Background & Booking
For the start of my summer in Europe trip, I flew on the Virgin Atlantic A350 Upper Class from New York (JFK) to London (LHR).
I had always wanted to fly in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, and an opportunity popped up when I saw award space via Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club from New York (JFK) to London (LHR) for 38,000 points + $250 in taxes/fees. I had only flown Virgin Atlantic once before this, when I was a kid, and it was actually quite a cool experience. Back in the day, on the 747s, there were a few rows of economy seats on the upper deck, and so I made sure my family and I sat there, which was quite exciting. That was my first flight across the Atlantic, so it was quite memorable.
Flight Details
Virgin Atlantic Flight 154
Date of Flight: August 2025
New York (JFK) to London (LHR)
Scheduled Duration: 7 hours 20 minutes
Status: On Time
Seat/Cabin: 5A/Upper Class (Business)
Aircraft: Airbus A350-1000
At the Airport
Virgin Atlantic Upper Class passengers can utilize the Delta One Check-In, which is quite nice. Virgin Atlantic is part of SkyTeam, and Delta owns 49% of Virgin Atlantic.
The private check-in is located on the right side of the airport, and it’s a private check-in area. As you enter, you’ll walk down a long hallway, and then there is a refreshments station with snacks and drinks.
There are agents to assist with ticketing with seating, and then traditional check-in stations, with two to the right being for Virgin Atlantic. Once I quickly checked my bag, it was off to the private security line.
The private security line is a cool feature, though we did have a bit of a queue, and with only one station, it could get backed up during peak hours. I’m not sure if it was faster than the normal TSA PreCheck lines, but it was at least in a more peaceful setting.
Then it was off to the Delta One Lounge, just a few steps away from the security checkpoint. I wrote a full review of the lounge here, if you’d like to read. Overall, I think it’s a stellar lounge, and the Brasserie restaurant is a treat.
You could also utilize the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, which was just across the departure gate. I’ve been a few times before and have enjoyed it. You can check out my old review here, but I also popped in for 20 minutes before boarding to see how the latest was. The food that you could order via QR code and have delivered to you seemed tasty, but I was just too full! I also completed my quest for some pre-packaged chips in case I wanted some during the flight, since I couldn’t find any at the Delta One Lounge.
Boarding & First Impressions
Boarding was complete 15 minutes before our scheduled departure time. The flight was scheduled for 7 hours and 20 minutes, though once we were onboard, they announced that our flight time would be 5 hours and 59 minutes.
We left the gate 10 minutes after our scheduled departure, and took off 35 minutes past our scheduled departure time.
The Plane & Seat
The Virgin Atlantic Airbus A350-1000 Upper Class seat was pretty nice, and all the window seats angled towards the window. There are two configurations, the majority with 44 Upper Class seats and one in a more “leisure” format with just 16 Upper Class seats. My aircraft had 44 Upper Class seats, and my particular aircraft was just slightly over 5 years old.
The seat has controllable air nozzles, and to the left are two shelves for storage and a side table. Under the side table were the controls for the seat, lights, and volume. There is a USB-C port and headphone jack underneath the shelves, and there is a universal power outlet below the side table as well. The tray table pops out from the seat in front, and there is a small storage spot for a boxed water bottle.
Close to the window is a small cubby that holds the headphones and reading material. A bag with the bedding was located on the footrest.
Headphones were provided, as well as an amenity kit, or “goodie bag” as they call it. The amenity kit was in a zipper pouch made of reusable material, and featured socks, an eyemask, toothbrush/paste, earplugs, lipbalm, hand cream, and day cream from REN.
I didn’t realize until after my flight that they provide pajamas upon request during these overnight flights…Oops, I would have loved to get some.
The A350-1000 offers a touchscreen 18.5-inch HD monitor, with plenty of selections to keep you occupied.
Wi-Fi
Wifi was available during the flight, but unfortunately at a cost, and there weren’t any ways to get a complimentary session, even for business class passengers. A messaging pass was 2.99 £, one hour was 6.99 £, and a flight pass was £ 20.99. Since I was planning to maximize sleep for the flight, I did not pay for/test out the WiFi.
The Flight
Shortly after takeoff, the dinner service commenced. You can pre-order a meal between 7 days and 4 hours before your flight.
Onboard for dinner, the menu included a choice of:
Starters
Served with a selection of warm artisan breads
- Prosciutto di parma, himalayan pink salt burrata
- Parsnip soup
Mains
- Teriyaki salmon
- Stuffed chicken
- Palak paneer
Desserts
- Raspberry cheesecake
- Warm carrot cinnamon chocolate chip
- American cheese plate
I ordered the Teriyaki Salmon, and it was not too bad. The service started with a drink & some delicious chips, and the fig bread they had was stellar.
And aren’t the airplane salt and pepper shakers so cute? You are allowed to take them (the bottom of them says “pinched by Virgin Atlantic”). They are plastic, though (sad, as they seemed a bit higher quality in the photo).
After my meal, I wanted to catch as much sleep as I could, so I declined the breakfast service since I knew I could have breakfast after landing at the arrivals lounge. I found the seat to be pretty comfortable in lie-flat mode, and the mattress topper was nice. Though the blanket was a bit light, the pillow could have been a bit more plush. I slept for about 4 hours and woke up when they announced that we were beginning our descent, about 40 minutes before landing.
I have to say that the service was polished and attentive, and I had a great experience with the service.
Breakfast is served two hours before landing, and the menu consists of:
Mains
- Cooked breakfast- (cheese & spinach omelette, pork sausage, Irish back bacon, mushroom, potato & beans)
- Vegetable and mozzarella egg soufflé
- Classic French toast
Sides
- Fruit Plate, Pain au chocolat, Greek yoghurt, American mixed berry granola, cornflakes, muesli
Express Breakfast
- Warm bacon sandwich with a pain au chocolat
Also, in the back of the cabin, the Loft is available for Upper Class travelers, offering a space to relax and interact outside of their seats. Since I slept most of this flight, I didn’t check out the space.
For lavatories, there are two in the front of the cabin, and one even had a window!
We landed about 20 minutes ahead of schedule and got to the gate exactly on time. Then, after clearing customs, it was off to the arrivals lounge! A nice place to freshen up with a shower and a full meal! I’ll be writing a full review on the arrivals lounge in the coming days.
The Verdict
Overall, I had a wonderful experience in the Virgin Atlantic A350 Upper Class cabin from New York to London. The seats were comfortable, the service was polished, and the food was decent. The lounge access, both before departure and after arrival, was also top-notch.
Have you flown in the Virgin Atlantic A350 Upper Class cabin before? What were your thoughts? Comment below!
Cheers,
Ty
Have any questions? Comment below or email me at takeofftotravel@gmail.com. You can also view all my other posts here! Thanks for stopping by!
