Many European nations are small enough that there is only one dominant full-service carrier, but the United Kingdom is unique within Europe in that its largest city (London) is home to two full-service airlines. British Airways is the larger, more established of the two, with a large short-haul network and a comprehensive long-haul network. Virgin Atlantic is the more recent entrant, focusing exclusively on intercontinental flights with widebodies while offering a more trendy and lively onboard experience.

Unlike British Airways, which offers first class on a significant portion of its long-distance flights, Virgin Atlantic’s most premium cabin is « Upper Class ». Upper Class is essentially equivalent to business class, and for years it was a superior product to the seven or eight-abreast Club World seats offered by British Airways. However, British Airways and other European carriers have evolved, and so too has Virgin Atlantic. Here’s what you get if you fly Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class in 2025.

The Excellent Ground Experience

Virgin Atlantic operates a network of Clubhouses for Upper Class lounges, but the largest and most opulent is the location in London Heathrow Airport. In a recent ranking of business class lounges, Simple Flying ranked the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at Heathrow Airport as third in the world, ahead of lounges operated by carriers such as Emirates, Cathay Pacific, and Singapore Airlines.

The Clubhouse is located at Heathrow’s Terminal 3, within the Upper Class Wing. This area features dedicated check-in and security lanes for Upper Class passengers, greatly expediting these processes. Inside, guests are treated to a la carte dining with waiter service or online ordering. The large bar area is routinely staffed with multiple bartenders to ensure prompt service, and the quality of the drinks, as well as the meal options, are known to be excellent. In addition, the Clubhouse is filled with amenities for Upper Class passengers.

The Clubhouse features a wide variety of seating options, as well as a large outdoor terrace. The visual design is visually striking and evokes Virgin Atlantic’s ethos of being fun and trendy. There are dedicated work areas, a fitness area with Peloton bikes, a pool table, and several shower suites. Different sections of the lounge feature different visual designs depending on the purpose of the area, and the Clubhouse also features a large children’s playground, in addition to a screening room. The lounge is known for having friendly staff, and the experience as a whole is one of the most impressive in the world.

The Seats Onboard Virgin Atlantic’s Aircraft

Before getting into specifics about the benefits of the onboard experience, it’s important to cover the specific seat models that Virgin Atlantic uses for Upper Class. The carrier uses three different types of Upper Class seats: The Zodiac UCS3 on the Airbus A330-300 and Boeing 787-9, the Thompson Vantage XL+ on the Airbus A330-900, and the Safran Cirrus NG on the Airbus A350-1000. The seats on the A330-900 and the A350 feature privacy doors and are therefore branded as Upper Class Suites, while those on the A330-300 and 787 do not.

The Safran Cirrus NG is a fully flat seat with direct aisle access. Virgin Atlantic has specified the window seats to be configured reverse herringbone, while the center suites are configured herringbone. The benefit of a reverse herringbone layout is that every seat is identical, although in Virgin Atlantic’s specifications, the center suites are optimized for couples and may be awkward for strangers. The Thompson Vantage XL+ on the A330-900 is a staggered seat, meaning that there is more variability. However, the A330-900s also feature two front-row « Retreat Suites » with more space and a larger screen, the only aircraft in Virgin Atlantic’s fleet with this option.

The Zodiac (now part of Safran) UCS3 is an older herringbone design. While all seats feature direct aisle access and lie flat, they’re positioned towards the aisle at a severe angle. Window seat passengers often find it difficult to look out the window, and the seats lack privacy. In addition, the seat only has one recline position, and must be flipped over for bed mode. The A330-300s and 787-9s make up the majority of Virgin Atlantic’s fleet, although the carrier intends to retire the A330-300 fleet by 2027, while the 787-9s will be retrofitted with the Vantage XL+ beginning in 2028.

