Review: How Good Is Virgin Atlantic A350 Premium Economy? Which is fine if your slim. Plus, your own feed of TPG content. Virgin Atlantic premium economy seats recline between 7 and 8. [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" /]. The exterior of the kit itself was made from recyclable kraft paper, which felt like a combination of cardboard and thick paper. The blanket also appeared the same as the one that was provided to economy passengers, although this wasn't such a big deal on a relatively short daytime flight. It was served with a salted-caramel clair, passion-fruit-and-yuzu macaron and a scone with clotted cream and jam. Review: Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy (Airbus A330-300) There was a neither-long-nor-short queue, but it looked worse than it was, and I was through in about five minutes. The meal was small and disappointing. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Today it operates a stylish premium economy cabin, branded as Premium, on all its aircraft. Not least among them is Virgin's premium economy cabin, simply called Premium, which is available on the carrier's A330-220 and A330-300 planes, its A350-1000s, and Boeing 797-9 Dreamliners. Unfortunately, they were quite cramped and there were no special amenities compared with economy lavatories. On this flight, the sandwiches included: mozzarella with green pesto, slow-roasted tomato and arugula; and salmon, soft cheese, arugula and cucumber. Enjoy a 11.5 inch seatback screen, USB power, and a six-way adjustable headrest for ultimate comfort. Lead Journalist - India - Pranjal is an experienced journalist with a strong focus on Indian aviation. This was a great perk and made my security wait time much shorter (I'm unfortunately ineligible for TSA PreCheck or Clear with an Australian passport). The answers yes. Use this seat map to get the most comfortable seats, legroom and recline before booking. Is The White Lotus breaking up with Four Seasons ahead of Season 3? Unfortunately, I soon realized the wrong items had been loaded onto the aircraft and did not match the menu description at all. As previously mentioned, the IFE screen in my bulkhead seat came out from underneath one of the armrests. The desks were well-staffed, and there was no queue, so I went with the more personal approach and spoke to an agent who was extremely friendly and welcoming. For each of the seats in the cabin, the tray table ejected from underneath one of the armrests. However, with each award ticket comes a hefty amount of taxes and fees -- in this case about $250. VS should be entitled to compete for more slots at their base hub to provide some real competition! 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. Other than its tight width, the seat was comfortable. will join Delhi and Mumbai, which are served by the . Each of the Premium-cabin seats besides the bulkhead seats featured a built-in IFE screen in the back of the headrest. I flew PE on the way back from JNB, no problem with space even if the person reclines. Bookings made by credit card or debit card no longer incur a fee. Paper menus are back too! On this route specifically, you can often find round-trip award flights for just 35,000 Flying Club miles plus taxes and fees. However, this may not hold true. Virgin has remastered the premium economy experience with its Premium A350 product. There was a small footrest that could be lowered so I could rest my feet on it. I can easily find comfort in Premium for an overnight. . The best Virgin Atlantic economy seats on the A350 are without a doubt found in rows 45, 52, 53 and 54. This means you can use the drinks service time to pick one of three mains. /]. Overall, the premium economy on the A350-1000 is a competitive product, still giving British Airways a run for its money. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Premium Economy is found mostly on international flights and, compared to standard Economy, offers about 5-7 inches of extra legroom as well as additional amenities, which can include: 1-2 extra inches of seat width . For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. 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 Seat 14 A is a standard recliner-style Premium Economy Class seat located at an Exit Row. Offer ends 5/3/23. 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. With new aircraft, several carriers are doing away with overhead air vents for passengers. I chose orange juice and coffee to go with it I did at least appreciate the sturdy mug the coffee was served in. After a seamless bag-check experience and obtaining my boarding pass, I ascended the nearby escalator to the security checkpoint. As usual, Virgin's dark cabin tones and purple mood lighting leave most awestruck upon boarding. Each has the same configuration. More of a wander basket. Booking Virgins premium economy on the cabin is a cant go wrong feeling. Seats are 2ay better than the old PE seats which I found v uncomfortable on the old plane. The beer I had with dinner wasn't cold, and setting up the meal trays with a little care before serving them would have made a big difference in the experience. There was a small slot next to the seat, underneath the armrest. Like, a lot. I think that even with a full cabin of 56 passengers, the three lavs would've sufficed. I appreciated that each Premium passenger had their own personal universal charging point in the center console near their feet. Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. They are laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration across seven rows. Virgin Atlantic departs from Terminal 4 at JFK Airport, along with its partners, Delta and KLM (Air France departs from Terminal 1). I had a glass of the Casa Piero sauvignon blanc from Spain, which was bright and crisp. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. Virgin Premium was the very first airline experience I reviewed for TPG roughly three-and-a-half years ago on a much older aircraft. His background in political science and economics gives him unique insight into issues surrounding international travel and governmental regulations. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. Other than that there was no storage around the seat. And in this case, it was just about as good as it gets. Row 45 is the first row of economy and isn't a "delight" seat, which means it can be acquired even on lower fares. 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. And so begins an extremely thorough review of the Virgin Atlantic A350-1000. Our newest Economy seats are designed with bespoke woven fabrics inspired by fashion houses. I could imagine there being contention about who got the majority of it. You'll find the largest, 13.3-inch screens on Airbus A350 aircraft, but only 10.5-inch screens on Airbus A330-300 aircraft. Though the cake itself was on the dry side, the passion fruit icing really moved it along. Eight places abreast in each row meant the Premium seats were just 18.5 inches wide, only one inch wider than Virgin Atlantic's economy seats, and narrower than those on low-cost airline Norse Atlantic, which operates the same class of service on the same route. Packed with innovation, our A350 is the new heartbeat of our fleet, and we hope you love it as much as we do. Not to be outdone, crosstown competitor Virgin Atlantic soon thereafter began taking delivery of its own A350s. Pranjal is enthusiastic about new aircraft types and has his stories regularly picked up by renowned publications including Forbes. SANspotter style. 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 Premium check in and fast track worth . The screen itself was completely touchscreen, and, as you would hope with a brand-new aircraft, I found the responsiveness to be great. I really liked the sturdy tray table that folded out of the outer armrest. Tell us about your experience in the comments! I got the mozzarella and an English breakfast tea. That wasn't the case. That small feature can make all the difference between a comfortable and uncomfortable flight. As for service the virgin team are miles ahead. The seat width, at an impressive 18.5 inches wide is as good as it gets as a global premium economy benchmark. In total, the carrier offers 235 seats here. Here's how my Virgin Atlantic Premium experience rated. Flyers have plenty of options to hop across the Atlantic, especially on the busy route between New York and London. The cabin crew on board was absolutely phenomenal and uniquely Virgin. Quality craftsmanship Waiting for me on my seat when I boarded was a pillow, blanket and amenity kit. This crew was no different, at least as much as I could tell from my 20 minutes of interaction with them. While this is a lot, the high ceilings and straight sidewalls of the A350 give a sense of space, preventing it from feeling claustrophobic. It seems like its getting better so fingers crossed? 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). Instead, other passengers and I were able to FaceTime with friends and family on the ground. I arrived at London Heathrow's Terminal 3 about three hours prior to departure. 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. Thats not unique to any one airline, but new planes really are stellar. I believe in personal privacy, and on this night flight I was among the last to board, so I did not take cabin shots which included anyone. The A380 offers 8 seats in First Class, 78 seats in Business Class and 52 seats in Premium Economy. BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY Airbus A350 seat map with The Loft. 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. Personally, I've long been a fan of Virgin Atlantic, with its cheeky, fresh and fun approach to flying. 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. That also meant that I had extra legroom and a slightly different product than the rest of the cabin. 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. The flight is blocked at six hours and 45 minutes, though it is often much quicker than this, usually at least one hour shorter. Virgin Airbus A350 | A350 Configuration | Virgin Atlantic There was definitely a Cajun kick to it, and the twang from the mustard made it really enjoyable. There was the standard recline, the legrest option and a footrest option. I was ravenous by the time the trolleys appeared again in the cabin for the second meal service, about an hour before landing. Virgin calls the kit the most sustainable in the skies, and it felt like it. Virgin Atlantic has 56 Premium seats on both layouts of its Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. Our Dreamliners take efficiency to new heights. It was a fine, if unremarkable, flight. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. The vegetable samosas came out of a plastic packet, giving them a distinctly un-premium feel, with no standout flavors. On an overnight flight where speed is key, this did strike me as slower than usual. 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. In my essential food advice for eating on planes, curries and rice are always nice. I appreciated their high spirits for this early morning departure and they made me feel very welcome, but there were service gaps during mealtimes. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. Virgin tends to release plenty of award tickets, especially in economy. Virgin Atlantic includes premium economy passengers in the Priority boarding section, right after status holders and Upper Class travelers (a cabin we reviewed recently too!). [flight_stats ticket-class="econ" review-stat-section="Service" tpg-rating="24" tpg-rating-max="25" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" blurb="I've flown with Virgin quite a few times, and I've never have a bad experience when it comes to service. Immediately upon boarding, cabin crew came around the Premium cabin with a choice of water or prosecco. View the current offers here. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Overall, I found the lounge to be good for a rest before a long-haul flight. I found the legrest and footrest on the bulkhead row to be useful. 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. [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" /]. Virgin has one of the younger fleets in the skies nowadays, and if you fly frequently you can truly feel the difference. 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. Gallery: A look at Virgin Atlantic's A350-1000 premium, economy cabin The Premium queue comes with a document check station right at the back, so you don't have to visit two different areas for vaccine and form clearance. Totally agree with all points here. But what was it really like? As far as food, there was a decent selection, both hot and cold. Find the best seat wiht our Virgin Atlantic Airbus A350-1000 (351) seating chart. It would have been great if the crew members could have mentioned how the meal should be eaten when they served it. AUSTRIAN AIRLINES. Are you able to eat or use laptop when this happens? Accessibility | This was a brand-new aircraft for Virgin. 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. "Starlux is a premier global airline offering world-class service and amenities," said Nap Pieper, senior vice president of fleet, finance . 6 points per dollar on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program, 4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, U.S. gas stations, wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and U.S. shipping, 2 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases, Earn a free-night award each card renewal month (up to 35,000 points), Receive 15 elite night credits to jump-start status, Must spend $60,000 in a year for second free-night award. Virgin Atlantic Airbus A350-1000 Seating Chart Most up-to-date seat map 2023. Not only was the service fantastic, but the crew members seemed equally as excited about the new A350 as I was. In its folded position, most passengers had enough room to squeeze out to use the lavatory. Premium passengers were entitled to a generous two pieces of baggage, each up to 50 pounds in weight. Meanwhile, the rest of the seats in the Premium cabin had just a pedal attached to the seat in front there was no legrest. 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. Virgins Premium cabin on the A350 offers 2x4x2 seating. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. There is no one behind you. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. Cheers to that. The food, however, was a comedy of errors, including the wrong items being loaded for the tiny first meal, the messy, upside-down tray for the second meal (with someone else's special order initially served), the hidden tortillas and the warm beer. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This seat definitely felt tight around my hips. SeatGuru Seat Map Virgin Atlantic If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. Your email address will not be published. Terms and Conditions Apply. I went for the chicken lasagna, which was well plated and came with a vacuum-sealed bread roll, chickpea salad, and dessert. The first row and the last row of premium make up the dreamboat seats. On the 730. 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. 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's Premium queue likely shaved off substantial time from my check-in experience. Fortunately, a full-size meal was available and the food corresponded correctly to the menu. For passengers traveling in Premium with Virgin, there were two options for checking in: using a kiosk to print out your boarding pass or visiting a check-in agent. Being in the front means you'll beat most of the plane through immigration. I am a vocal supporter of jetlag-free daytime flights from New York to London in any cabin, so I immediately focused on flight VS26. The main was hot and tasted great, and I could have easily gone for seconds. As someone who struggles to sleep sitting up, I don't fancy the thought of flying this on an overnight, long-haul journey to, say, South Africa. Less than one week before launching A350 service, Virgin unveiled its brand-new amenity kits, called "Goodie Bags." Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. It was the small side, and I found it to be somewhat difficult to find an open seat., but there was an entire area, the Quiet Area, that I didn't get the chance to explore. 2022 Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. All rights reserved.Registered office: Registered office: The VHQ, Fleming Way, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 9DF Related: Delta overhauls the onboard experience, goes all-in on sustainability. Meanwhile, the cold platters featured green salads, fresh vegetables and a couple other pasta-centric salad dishes. The entre was the exact opposite, a dense, cheesy, sloppy dish overflowing with rice. 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 toilets were kept clean, however, and with several empty seats in the Premium cabin, there was rarely a wait to use them. Service is one of those things that can either make or break a flight. . However, the contents of the meal did not disappoint. 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. Its so quiet that you really can hear a lot. Review: How Good Is Virgin Atlantic A350 Premium Economy? 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 the evening, the Premium queue was even shorter than the one for Upper Class, and far quicker than economy, which was nearing capacity. A seat in premium economy on A350-1000 V.2 directly between the main and business class cabins is measurably more expensive than an economy . 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. