787 is on a different system,I think ipass. I flew PE on the way back from JNB, no problem with space even if the person reclines. Accessibility | The entre was the exact opposite, a dense, cheesy, sloppy dish overflowing with rice. also the table came out of the armrest . The best part was the chocolate brownie bar, cementing Virgin's prowess in making and choosing desserts. The basic amenity kit contained an eye-catching, Virgin-branded red eye mask, earplugs, a sustainable pen and a toothbrush with a tiny tube of toothpaste. They are laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration across seven rows. Looking at dates in November 2022, most economy fares from the US East Coast were around $800-900 for Virgin Atlantic Economy Classic to London, an additional $140-180 for Economy Delight, and $1200-1500 for Premium. Thats what travel is for, right? Other than its tight width, the seat was comfortable. Arguably the highlight of the flight was the terrific inflight entertainment via the crisp and up-to-date 13.5-inch touchscreen that could also be controlled by my mobile phone once connected via Bluetooth. This version features 335 seats, including 44 seats in Upper Class and 56 in Premium Economy, making it quite a . The information for the Virgin Atlantic World Elite Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. Virgin operates a mix of aircraft on this important route, with Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A330 and A350 aircraft being used each day. We've replaced our Upper Class bar with a unique space to gather, grab a drink or dine with friends. Instead, I opted to pay cash for the round-trip itinerary from London (LHR) to New York-JFK. Meanwhile, India. When prices are competitive with economy, that alone can make the cabin worth the upgrade for anyone with lots of baggage. Tip: Not well publicised, if you have the paid version of the Virgin Atlantic Credit Card, you can sign up for free Boingo WiFi to use onboard, unlimited. Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Our newest Economy seats are designed with bespoke woven fabrics inspired by fashion houses. Floor storage for personal effects is not available for use during takeoff and landing. Bookings made by credit card or debit card no longer incur a fee. Additionally, because Virgin Atlantic is a partner of Delta, I was able to input my SkyMiles number in order to earn me valuable Medallion Qualification Miles on my journey to Platinum Medallion status. On a recent work trip to New York, I needed a one way ticket home to London, and Virgin Premium Economy on the A350 offered the best value, just moderately priced above economy. Recliner. Proving that the very best cabins in the world could be unlocked with points became an obsession. The last row of premium economy is a great option for sleepers, since you can recline without having to ask or worry if the person behind you might be eating. Virgin Atlantic currently flies from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to its home at London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) four times daily, increasing to five daily flights from Mar. Im a Cantonese speaker (cant read Chinese), there was one film, the same film I saw flying to Antigua in April . Virgin partners with celebrity ptissier Eric Lanlard for a tea service as a prearrival meal. The salad was frozen cold and needed a while longer to defrost, but this was made up for by the delicious mango and passion fruit slice, which was the highlight of the meal. Terms and conditions | Nonetheless, I managed to work productively for most of the journey to London, another advantage of daytime flights. It was well organized, with separate boarding lanes already in place and plenty of seating for passengers. This particular airframe, registered as G-VDOT, actually operated as a testbed for Airbus from 2017 until delivery to Virgin in September 2020, a neat trivia fact for any #AvGeek. Flyers have plenty of options to hop across the Atlantic, especially on the busy route between New York and London. Standard seat. We booked this flight using 27,500 Virgin Points plus $350.30 in fees, taxes and fuel surcharges for a one-way flight in Premium. Delta Premium Select: 21 - 25 BDGH; Delta Comfort+: 30 - 33 CDFG; Main Cabin: 34 - 39 CDFG, 41 - 54 CDFG, 55 DF * Delta One: Movable armrests require the assistance of a Delta employee. Personally, I've long been a fan of Virgin Atlantic, with its cheeky, fresh and fun approach to flying. Several times prior to takeoff and upon landing, the crew took particular interest in reminding passengers it was a new aircraft and how to enjoy its new features. Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club program offers some tremendous value especially on Premium itineraries. ", Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The toilets were kept clean, however, and with several empty seats in the Premium cabin, there was rarely a wait to use them. "Starlux is a premier global airline offering world-class service and amenities," said Nap Pieper, senior vice president of fleet, finance . After we took off at about 1:49 p.m. and reached 10,000 feet, the crew quickly came around the cabin for drink service at about 2:05 p.m. Unbeknownst to me, Gate 22 was about a 15-minute trek away. It was rated first for premium economy in the Skytrax World Airline Awards in 2019. If I wanted people to take me seriously, I had to prove that every thing I was claiming could come true with points and travel savvy, could actually come true. Although I didn't sleep or lounge at all on this flight, I did recline the seat just to test the comfort of it. While Emirates offers three different types of bread in its premium economy, the cheap, white, plastic-wrapped dinner roll served on Virgin Atlantic was indicative of the lack of thought and investment the airline seems to be making in its Premium dining experience. Photo: Pranjal Pande | Simple Flying, Boarding the A350 is definitely an experience. [flight_stats ticket-class="econ" review-stat-section="Cabin and Seat" tpg-rating="21" tpg-rating-max="25" configuration="2" configuration-2="4" configuration-3="2" width="18.5" pitch="38" lavs="3" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]. Though there was some wait during peak times (after meal services and before landing), they quickly dissipated. His background in political science and economics gives him unique insight into issues surrounding international travel and governmental regulations. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Stay up to date on everything travel, with our handy newsletter. All about the price. I had a glass of the Casa Piero sauvignon blanc from Spain, which was bright and crisp. The cabin is laid out in a 3-3-3 arrangement and is Virgin's largest economy class barring that onboard the 747. Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club program offers some tremendous value, Virgin unveiled its brand-new amenity kits, called "Goodie Bags. The drink was served with sour-cream-and-chive pretzels. There was a neither-long-nor-short queue, but it looked worse than it was, and I was through in about five minutes. Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. No judgement! On this flight, the sandwiches included: mozzarella with green pesto, slow-roasted tomato and arugula; and salmon, soft cheese, arugula and cucumber. For my main, I ordered the vegetarian meal, asparagus and ricotta gnocchi with spicy tomato sauce, sweet peppers and broccoli. I'm all for sustainability with these kits, but I was not a fan of the crumpled and battered "goodie bag" pouch the items were presented in, as it is not something I would ever use again. Find the right card for you. Lufthansa is adding routes to India, with the airline adding Munich to Bangalore, to be served with an Airbus A350 three times a week on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The blanket was a deep purple with gold trim. BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. The past two months have been busy ones for the commercial aviation industry in the UK. Virgin Atlantic has a dedicated section of the terminal area for its passengers, including a priority queue for premium economy travelers. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. Designated toilet area . About Virgin Atlantic About Virgin Atlantic. All information about Airbus A350-1000 Virgin Atlantic Interior First class Business class Check-in Baggage | SeatMaps . Or, the Virgin 787 Dreamliner, for that matter. I found the legrest and footrest on the bulkhead row to be useful. I think any seat width about 18 doesnt really make much of a factor. What a contrast with their main UK rivals weak PE offering (& thats before the catering Overall, the premium economy on the A350-1000 is a competitive product, still giving British Airways a run for its money. Offer ends 5/3/23. She looked at my boarding pass and in an unexpected and pleasant surprise directed me to the priority lane, explaining that Virgin Atlantic Premium passengers were allowed to use it. Airbus A330-300 (333) Airbus A350-1000 (351) Boeing 747-400 (744) Boeing 787-9 (789) Check-in; Baggage . Less than one week before launching A350 service, Virgin unveiled its brand-new amenity kits, called "Goodie Bags." With the ricotta and the spiciness of the tomato sauce and zest from the sweet peppers, it was a great dish. Our Dreamliners take efficiency to new heights. The wander wall on the 730 in comparison with the Dreamliner was also poor. Plus, your own feed of TPG content. This crew was no different, at least as much as I could tell from my 20 minutes of interaction with them. Our stunning new Upper Class suite is the perfect retreat at 30,000 feet. The Dreamliner tables were from the back of the passengers seat in from, and seemed more flexible. I headed to Gate 22 about 10 minutes before boarding was set to begin. Note: some photos from this review are from a previous flight, where it was easier to snap the cabin. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window). Copyright document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) God Save the Points All Rights Reserved.Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this sites author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. The meal was small and disappointing. With the sun barely up, I initially opted for an orange juice, but when the crew mentioned Champagne was also on offer, it piqued my interest. Thats a lot better than most airlines these days. Photo: Pranjal Pande | Simple Flying. Just returned from Florida. Two lavatories dedicated to the Premium cabin were located at the front of the seating, just behind the Upper Class social space. Certain hotels have resort fees. Airbus A350-1000 Virtual tours Upper Class Premium Economy Economy Our newest Economy seats are designed with bespoke woven fabrics inspired by fashion houses. Related: Delta overhauls the onboard experience, goes all-in on sustainability. Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. My consistent feeling with premium economy is that its priced well and is a great gap bridger between economy and business class. Related: Choose this, not that: JFK Priority Pass lounge edition. Of course, in premium economy, you shouldn't expect Bose total noise-canceling headphones, but they could've done better than the economy offering. Additionally, the seats not by the bulkhead had upper and lower seatback storage spaces primarily for literature like the new A350-1000 safety cards. Terms and Conditions Apply. Depending on your aircraft, premium economy is laid out in a 2-3-2 or 2-4-2 arrangement. Related: Sorry, aisle-seat fans: The window seat is the best in the air. There was a small footrest that could be lowered so I could rest my feet on it. Though the cake itself was on the dry side, the passion fruit icing really moved it along. Premium passengers were entitled to a generous two pieces of baggage, each up to 50 pounds in weight. There was also an excellent interactive flight map available. Economy Delight Premium Upper Class; Width of seat: 17.4 inches: 17.4 inches: 18.5 inches: 20 inches: Seat recline: 5 inches: 5 inches: . Each of the screens in the cabin, whether in the bulkhead row or in one of 48 other seats in the cabin, was 13.3 inches, larger than existing offerings with the carrier. Though the seat was on the narrower side, because I didn't have anyone seated next to me, it felt rather spacious. Our Airbus A350-900 aircraft offers a variety of signature products and experiences unlike anything else in the sky. Which is fine if your slim. As they could be adjusted in and out more easily. How bad is it when the seat in front of you fully reclines? The A350 may be one of the quietest aircraft out there but having noise cancelling still makes a huge difference so I prefer to bring my own. But, depending on how you use your points, you may be able to get even more than $450 in value from them. With my paid fare, I was able to select my seat for free and chose a window seat in the last row of the cabin, so I could both look out the window, and observe the service flow. There's USB power and a 13 inch screen for our next-gen entertainment system, plus a lot more storage for your bits and pieces. Brilliant Guide To British Airways Upgrades Using Avios Or Cash. Are you able to eat or use laptop when this happens? But what was it really like? With the Virgin Atlantic World Elite Mastercard, you can earn 30,000 bonus points (enough to book this flight) after spending $1,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. Considering the value that can be had for redeeming miles for a Premium experience on this route, the product is a huge step up from standard economy and worth it on a route like this, a seven-hour jaunt between New York and London. Taking all that into consideration, Virgin's Premium isn't a bad product just one on the same aircraft as a very solid regular economy product but costing (at least) twice the price. View the current offers here. Pitch remains the same, but the seat did lose some points due to the standard footrest in front, which doesn't offer the most room to stretch out when sleeping. These seats cost around $2,370 roundtrip between NYC and London. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. While this is a lot, the high ceilings and straight sidewalls of the A350 give a sense of space, preventing it from feeling claustrophobic. However, one point to note is that dinner took a full two hours from takeoff to table. It would have taken the crew only a few seconds to tidy up the trays before serving them, but instead, passengers had to do it themselves. Photo: Pranjal Pande | Simple Flying, The tighter seats take away from one of premium economy's major selling points. Its inaugural operation was on the same route from LHR to JFK on Sept. 10, and it returned to London on the red-eye that night. I think everyone felt valued and welcomed. That's why I practically gasped when I saw the massive security queue awaiting me in Terminal 4. Unfortunately, I soon realized the wrong items had been loaded onto the aircraft and did not match the menu description at all. [flight_stats ticket-class="econ" review-stat-section="Food and Beverage" tpg-rating="23" tpg-rating-max="25" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" comp-meal="2" comp-alcohol="Yes" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]. Terms and Conditions Apply. There was no bottle or label to be seen, but I assume it was Ayala Champagne, which has been Virgin's house brand for several years. With an early morning departure and an evening arrival at Heathrow, these two meals were the only things I ate all day. During boarding, the crew passed through the Premium cabin with trays of welcome drinks. Limited Time Offer: Earn 125,000 Bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
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