What it's like flying First Class

Check in Experience

Usually when I travel, I’m staring wishfully at the priority area check in from the economy line so I assumed that is where we would check in. We were at JFK and flying Virgin Atlantic Upper Class so we walk over to Virgin check in area and they point us to a huge fancy looking Delta room within the airport and tell us to check in through those doors. I was skeptical but we walked over and opened these huge wooden doors that opened to the land of Narnia. A woman greets us and then walks us (very slowly) down a long hallway to a whole other world I never even knew existed in the airport.

We check in at a private Delta/Virgin Atlantic Upper Class check in area. Our bags were tagged with a touch of luxury, marked as Upper Class (so fancy lol)! After check in, we were escorted to our own dedicated security area. As we walked toward security, I noticed we were on the second floor, providing a unique perspective of the bustling airport shops and restaurants below—an entirely different section that often goes unnoticed. Following security clearance, we enjoyed the comforts of the Delta Lounge, still on the second floor tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the airport.

Menu

When you get on the plane, they offer you a small cup of potato chips and the sparkling wine or juice. I noticed some cups of chips in the lounge area as well so I’m sure you could have gotten more if you wanted. Prior to the flight, I explored the menu online, selecting my meal three days in advance.

For dinner, I had the pumpkin risotto, while my boyfriend ordered roasted chicken with barley. Both meals were impressive, leaving us with no complaints. And don't get me started on dessert- I still find myself reminiscing about the delicious sticky toffee pudding, which was a first for me. Seriously, it was so good!

They even have the cutest tiny airplane shaped salt and pepper shakers. If you look on the bottom it says they were knicked from Virgin so you can take them with you (so I of course did).

They ask you what your preference for breakfast is when you get on board. You can choose to be woken up about 2 hours prior to landing or they offer to wake you up an hour prior with a light breakfast (like sausage roll), or you can request in advance not to be woken up at all. I selected to be woken up 2 hours prior because I wanted the full experience, but in retrospect I wish I didn't have them wake me. I was in a deep sleep when she tapped me to wake up for breakfast and wasn’t able to get back to sleep. I had ordered the frittata for breakfast, but it was just ok. Overall though, I think Virgin has some of the best airplane (and airline lounge) food that I’ve had and really shine here. (This held true for Economy and Upper Class).

Summary

In summary, I highly recommend flying Upper Class with Virgin Atlantic. The food was good, the attendants were super helpful and accommodating, the seats and “bed” were comfortable, and it felt semi-private as I hardly noticed the other passengers.

I used points from my Chase Sapphire credit card to purchase this flight. I snagged a great deal when they had a 40% transfer bonus so I only spent about 21,000 miles plus about $250 in taxes/fees. The full price of this one way flight was about $1900. As much as I loved it, would I have paid $1900 for that experience? Probably not! But I am a savvy traveler so if I see a deal like that again I am going to grab it without a second hesitation! Highly recommend!

Also, I’ve seen this bonus with Virgin using Chase points a few times so if anyone wants to get a Sapphire card you can use my link and get rewarded with sign on bonus points right away!

https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19q/FI4C58V86S

Seat

The upper class seat was very comfortable in both seat width (the peach was happy) and length, but because it transitions to a bed it is so long that when you are in take-off position you might not be able to reach the footrest area. I am not short (5’7”) but was not able to reach. However, as soon as we were able to recline, I adjusted it to my preference and was all good. The footrest area was actually like a cubby that had the bedding and space for your feet. There were a few small tray-like compartments available for storing items, though I would have liked more space. The absence of a back seat pocket made it difficult to keep my belongings organized, and I would have appreciated additional room to stow away my book, iPad, water bottle, etc..

There was a decent size TV that swung out and they give you noise cancelling headphones, or you can use your own. The tray table, conveniently positioned to the side, could be pulled towards you for dining. While the numerous buttons weren’t entirely self-explanatory, the attentive attendants were available to assist. A partial divider between the seat and row offered a semblance of privacy, although it didn’t extend entirely. A useful tip: the divider requires a push-in and pull-out motion, which took me some time to figure out. The “bed” was very comfortable and spacious. I move around a lot in my sleep and was able to shift and turn and plenty of space to lay on your side or back.

As an experienced flyer who travels about five times a year and has been flying since I was eight, I thought I knew what to expect during the check-in process and flight experience. However, this particular journey took me by surprise in the best way possible.

Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Experience

Upon entering the plan you notice the Virgin's signature red and purple hues. Of course you go to the left (Wahoo!!! first time going to the left) and you pass a small “lounge”, which was really like two bench/couches, and then you see the first class seats.

This was a A350-1000 and the 44 seats were configured in a single, double, single. Very shortly after finding our seats and putting our stuff down a flight attendant came by asking if we wanted pajamas for our overnight flight to London Heathrow. They only had two sizes, S/M and L/XL. It’s a nice touch but I didn’t use them on the plane as I came decked out in my “upper class” lounge outfit. I’m really not sure how anyone could even change into them on the plane because the bathroom was so small. That was my only letdown that the size of the bathroom was the same as the economy cabin bathrooms. I used the pajamas while traveling and they are nice enough. It’s an oversized two piece set with purple bottoms and long sleeve grey t shirt. They are the same for men and women.

We were also given swag bags filled with essential travel products. Although the bags themselves were made from recycled materials, giving them a somewhat inexpensive feel, the contents included a variety of useful items designed to make our journey more comfortable. It contained an eye mask, compression socks, ear plugs, toothbrush, toothpaste, lip balm, day cream, and hand cream.

After settling in the attendants came around with hot towels and then sparking wine or juice. Ahhh- we’ve made it! The flight attendants were exceptionally friendly and took the time to engage with each passenger, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Acknowledging our inexperience as first-time flyers with Virgin, they patiently explained the onboard features, which certainly eased our nerves. A special mention to Ashley for her kindness!

As this was a short 6 hour overnight international flight we quickly ate dinner (more on that below) and went to sleep for a couple hours. I’ll talk more about the seats but they were comfortable and I honestly cannot recommend Virgin enough. The whole experience from start (at the airport) to finish was amazing and we were very pleased.

Side note- On our return journey, we flew economy but opted to upgrade our seats at check-in to "economy delight," which offered extra legroom. After the luxurious experience of upper class, we were worried we'd be disappointed; however, we were pleasantly surprised by the comfort of our seats. Even without the upgrade, they felt more spacious than on other flights, and the additional legroom was a great bonus. My boyfriend, who is 6'3", found he had a couple of inches to spare, even with the seat in front of him reclined. The seating arrangement was 3-3-3, which I typically dislike for international flights since it can result in being stuck in the middle on a long flight. But fortunately, the flight was not full so people moved around. It even seemed like a couple people moved into the larger space seats without paying. Happy to report that the food was also good in Economy. We were served snacks right away, dinner was good (pasta and chicken casserole with potatoes and veggies) and a chocolate pot (like thicker moose) for dessert. They came around a few times with beverages as well. So, in summary, I would recommend Virgin Atlantic for all seating classes!

What to Wear

So I thought about this for awhile and ended up purchasing a matching lounge set that was buttery smooth soft and comfortable and paired them with my travel workhouse sneakers (Hoka transit). I wanted to look more put together than when I usually fly. (By the way…I wore these Hoka Transit sneakers 20,000 steps a day in the city and they are water resistant which helped in rainy London- definitely recommend)! We flew economy on the way back and I planned a whole different outfit. It was still a matching lounge set but more of a cotton soft/fuzzy material.

I know a lot of people wonder about what to wear but honestly, I did not notice one single other person’s outfits so in the long run, it really doesn’t matter. Just be comfortable, especially on overnight flights.

Lounge Experience

As soon as you step into the lounge, it's clear that it offers a unique experience. The atmosphere buzzes with activity, thanks to the attentive staff circulating with beverage carts popping bottles. A cozy living room like area boasts a fire pit and several TVs, which at the time was showing the NFL playoff games, so of course I lost my boyfriend there. Ample lounge seating and dining tables, alongside convenient amenities like showers, a bar, a served buffet, and a full restaurant, create an inviting environment. However, despite its appealing aesthetics, I must admit that the buffet food fell short of expectations.

We decided to go to the Virgin Atlantic Club Lounge since that is who we were flying with and the vibe was much different. It was low key, not as opulent, but had a pool table and some fun (although not comfortable) chairs and lounge areas. However, the food here was good. You can order off their menu (and pro tip- they have a kids menu that isn’t well known but you can order off that). Chicken tenders and fries always hit the spot-thank you! This lounge was in the general population area (not like the Delta Lounge upstairs) so we had to go downstairs, through the shops/restaurants to get there. Time went by too quick and before we knew it, it was time to board our flight.

How exciting- my first upper class international experience!! Let’s go!