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. Nonetheless, I managed to work productively for most of the journey to London, another advantage of daytime flights. I was reminded of how phenomenal this cabin is, with one caveat which Ill get to. Airbus A330-300 (333) Airbus A350-1000 (351) Boeing 747-400 (744) Boeing 787-9 (789) Check-in; Baggage . 4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. Sadly, the check-in perks don't extend to Virgin's private security channel, and it took a full 30 minutes to complete security. Virgin Atlantic A350-1000 economy class review: New York - SANspotter As I wiggled around sitting upright on that narrow seat, just one inch wider than economy and with no leg rest not to mention those out-of-whack meal services I couldn't help thinking I'd save the cash or Virgin Points and just choose economy next time. The cheesecake, which both looked and tasted great, was the highlight of an otherwise mediocre meal. I just dont get people who stay awake on JFK-LHR redeye flights. The seat hadn't been cleaned properly, and I found crumbs on the leather upholstery, which is an issue I've found common across almost every carrier I've flown this year. I took a picture of the menu for you, so that you can see whats being offered anyway. I didn't eat anything, as I wasn't hungry and wanted to save my appetite for when I got on board. The 730 seemed narrower. 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. And it does it well. Inside, they were pretty standard economy-size lavatories with no special features or extras. Or, the Virgin 787 Dreamliner, for that matter. 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 large check-in area had dedicated lines for Upper Class/Delta One, as well as one for Premium and a large section for economy. Terms and Conditions Apply. While the welcome beverages were a pleasant surprise, both meal services were not. Required fields are marked *. Check here before booking an award fare. If you fly in the seat, its a benchmark premium experience, up there with Singapore Air and other leaders. Both dishes were listed as being served with a side of overnight oats with mango and coconut. For example, while the food for the initial meal service didn't match the menus the crew had handed out, they only seemed to discover this after passengers had finished eating it despite it being obvious the moment I opened my meal. Note, 787 is on a different system,I think ipass. While it was my fault for not realizing where the tortillas were held, I observed several passengers around me making the same mistake. 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. However, one point to note is that dinner took a full two hours from takeoff to table. This time around, after flying the very luxurious British Airways First to the United States to film an all-cabin video review with the U.K. team, I decided on something a little more economical for the return journey. The dish was absolutely lovely and roaring with flavor. I passed on the sparkles so that I could manage a flight without climbing over a seat mate, but many people were happily reveling. Well, not a joy for my hopes of a flat bed, but a joy to see the world traveling again. Have you ever flown Virgin Atlantic in premium economy? The lounge also boasted shower facilities, though those were subject to an additional charge. The Virgin A350 Premium Economy Seat Virgin's Premium cabin on the A350 offers 2x4x2 seating. 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. All this being said, the Virgin A350 seats aren't uncomfortable in any way. Unfortunately, no Priority Pass lounges were open prior to my 8:15 a.m. departure, either. Beyond the hard product, Virgin Atlantic's service remains top-notch as usual. I did the same journey to AUS on the 380 and back from LAX on the new plane. Though Sept. 11 wouldn't be the date of the inaugural flight, our thinking was the day following the first would be a more accurate representation of what the Premium experience would be like. It wasn't a long trek from the duty-free maze to the gate, which was helpful considering I didn't leave much time for leisure at the airport. Being Virgin Atlantic's largest passenger-carrying aircraft by length (73.8 meters long vs 62.8 for the 787-9 and 63.7 for the A330-300), the Airbus A350-1000 correspondingly has the largest capacity in the airline's fleet. This means even more air mile earning and burning possibilities for members of its Mileage Plus frequent flyer program. How bad is it when the seat in front of you fully reclines? Im a major fan of securing a window seat in the two seat, side configurations. I tend to chose foreign films I cant easily stream in the UK. "And again, we have that Bluetooth connectivity, so at every seat, you can connect your headsets . 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. Ports are easy to reach, which helps me remember not to leave anything behind. 2x points on all other eligible purchases. Related: Watch TPG UK review all 3 cabins on Virgin Atlantic's brand-new Airbus A350. Floor storage for personal effects is not available for use during takeoff and landing. Rich, custom leather seats with a generous 7 inch recline and high end finishes. I'm torn about this. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. 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. Enjoy Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status with your Card. On the 787 -9, seats measure 21" in width vs 18" in economy and offer 38" in pitch vs 31" (34" in Economy Delight). VS138 New York, NY (JFK) - London, England (LHR) Monday, September 16, 2019 Aircraft: A350-1042 Registration: G-VLUX Duration: 6 hours 57 minutes Seat: 50D (economy class) Virgin Atlantic A350-1000 side view illustration by Norebbo.com While not a huge space, and definitely not enough to store a laptop, it was sufficient for my passport, AirPods and my phone. 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. 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. When I started blogging, I had one very clear pillar for what success might be.