[flight_stats ticket-class="econ" review-stat-section="Amenities and IFE" tpg-rating="12" tpg-rating-max="15" screen="13.3" movies="104" tv-shows="140" live-tv="No" tailcam="Yes" headphones="Yes" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]. (Photo by Emily McNutt/The Points Guy.) As usual, Virgin's dark cabin tones and purple mood lighting leave most awestruck upon boarding. Virgin Atlantic has 56 Premium seats on both layouts of its Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. Instead, I opted to pay cash for the round-trip itinerary from London (LHR) to New York-JFK. Virgin Atlantic Airbus A350-1000 Seating Chart Most up-to-date seat map 2023. This means even more air mile earning and burning possibilities for members of its Mileage Plus frequent flyer program. 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. In its folded position, most passengers had enough room to squeeze out to use the lavatory. Virgin also refreshed premium economy for the A350. The lounge also boasted shower facilities, though those were subject to an additional charge. After flying during the health crisis to mostly empty cabins, it was a joy to see that Upper Class was entirely full, and I had zero chance of an upgrade. Additionally, the seats not by the bulkhead had upper and lower seatback storage spaces primarily for literature like the new A350-1000 safety cards. They had amazing staff there who treated me like an old friend. Virgin Atlantic's A350 in all three classes | Upper Class vs Premium vs The tray passed to me didn't look appealing. There was some issue with getting the service up and running to begin with, but once it was, about 45 minutes into the flight, it worked seamlessly. . It didn't have the luxurious feeling of a leather or solid kit, but it does the trick for me knowing that it was helping to reduce single-use plastics and be less harsh on the environment. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. Hot options seemed to be carb heavy: rice, two kinds of penne pasta and what appeared to be a chickpea dish. I was reminded of how phenomenal this cabin is, with one caveat which Ill get to. Additionally, because I was in the bulkhead row, my inflight-entertainment screen could be ejected from underneath the armrest. Overall, the premium economy on the A350-1000 is a competitive product, still giving British Airways a run for its money. Austrian's B777-200 aircraft hold a total of 24 premium economy seats configured 2-4-2, while B767-300ERs contain 30 seats (expanded from 18) configured 2-2-2. Photo: Pranjal Pande | Simple Flying, Boarding the A350 is definitely an experience. Find the right card for you. Note, 787 is on a different system,I think ipass. While Virgin Atlantic offers a compelling premium economy product, it is surprisingly beat out by its own fleet. I tried a bite of it and didn't go back. Though I didn't get to spend much time or indulge in the food, I'd definitely return on a future flight out of T3. Rich, custom leather seats with a generous 7 inch recline and high end finishes. They provided good sound quality while still feeling comfortable to wear. I had a glass of the Casa Piero sauvignon blanc from Spain, which was bright and crisp. Your email address will not be published. I arrived at London Heathrow's Terminal 3 about three hours prior to departure. There were three choices for an entree fajita chicken, red Thai curry, or vegetarian shepherd's pie. Beyond the hard product, Virgin Atlantic's service remains top-notch as usual. I loved the amazing, customized "I (Heart) A350" pillows, which were clearly made just for the introduction of the aircraft into service. Virgin Atlantics Premium Economy offers a more a la carte service than economy, and that starts with pre-departure bubbles and drink service. I found the legrest and footrest on the bulkhead row to be useful. While the welcome beverages were a pleasant surprise, both meal services were not. Proving that the very best cabins in the world could be unlocked with points became an obsession. 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. I could imagine there being contention about who got the majority of it. Virgin tends to release plenty of award tickets, especially in economy. Aside from better air quality, the cabin lighting is fun and jazzy and the higher ceilings give an added sense of space on this Airbus A350. Other than its tight width, the seat was comfortable. A small decision goes a long way, in my eyes. In the center armrest and drinks shelf was another small storage area with a USB charger for small electronic devices. The entre was the exact opposite, a dense, cheesy, sloppy dish overflowing with rice. The first row and the last row of premium make up the dreamboat seats. Upon boarding, crew told passengers that to celebrate the launch of the A350 into service, Wi-Fi would be free for all passengers for the flight. Although I didn't sleep or lounge at all on this flight, I did recline the seat just to test the comfort of it. The Dreamliner tables were from the back of the passengers seat in from, and seemed more flexible. View the current offers here. Virgin operates a mix of aircraft on this important route, with Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A330 and A350 aircraft being used each day. Because my itinerary was booked shortly after Virgin put A350 flights on sale, award availability wasn't great. