Virgin Atlantic has always been one of those airlines that have done things a bit differently. From the mood lighting to the ability to send other passengers drinks, to the versatility in booking options, including three levels of economy class, Virgin Atlantic has taken an innovative approach to air travel. While Virgin offers tickets across price points, including the budget-friendly “economy light”, the newsworthy cabin right now is their reimagined “Upper Class” that is being offered in their A330neo aircraft.
New Routes to the USA
Currently Virgin is offering A330neo service from London Heathrow to Boston, New York (JFK), Tampa and Miami. Atlanta is set to be added to the list this summer as well. This new aircraft includes new and improved Upper Class Suites.
The 30 “Upper Class Suites” are in a 1-2-1 configuration. All the seats face forward, convert to a fully lie-flat bed and have direct aisle access. The biggest improvement of this configuration is the increased level of privacy from their former Upper Class seats, which were arranged diagonally, without any privacy door on the aisle. In the new setup, guests have the option for a fully private sleeping experience on their cross-Atlantic flights thanks to the full-sized slide door on the outside of each seating area.
What is it like flying in an Upper Class Suite?
Each Upper Class Suite offers a 17.3-inch touchscreen television, an amenity kit, and ample room to relax during long flights. The look and feel are classic Virgin, think futuristic mid-century. Also, there are plenty of places to charge all your devices: two USB-A outlets, one USB-C, one AC power outlet (global outlet friendly) and a wireless charging pad. As long as you plug everything in before you fall asleep, you should arrive with everything at 100%!
Suite passengers also have access to a common area called ‘The Loft,’ which is the next iteration of the social area that is onboard most of Virgin’s Airbus A350 aircraft. While these spaces were off limits during COVID, there are back and have space for eight people, and have self-service fridges and beverage dispensers so that passengers can treat themselves at any point during the flight. One interesting design change that was made here is that the seats in the A330 Loft are higher than those on the A350, which makes for more comfortable mingling with both crew and passengers so that everyone is closer to eye level, whether seated or standing.
While tickets for an Upper Class Suite can be certainly more pricey than an economy ticket, if you are looking for a treat-yourself experience on a big trip this summer this is definitely a great use of all those credit card points or frequent flier miles!
