I’ve taken economy flights on multiple carriers between New York and London, the most popular airline route in the world, and I can definitely say there are some differences in the experience across airlines.

Many different airlines fly the route to London including Delta, United, American, Virgin, and more.

While most flights from the US are a redeye and depart in the evening to arrive in the morning, this flight was departing at 8:15 AM and set to arrive at 8:00 PM London time.

I’ve flown the A350 in business class before but I was actually kind of intrigued to see what Virgin offering in economy was. Given business class tickets to London these days are often $2,000+ for a one way, I had no problem sitting in Economy for a 6 hour daytime flight.

This was the first time taking a daytime flight to Europe and I noticed it was significantly cheaper than the nighttime route on my particular date.

The advantages of flying in the day especially in Economy:

• No need to sleep especially when you don’t get a bed
• Arrival into London at a decent time that you still have a late evening
• Less delays departing since it’s an early morning flight
• Less jet lag especially if you have trouble sleeping on flights

The disadvantages of this route are:

• You lose a full day flying with the time difference
• You still get jet lag if you have trouble sleeping after you arrive
• An additional night in a hotel if you are staying in one

I was pretty excited to try this route especially to see how I would feel the following day.

Note: I reviewed this flight from JFK to LHR on our review platform and you can review it there as well.

I boarded the plane and always love the lighting on Virgin Atlantic. It has a “cool” factor with the cabin and colors that I find appealing although others may not.

I got to see the premium economy cabin when boarding that is set into a 2-4-2 configuation.

The seats in premium economy looked conformable and similar to what you will see in a domestic first class. The downside to this premium economy is there are 2 seats in the middle making the window sections much more appealing.

As I made my way past the premium economy cabin I was one of the first to board in standard economy. The cabin features the same purple lighting but the seats are outfitted with cloth compared to a leather in premium class.

The economy cabin is split into a 3-3-3 configuration, which makes 3 seats per row in the middle. If this was a full flight you would definitely feel how crowded it was but luckily for me the flight was relatively empty.

I found my aisle seat a few rows in and was ready to get settled. The seat backs looked and felt a bit thin but overall it was pretty comfortable.

The legroom on this flight is typical to what you will feel in any other economy cabin but the A350 design made the cabin feel a bit more spacious.

I immediately noticed how big the IFE screen was and the quality was definitely better than most. I like when airlines outfit updated screens in economy since it’s heavily used especially on a daytime flight.

Now that I was settled it was time for my favorite part of the flight, the food. I tend to like airplane food and more often am interested in the offering of different airlines.

When you typically board a flight to Europe you are served the main meal shortly after takeoff and then a snack upon arrival. What I was a bit surprised to see what the opposite on this daytime flight, where the snack was served first and the main meal was served before landing.

The snack on this flight was a light breakfast that included a yogurt, croissant, and granola. I’m guessing the reason for this is most people want to try to sleep immediately upon boarding but I tend to not be excited about cold meals on airplanes.

The yogurt was actually pretty good and much thicker than normal. It went well with the granola and I also thought the croissant was decent, although a bit cold as well.

If you are planning to take this flight and usually like a decent breakfast then definitely eat something prior to boarding. This breakfast snack is the only offering until about 4 hours into the flight when the main meal is served.

The main meal was served about 1.5 hours before landing into London and started with a snack of pretzels. Followed was a choice of chicken curry or gnocchi, which I wouldn’t have really known if I hadn’t heard someone ask the FA to clarify after the options were “chicken or pasta”.

The chicken curry was served in a box with a bread roll and salted caramel bar for dessert. I actually like the way the box is served since it’s comfortable to fit on your tray table. Comparing this to the way Delta serves there food on plates, which are often an awkward shape and really make the plate like a tray.

The chicken curry was well seasoned and the rice wasn’t too dry. I found the portion to be a bit small but it had good flavor and I actually enjoyed the comfort of a dish like this.

In addition they serve Wine in a can that is actually much more comfortable to drink out of than a glass. When you have limited space in economy all these details matter so i enjoyed how Virgin was serving both the meal and drinks.

Overall economy flights tend to be rather similar but Virgin’s seat, IFE, service, and food tend to be better than most airlines.