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This was a brand-new aircraft for Virgin. Standard seat. From bespoke fabrics to extra storage, USB power points to the latest entertainment system, theres so much to fall in love with. Credit ranges are a variation of FICO Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. I consistently find Virgin Atlantic crews to be among the friendliest in the business. Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club program offers some tremendous value, Virgin unveiled its brand-new amenity kits, called "Goodie Bags. Invites will be sent 14 days in advance of the flight and booked on a first-come, first-served basis. Families, or groups of colleagues may prefer the middle four. /]. It was definitely an exciting experience to see the shiny new A350-1000, registration G-VLUX, a three-year-old bird. Ports are easy to reach, which helps me remember not to leave anything behind. They were fun and conversational rather than cold and unapproachable. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In the evening, the Premium queue was even shorter than the one for Upper Class, and far quicker than economy, which was nearing capacity. Ive been a Virgin Flying Club Gold member for quite a few years now, so I was able to use the Upper Class check-in desk, but both lines were empty. Overall, the premium economy on the A350-1000 is a competitive product, still giving British Airways a run for its money. The card also earns 3 Virgin points per dollar spent on Virgin Atlantic tickets and duty-free items purchased directly from Virgin Atlantic. UK long-haul carrier Virgin Atlantic has redesigned its upper class cabin to include an eight-seat lounge called "The Loft" on its new Airbus A350-1000 fleet, replacing its existing upper . But the real world doesnt often have the flexibility needed to enjoy those opportunities every time you fly, and you know what, it aint half bad. While not a huge space, and definitely not enough to store a laptop, it was sufficient for my passport, AirPods and my phone. Because it was purchased with the Platinum Card from American Express, directly with the airline, the flight earned 5x Membership Rewards points, for a total of 5,165 points (earn 5x points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year). Each of the Collins Aerospace MiQ seats featured 38 inches of pitch and 7 inches of recline. While it was my fault for not realizing where the tortillas were held, I observed several passengers around me making the same mistake. The Booth is featured on two of our A350 aircraft: Designed with love, built for the future. Certain hotels have resort fees. . See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. Alaska Airlines has welcomed Starlux into its fold as its latest airline partner. While its new Upper Class Suite got the bulk of the addition and it is a dazzling product, indeed the carrier also gave its Premium product a facelift with the A350. This was a very large cabin for what is supposed to be a more exclusive product than regular economy, and it left me feeling like I was just another number at times. The dish covers were still on, and the cutlery was lodged inside two drinking glasses, which were laying down on their side. The Premium cabin on the Virgin A350 comprised a total of 56 seats across a single cabin. The crew that worked the Premium cabin on my flight to London was friendly and well-meaning, but not overly polished. I didn't eat anything, as I wasn't hungry and wanted to save my appetite for when I got on board. I found the salad to be absolutely delightful. However, with each award ticket comes a hefty amount of taxes and fees -- in this case about $250. Thats what travel is for, right? Note: some photos from this review are from a previous flight, where it was easier to snap the cabin. However, if you have a choice, always pick the Boeing 787-9 in premium economy with Virgin Atlantic, which remains one of the best in the game. Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. My TPG UK colleague Dan Ross has reviewed all of LHR's lounges, and he's determined that, between the Priority Pass options in T3, Club Aspire is the way to go. I flew PE on the way back from JNB, no problem with space even if the person reclines. As someone who goes from being hot to cold and vice versa quickly, I'm a huge fan of being able to control the air flow at my seat. Virgin Atlantic premium economy seats recline between 7 and 8. Positioning itself as a luxury yet affordable . Brilliant Guide To British Airways Upgrades Using Avios Or Cash. 