Benefits Of Flying In Upper Class

Although the herringbone seats are the ones to avoid, they are still a lie-flat seat with direct aisle access. Lie-flat seating makes for a far more comfortable flight than even premium economy, while direct aisle access means that no one has to climb over a seatmate. The center suites on the Airbus A350 are also ideal for couples traveling together, given their proximity to one another, while the center suites on the Airbus A330-900 are spaced an equal distance apart, which is ideal for solo travelers. The herringbone seats on the A330-300 and 787 are configured 1-1-1.

Upper Class seats are the largest and most spacious seats in the aircraft, with larger entertainment screens and more storage than premium economy or economy. In addition, the two Retreat Suites on the A330neos are Virgin Atlantic’s entry into the world of business class plus. Rather than install a bulky monument with a footwell in front-row seats, the center suites in Row 1 feature an ottoman which can also be used as a buddy seat, along with an enormous 27″ (68.58 cm) screen. Retrofitted 787s will come with four Retreat Suites.

Virgin Atlantic is also famous for its onboard social spaces. The A330-300s and 787-9s feature a bar behind the Upper Class cabin, while most A350s and all A330neos are equipped with « The Loft« , a lounge-style social area. Virgin Atlantic also has a subfleet of five A350-1000s in a high-density layout, and these aircraft feature « The Booth« . As the name suggests, it’s a booth-style seating area meant for two people located in the front of the Upper Class cabin on these aircraft. However, the company is moving away from this concept, as reconfigured 787s will not feature a social space.

The Soft Product In Virgin Atlantic Upper Class

When discussing airline interiors, the term « hard product » is typically used to describe seats, interior design, as well as amenities like Virgin Atlantic’s social spaces. The term « soft product » is used to describe variable items, such as service, amenity kits, and catering. Regarding service, this is something that can vary hugely between flights on any airline, but Virgin Atlantic’s crews are generally known to be friendly and attentive, on par with the best European airlines.

Virgin Atlantic offers all Upper Class passengers a glass of champagne or sparkling wine during boarding. Waiting at every seat is an amenity kit stocked with a dental kit, earplugs, an eyemask, socks, and skincare products, including moisturizer, lip balm, and hand cream. In addition, Upper Class passengers receive noise-cancelling headphones and a full-size pillow, while flight attendants also provide bedding.

Virgin Atlantic offers Upper Class passengers the opportunity to pre-order their meals. Flight attendants come by after the doors close to take meal orders, and Virgin Atlantic advertises that it serves its dishes over four courses. In addition, the meals themselves are plated and presented in a fittingly upscale manner befitting of the high price tag that the carrier charges for Upper Class. Virgin Atlantic also offers a wide variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

How Does It Compare To The Competition

Virgin Atlantic’s most direct competitor is British Airways. Regarding hard product, British Airways’ Club Suites use the Collins Aerospace Super Diamond with a privacy door, a reverse herringbone seat that is roughly comparable to the Safran Cirrus NG. However, the center suites face away from the aisle, meaning that there are no honeymoon-style seats. The Thompson Vantage XL+ is also on a similar level of quality, but there is more variability since seats alternate between being closer to the aisle or further away, whereas every Club Suite is the same.

The herringbone seats on Virgin Atlantic’s A330-300s and 787s are more private and spacious than British Airways’ old Club World seats (configured either seven or eight-abreast depending on aircraft type). However, these seats are increasingly on a small minority of British Airways’ widebodies, whereas a majority of Virgin Atlantic’s fleet is made up of the A330-300 and the 787. Virgin Atlantic also offers a superior ground experience and generally has friendlier service.

Overall, British Airways offers a more consistent product, and you’re far less likely to end up flying on a prior-generation seat than with Virgin Atlantic. However, soft product can make or break a flight, and British Airways isn’t generally known for having the same quality as Virgin Atlantic regarding onboard service. While it’s less likely that you’ll end up on Virgin Atlantic’s newest seats, if you do, Virgin Atlantic is likely the better option when considering the ground and in-flight experience.