The good thing about flying from the East coast to Europe is flights typically arrive early and that’s exactly what happened here. We landed at Heathrow around 7:30 PM, about 30 minutes ahead of schedule.

If I had taken a redeye on this route I knew I would have had trouble sleeping and arrived in London in need of a nap. But this daytime flight made the time fly and I arrived in London with enough energy to make it out for the evening. After one night of slightly later than normal sleep, I was back to normal and refreshed for the next day.

Would I fly this route again with Virgin? Absolutely.

I would also consider economy again and save my money or airline miles since the comfort of business class on a day flight isn’t worth the added cost for me.

The post Flight Review: Virgin Atlantic A350 Economy Class from New York to London appeared first on Travel Season.

Virgin Atlantic pulls out all the stops for their clubhouse at their airline hub at Heathrow Airport. There is even a private terminal for upper class passengers to use!

Long considered an Oasis at an otherwise bustling Heathrow Airport, the Virgin Atlantic clubhouse is arguably one of the nicest lounges that I have ever been to. It even has the ambiance and appearance of a trendy hotel lobby rather than an airport lounge.

I was stopped in London on a relatively short 3 hour layover on a flight from Mumbai, but even given my time restraints I knew that I had to check out the Virgin Atlantic clubhouse. I was starving, and ready to get a good meal before my departure.

The first thing I noticed was how spacious the Virgin Atlantic clubhouse is. Sporting a huge open floor plan, there are plenty of couches, tables, and booths to sit and hang around in.

Immediately upon entering you are faced with a large prepared food bar. And it’s not just a run of the mill, ordinary hot bar. Impeccably clean and well designed, there was a ton of variety in the freshly prepared dishes that were plated and ready to grab and go.

They even have an interesting and unique hanging donut wall displayed in the back!

Prepared Options and Donut Bar

This area is earmarked for those patrons that are in a rush. Spot a dish that looks appealing? Just grab and eat straight away. Since it was morning when I arrived, I went down the line and found a wide selection of salads, fruit bowls, oatmeal, and other various breakfast foods.

Prepared Breakfast and Salads

The salads actually looked pretty good, and given that there was a decent amount of foot traffic in the lounge, the dishes were being replaced pretty frequently.

Prepared Meats, Cheeses, and Eggs

The station also had plates that were filled with smoked salmon, meats, eggs, and cheeses. A light and simple way to start off the day or fuel up between flights.

Hot Bar Sandwiches and Pretzels

If you craved something more filling, the station also provided pre-made breakfast sandwiches and pretzels to choose from.

Pastry and Muffin Selection

Rounding out the pre-made bar was a freshly baked assortment of muffins and pastries that smelled great.

What I really appreciated about the prepared food section was that there were 2 employees hard at work behind the bar that will mix and max any dishes that you choose. A nice, personal touch for the Virgin Atlantic clubhouse.

Want a sandwich but don’t see what you’re craving? Not a problem. With a large selection of fresh bread, meats, cheeses, and vegetables, there was something to prepare whatever is desired.

While I grabbed a few things on a small plate to nibble on, I didn’t want to fill up. I had heard rave reviews about the a la carte dining, so I decided to have my main meal off that menu.

A La Carte Dining Menu

I was pretty surprised upon opening the menu. It was decently expansive, and had a great selection of meals to choose from.

The breakfast menu had 7 different cooked dishes to order. The last time that I had stopped in the lounge I enjoyed a delicious bowl of ramen, so I knew the food would be pretty good. This time I was excited to try something new.

Drink Menu

The drink menu has a pretty extensive selection of coffee, tea, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages.

There was only one issue that I came across while ordering. I was trying to eat vegan at the time, and there wasn’t much food to choose from that satisfied my diet. 6 out of the 7 breakfast dishes contained eggs, which made them a no go.

But the best part of the a la carte dining is the dedicated waitstaff. My waitress was extremely friendly and helpful, and was happy to accommodate changes to the dishes based on diet. She recommended the shakshuka, minus the eggs.

Beautifully Plated Shakshuka

The dish came pipping hot and looked great. I was super impressed at the restaurant level quality of the meal’s presentation.