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. It was well organized, with separate boarding lanes already in place and plenty of seating for passengers. I passed on the sparkles so that I could manage a flight without climbing over a seat mate, but many people were happily reveling. Row 45 is the first row of economy and isn't a "delight" seat, which means it can be acquired even on lower fares. 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. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. They were flimsy and not noise-canceling in the slightest. The packages are as follows: Messaging - 2.99/$3.99 Chat and Surf - 12.99/$16.99 - 150MB W-Fi Max - 29.99/$39.99 - 500MB We flew out to Las Vegas In premium on the Dreamliner . Shortly thereafter, it was time for tea service. Virgin's A350s come equipped Inmarsat's GX Aviation Wi-Fi. The best Virgin Atlantic economy seats on the A350 are without a doubt found in rows 45, 52, 53 and 54. Finally, the free night award certificate with a redemption level of 35,000 points or less can get you hundreds of dollars in potential value each year. There was a literature pocket in the seatback in front of me as well as a thin open storage shelf below the inflight entertainment screen, which was handy for storing a phone or small tablet. Out in UC back PE. Virgin Atlantic flies 2 versions of Airbus A330-200 (332 . As to the food, Im the worst person to ask. About 20 minutes later, the crew came around the cabin with meals. Related: Choose this, not that: JFK Priority Pass lounge edition. The meal was small and disappointing. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. The meal service was quick, the crew was attentive and, most importantly, I didn't have anything that I thought was bad except for the tough roll. Find the best seat wiht our Virgin Atlantic Airbus A350-1000 (351) seating chart. With an early morning departure and an evening arrival at Heathrow, these two meals were the only things I ate all day. Virgin Atlantic: Airbus A350-1000 (351) 38: 18.5: On-Demand TV: All Seats: AC Power: Yes: Recliner: Virgin Atlantic: Boeing . However, my own personal issue with premium economy remains: You are seated upright for the duration of your journey. Both dishes were listed as being served with a side of overnight oats with mango and coconut. "Starlux is a premier global airline offering world-class service and amenities," said Nap Pieper, senior vice president of fleet, finance . Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. Overall, Virgin Atlantic's Airbus A350 is a great aircraft to fly. Virgin opted for the denser layout on the 350, resulting in some noticeable changes. I traveled along with my TPG UK colleagues Nicky Kelvin (Upper Class Suite) and Jean Arnas (economy) to test out the product myself on the aircraft's third-ever passenger flight. The "Cheapest" Way To Try Emirates First Class Is Back (Under $625)! Paper menus are back too! Required fields are marked *. I found the amenities on the flight to be more than enough especially on a relatively short long-haul flight like London to New York. Virgin Premium Economy - Airbus A350 DoorsToAuto 3.15K subscribers Description 17K views 5 months ago See the Virgin Premium Economy experience in this review of Virgin Atlantic. In total, the round-trip ticket cost $1,033 in Premium. I got the mozzarella and an English breakfast tea. Just before landing, the cabin crew came around with a final treat: Swizzels Love Hearts. 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. Virgin Atlantic Airbus A350-1000 Seat Maps Virgin Atlantic However, if you have a choice, always pick the Boeing 787-9 in premium economy with Virgin Atlantic, which remains one of the best in the game. I had assumed only French airlines would be generous enough to serve actual Champagne in premium economy, so I politely asked to clarify if it was actual Champagne, or just sparking wine. Here's how my Virgin Atlantic Premium experience rated. Our Airbus A350-900 aircraft offers a variety of signature products and experiences unlike anything else in the sky. Features of the aircraft include: - 44 Upper Class open suites with partial sliding doors - All Upper Class seats face toward the aircraft windows - A new onboard Upper Class lounge named "The Loft" - 56 recliner-style Premium Class seats The crew insisted it was the real deal, so I tried a small glass and it did indeed taste like real Champagne. Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. The past two months have been busy ones for the commercial aviation industry in the UK. The physical kind, of course. You'll earn 15 elite night credits each calendar year, and receive automatic Gold elite status.

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