Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money. Terms and conditions | Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, Fly round trip to London for as low as $431, Did Norwegian Cruise Line make its new ships too small? 22 D: None: No Power Assigning Editor | Travel, SEO, Travel Loyalty Programs. But what was it really like? The minimum bid is linked to seat availability and how far out you choose to place one. The smaller cabin is quieter and the crew come by frequently to check in on travelers. How Much Are Travel Points and Miles Worth in 2023? One of the primary reasons to book premium economy instead of economy is to get a larger seat with more legroom. More than just offering extra legroom, these seats also tend to be wider than in economy. Welcome to Virgin Atlantic. That's 7 more inches of legroom than what's installed in most long-haul economy seats including Virgin Atlantic's. Additionally, because I was in the bulkhead row, my inflight-entertainment screen could be ejected from underneath the armrest. Virgin Atlantic's A330neo will make its debut on the airline's Boston to London route in October 2022; tickets will go on sale this month. You'll find the largest, 13.3-inch screens on Airbus A350 aircraft, but only 10.5-inch screens on Airbus A330-300 aircraft. However, passengers report that these aren't noise-canceling. Breeze through security with CLEAR lanes available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your membership when you use your Card. However, passengers can also choose to bid for an upgrade. 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. Sign up and well send you Nerdy articles about the money topics that matter most to you along with other ways to help you get more from your money. This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip. Less than one week before launching A350 service, Virgin unveiled its brand-new amenity kits, called "Goodie Bags." Although the seat widths have reduced to just 18.5" in order to cram in a 2-4-2 arrangement, the bespoke leather seats and giant 13.3" screens make it a much more bearable proposition. The main difference is that these seats are newer than the Premium seats on all of Virgin's Airbus A330-300s and most Dreamliners. Learn more: 5 best uses of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points. Prior to landing, the crew came through the cabin offering water or juice as a prearrival drink. Flying is about to get even better - Virgin Atlantic has revealed its new Airbus A330neo, with a premium, personalised experience for every single customer. Our partners compensate us. Economy Classic: Free; 30 ($38) for preferred seats, 59-89 ($75-$114) for an exit row seat, or 49 ($63) for an exit row seat with reduced legroom. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. Breeze through security with CLEAR lanes available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your membership when you use your Card. The seats are wide, the drinks are cold, and the atmosphere is calming. Earlier this summer, British Airways launched its first-ever A350 routes to Madrid before launching it on long-haul flights. The premium economy 777 AA seats themselves are 19 inches wide - 2 more than AA economy, so a substantial difference. The gnocchi were huge, and I soon realized that was because they were stuffed with the ricotta and asparagus. Each one is 21 inches wide and has 38 inches of pitch. . Which airline's offering is better, Delta's Premium Select on the 767-400 or Virgin's . 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. I arrived at London Heathrow's Terminal 3 about three hours prior to departure. It comes with . There are 56 seats in the cabin on both the Heathrow and 'leisure configured' A350s. 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. Service is one of those things that can either make or break a flight. Our seats have been carefully designed to help you fly in total comfort during the flight, no matter which cabin you're in. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. 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. Read our detailed review of premium economy on Virgin Atlantic's 787-9 here and on the A350-1000 here! The best premium economy seats on the Virgin Atlantic A350-1000 are absolutely those in the first and last rows of the cabin in seats A,C or H,K - in pairs of two. Though there are some flaws in the product, such as a narrower seat and poor headphones, I found the experience to be well worth the cost. Enjoy 3 more inches than the rest of economy. About 20 minutes later, the crew came around the cabin with meals. In-flight entertainment: Virgin Atlantic boasts over 300 hours of movies and TV shows in premium economy. All of Virgin's aircraft are long-haul, wide-bodied jets. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. His background in political science and economics gives him unique insight into issues surrounding international travel and governmental regulations. Virgin partners with celebrity ptissier Eric Lanlard for a tea service as a prearrival meal. Additionally, the seats not by the bulkhead had upper and lower seatback storage spaces primarily for literature like the new A350-1000 safety cards. Virgin's A350s come equipped Inmarsat's GX Aviation Wi-Fi. My flight was on the emptier side, so most passengers who were seated in the middle section of four seats had empty seats between them. During the course of the flight, crew members left out a small bin of chips and snacks for the taking in the galley. Especially in a middle block of four seats, it can be hard to provide a lot of storage, but Virgin equipped these seats with about as much as I would think possible. Is the upgrade worth it? It's worth noting that bulkhead seats, while they offer more space, are also where baby seats or bassinets are fixed. To justify its price, Virgin Atlantic offers some nice touches to the onboard service. Virgin Atlantic Airbus A330-200 economy seat map (Image courtesy Virgin Atlantic) Best economy seats on a Virgin Atlantic Airbus A350-1000. He published over 2,000 articles on The Points Guy before becoming a freelance writer. Stylish touches make big differences in Premium, in a cabin consisting of 46 seats on the A330neo. You won't get priority security or lounge access in the airport. Related: 3 reasons to fly premium economy (and 1 reason not to). If you're planning to check two bags, factor the cost into your decision between economy and premium economy. There was a small slot next to the seat, underneath the armrest. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. However, I did use my Priority Pass membership, which comes as a benefit of my Platinum Card from American Express (enrollment required). Though there wasn't a ton of storage in the seat, I found there to be about as much as expected for a premium economy seat. Whats the value of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points? Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. West Coast to Europe w/ Virgin points-flying Delta metal-is no more, since Delta has virtually stopped making award seats available to Virgin for West Coast-based flights. . Elsewhere in the fleet, the main difference across the cabins is whether or not the view from the window is obstructed by the wing. American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. On this route specifically, you can often find round-trip award flights for just 35,000 Flying Club miles plus taxes and fees. The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. The upgrade can cost as little as 7,500 Virgin points plus any associated taxes and fees (up to $180-$200 depending on the route). The most recent Airbus A350-1000 that Virgin Atlantic took delivery of featured an all new configuration, intended for leisure routes. Continuing on from our roundup of the best seats in Virgin's economy, we move onward and upward to the best seats in Virgin's Premium or premium economy cabin. *You'll find our Wander Wall on selected aircraft. 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. Lead Journalist - India - Pranjal is an experienced journalist with a strong focus on Indian aviation. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. Though the cake itself was on the dry side, the passion fruit icing really moved it along. American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. This handy table shows the seat width, pitch and legroom in each of our cabins. For those unfamiliar, Virgin Atlantic offers premium economy (branded as Premium) on all its aircraft. The past two months have been busy ones for the commercial aviation industry in the UK. There was plenty of room in the standard overhead bin and a pocket in the seat-back for storage. 787-900 Dreamliners: The most energy efficient of Virgin Atlantic's fleet has 35 Premium seats in a 2-3-2 configuration. And the large premium economy cabins may lead to slow service. Virgin's Premium Economy seat dimensions are 18-21 inches seat width, 38 inches legroom. Use this seat map to get the most comfortable seats, legroom and recline before booking. That said, there were significant improvements with this product, as well as design decisions that went a long way in terms of enjoyment. Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card. The screen itself was completely touchscreen, and, as you would hope with a brand-new aircraft, I found the responsiveness to be great. All Virgin Atlantic premium economy seats feature universal power and USB outlets, as well as an in-flight entertainment touch screen. If you need to stay connected with friends and family or simply can't miss your next deadline, our on board WiFi is available from 2.99. It was a bifold tray table, which was perfect for just a small plate or to rest a drink. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. In addition to the tailcam was a selection of 104 movies and about 140 TV shows, as well as games and videos that explored Virgin destinations. Based on TPG's most recent valuations, those points were worth $103, not a bad return. A small decision goes a long way, in my eyes. If you find discrepancies with your credit score or information from your credit report, please contact TransUnion directly. And the large premium economy cabins may lead to slow service. 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. Should you get Global Entry or TSA PreCheck? As previously mentioned, the IFE screen in my bulkhead seat came out from underneath one of the armrests. Megan Lee joined the travel rewards team at NerdWallet with over 12 years of SEO, writing and content development experience, primarily in international education and nonprofit work. The Amex Platinum comes with access to a premium concierge service that can help you with everything from booking hard-to-get reservations to finding destination guides to help you plan out your next getaway. See more IndiGo, our newest codeshare partner. Here are our picks for the. This card comes with a long list of benefits, including access to Centurion Lounges, complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott, at least $500 in assorted annual statement credits and so much more. Then, passengers board in Group 2 (out of 9). If you haven't booked yet, premium economy usually costs at least 40-50% more than the economy fare. This innovative aircraft joined the Virgin Atlantic fleet in October 2014. Screen sizes vary by aircraft but this time the pattern is reversed from what you can expect with seats. 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. Virgin Atlantic A330-300 Premium Economy. Included extras Upgradeable with Virgin Points Extra legroom seat Premium check in Priority boarding The view is pretty much just of the wing, but if all you want to do is sleep, then that shouldn't matter too much anyway. This is a good rule of thumb to follow when looking at fares, especially considering that seats can cost two to three times an economy fare as well. This is only one less seat per row than the economy cabin. When it comes to onboard food and drink, Virgin Atlantic clearly aims to impress. On the 787-9, seats measure 21" in width vs 18" in economy and offer 38" in pitch vs 31" (34" in Economy Delight). I found the tea service to be so very pleasant and a phenomenal way to end the flight. Before landing, Virgin Atlantic serves premium economy passengers a second meal. There are even more places your Platinum Card can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks. [tpg_rating tpg-rating-score="85" ground-experience="5" cabin-seat="21" amens-ife="12" food-bev="23" service="24" pros="Fast Wi-Fi, great crew, solid food and a fun experience overall." On this aircraft, the Premium cabin is situated right on the wing, meaning the view of the world below is at least partially restricted no matter which window seat you pick. Virgin Atlantic's A330-300s have seven rows of Premium, mostly in a 2-3-2 configuration. With new aircraft, several carriers are doing away with overhead air vents for passengers. Plus, seats offer adjustable headrests and footrests to help you get comfortable while you nap. As you might expect with an iconic founder like Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Atlantic is built a bit differently from other airlines. Soon after trays were collected, flight attendants came through once more to offer liqueurs: Amarula cream, which retails for around $20 per bottle, or Baron Otard Cognac, which retails for around $40 per bottle. Related: How to read an aircraft seat map. From the pre-boarding experience in the lounge or Club House, to your spacious seat and bed during your flight, long-haul journeys will . After working as a tax accountant for a decade, JT turned his analytical skills to points, miles and credit cards. 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. Plus Ups are excluded. It's also the farthest back you can sit before your view out the window starts getting too obstructed by the wing. 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