A shakshuka without the eggs is basically an elevated tomato soup. This dish was well seasoned, and I really enjoys the garnish of fresh greens that was added on top.

The meal was really good, and ended up working out well and not getting me too full, allowing me to feel light for my upcoming flight. I also had the chance to indulge in some delicious food aboard the Virgin A350 from London to JFK.

All in all, the Virgin Atlantic clubhouse is really a unique lounge, and almost a must stop when traveling through Heathrow.

The good news for Delta frequent flyers is that they are granted access to the clubhouse with Platinum and above status, or when flying first class.

When given the chance I would definitely come back to the Virgin Atlantic clubhouse. The food is reliable and tasty with many options to select from, and the space itself is luxurious and comfortable. Virgin Atlantic is no stranger to having a bit of a trendy edge in their offerings, and this lounge certainly lives up to the standard.

The post Food Review: Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at Heathrow Airport appeared first on Travel Season.

This flight was a bit strange. I had no plans of actually taking this flight until the day prior. Due to last minute cancellations I booked a trip from Mumbai to New York City via London on Virgin Atlantic business class. The flight was set to depart at 3:00am, which in India is apparently common for flights to leave in the middle of the night.

I had never flown Virgin Atlantic business class before, and was pretty excited to check it out. There wasn’t time to do much research prior so I had no idea what to expect.

I typically like to pre-order the vegetarian meal prior to departure, but since I booked so last minute that wasn’t an option. I crossed my fingers hoping that Virgin Atlantic would have a vegetarian option.

I boarded the plan and found a very unique cabin layout that had me sitting in the middle of a row with a strange barrier in front.

This would be my view for this 9 hour flight. I had seen pictures of the layout before, but didn’t really know what to expect when I was flying it. I was just glad I was on this side of the aisle and not in one of those seats that appear to face each other. That would be totally awkward.

My first immediate impression of the cabin was how sleek the lighting was. It felt like I was in some sort of trendy lounge. Very much Virgin Atlantic’s aesthetic.

The seats, however, while a little narrow. I felt just a little bit too close to your neighbor. You don’t even need to be tall for your head to be right next to your neighbor, and any small move could result in awkward eye contact. If you are looking for any sort of cabin privacy this flight definitely wasn’t the right flight.

Virgin’s laid back and cool vibe was on display all throughout the flight. Even their menu greeting seemed on trend.

Few menu options

I was excited to open it up and see a grilled cheese! While the vegetarian options were slim, I was still relieved that I’d have something to eat.

A decent amount of wine

I’m not much of a drinker, but I did take a peek at the wine list. If I would have ordered, I would have picked the Champagne Ayala Brut Majer, which retails for around $40 a bottle.

As we took off I was excited to get something to eat before getting some shut eye.

When the grilled cheese arrived it looked a bit underwhelming. It was served on a sleek black plate, but the dish didn’t come with anything else, just the grilled cheese. A pretty meager portion, but I was too hungry to care at this point and easily finished off all four quarters.

Before I went to bed I checked the breakfast menu just to make sure there would be another vegetarian option.

limited breakfast menu

They had a simple, yet restrictive menu but I could always spring for a bowl of breakfast cereal.

I ended up getting way more sleep than I expected. After 2 weeks in India I was super tired out and slept just about the whole way since finishing the grilled cheese.

The downside was that I didn’t wake up in time to get breakfast. But I did catch up on some much needed zzz’s…

While I was bummed at first, I realized I that I would be spending a few hours in the Virgin Clubhouse at Heathrow between flights and have plenty of food options there.

My first premium experience on Virgin went smoothly, although I don’t know if I would pick it again with other options available and such a limited food menu. My flight on the way in United Polaris via Frankfurt provided a much bigger seat and had way more privacy and a larger food selection.

I would compare Virgin Atlantic to a trendy nightclub in the sky that has a lot of style, but can sometimes fall short on comfort. I was hoping the newer plane I was on from London to New York would be more my speed but if it was this or Air India, I would go with Virgin Atlantic every time.

The post Food Review: Virgin Atlantic 787 Business Class from Mumbai to London appeared first on Travel Season.