Few cabins have stirred as much curiosity as Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class Suite on the Airbus A350. It launched with a splashy promise: a more private, modern take on Virgin’s social, slightly cheeky https://soulfultravelguy.com/ style, with a central lounge they called The Loft and fully enclosed suites arriving later. After several flights on the A350 between London and New York, and a couple of longer hauls to Johannesburg and Los Angeles, I have a clear view of how the product performs day to day, where it shines, and where it still trails the best. If you care about the details, and if you find yourself comparing business class Virgin Atlantic versus its European and U.S. competitors, this is the level of granularity you want before you book.
The aircraft matters: A350 layout and ride quality
The A350 does two things well that passengers feel from seat 1A to the last row in economy. It is quiet, and it breathes well. On the A350-1000, Virgin’s Upper Class occupies the forward section with 1-2-1 seating, every passenger having direct aisle access. The air feels less parched than on older widebodies, with the cabin humidity and pressure helping you arrive less dried out. Noise levels, especially forward of the wing, stay low enough that soft-spoken cabin crew can be heard clearly even during taxi.
Virgin originally installed a doorless Upper Class Suite with high walls and a shoulder-level privacy shield. More recently, the “Retreat Suite” appeared on some A350s in the bulkhead of row 1, with two oversized seats that convert into a shared space for dining or meetings. Only two seats per aircraft qualify, and they can be reserved for a supplement. If you see references online to “Virgin Atlantic first class,” that’s a misnomer: the airline does not operate a true first class, and the Retreat seats are still part of Virgin Atlantic business class.
The front galley on the A350 is compact but efficient, and service flow tends to be forward to back. If you are sensitive to foot traffic, avoid the first two rows. If you prefer a quick meal service and first crack at menu choices, those same rows are helpful. Trade-offs like this matter more on overnight eastbound flights where every minute of sleep counts.
The suite: privacy, ergonomics, and that infamous footwell
The Upper Class Suite takes the familiar 1-2-1 reverse herringbone layout and gives it a softer British lounge feel. Upholstery blends charcoal, aubergine, and copper accents. The color palette holds up well under wear. On aircraft delivered in the first batch, doors were absent. On later aircraft, Virgin added sliding doors that close most of the way but do not reach the floor or ceiling. They are meaningful for privacy from the aisle but do not transform the suite into a cocoon. You can still see the top of your neighbor’s head if you stand.
The seat itself measures roughly 20 to 22 inches wide depending on armrest position, with a pitch long enough to create a 6-foot-6-inch bed when fully flat. In practice, comfort in bed mode depends on the footwell. On window seats, the footwell narrows slightly toward the tip. Side sleepers who tuck a knee may find the taper noticeable. I sleep best by lowering the armrest and placing the pillow diagonally to reduce shoulder squeeze. On center seats, the footwell feels marginally wider, and couples can lean toward each other over the divider if it is lowered. Solo travelers often prefer windows for the view and sense of privacy; pairs should pick middle seats unless one person guards their space.
Storage is better than it looks at first glance. The surface by the window holds a phone and a water bottle without sliding during turbulence. A small lidded cubby near the shoulder accommodates a passport, glasses, and earbuds. The literature pocket is just large enough for a tablet. The only frequent frustration is laptop storage. A 13-inch laptop fits under the footwell shelf, but removing it during meal service requires a bit of choreography. If you need the laptop out for most of the flight, plan to keep it on the side shelf and move it when trays arrive.
Controls sit on the side panel: seat positions, reading lights, and a “do not disturb” button that triggers a small light the crew respects in practice. Seat motors are quick and quiet. The tray table slides out in one piece and pivots, making it possible to leave your seat during the meal without fully stowing the tray. It is a small thing that becomes a big relief on long sectors.
Bedding and sleep quality on eastbound overnights
On the overnight from JFK to Heathrow, you get maybe five hours of real sleep if everything runs on time. Virgin’s bedding helps make those hours count. The mattress pad has enough cushioning to smooth the seams in bed mode, and the duvet provides moderate warmth without trapping heat. The pillow is larger than the typical business class airline pillow, though I still request a second one on night flights and use it as a knee cushion to mitigate the footwell taper. Cabin temperature on Virgin tends to run slightly warmer than, say, Finnair or Swiss. If you run hot, remove the mattress topper or use the duvet folded. Noise stays low in the forward third of the cabin, but service from The Loft can carry after meal times. Pick a seat a few rows away if you sleep lightly.
The Loft: social space or novelty?
Virgin likes to design a communal area instead of a simple galley curtain. On the A350, that is The Loft, a lounge with a banquette, seatbelts on the bench, and a large screen. I have seen it used three ways. First, couples dine together there if the cabin is not full and the crew has bandwidth, though this is more common on daytime flights. Second, solo travelers stand and stretch, enjoy a drink, and chat with crew. Third, on overnight flights, it becomes a quiet staging area for snacks.
Whether it is useful to you depends on your style. If you like the idea of stretching your legs, asking for a top-up, and reading a few pages away from your seat, it works. If you prefer maximum privacy and darkness, The Loft’s proximity can feel like a mild disturbance when it is busy. It is not a bar like Emirates’. It is more of a softly lit living room, and it does match the Virgin brand: casual, sociable, a bit playful.
Dining: menus, timing, and how to win the meal service
Virgin’s catering on the A350 is easier to enjoy when you know what to expect. The airline leans toward modern British comfort food with one or two global options. Portions are not huge on the initial service, but the second round of snacks and light bites makes up for it if you are still hungry.
On early evening departures from the U.S., Virgin often offers a faster “express” option: a single tray with starter and main, followed by a quick dessert. If sleep is the priority, tell the crew as soon as you board that you want the quick service and to be left uninterrupted afterward. They are good at pacing. If you want the full course with wine pairings, you get a proper plating with warm bread and time to enjoy it.
Among the better main courses I have had: a braised short rib with mash that survived reheating without drying out, and a roasted cod with herb crust that kept its texture. Salads are crisp, dressings are not cloying, and cheese plates come with crackers that don’t taste like they have been stored since last summer. The vegan or vegetarian selection varies by route, so if you have firm preferences, pre-ordering is smart.
Virgin’s wine program skews toward approachable bottles. Expect a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, a French or Iberian red, and a sparkling option, sometimes English. Crew are candid if a particular bottle is the crowd favorite on that flight, and they will steer you accordingly. Coffee quality swung across flights for me, from excellent to overly bitter. If coffee matters, ask which machine is being used that day and request an Americano rather than a long pull from the espresso button.
Service style: warmth with efficiency, and a few quirks
Upper Class crew are, in my experience, consistently warm. The tone is friendly and conversational, similar to the ground experience in the Virgin Clubhouse lounges. On flights that leave late at night, I have seen crews accelerate the first service without cutting corners, which is what you want when the goal is sleep. On daytime flights, they lean more into hospitality, checking glasses and offering second helpings from the snack carts.
Where service can wobble is in the small rhythms. Turndown is available, but not always proactively offered. If you know you will sleep midflight, ask for your bed to be made as soon as you finish eating. It takes two minutes and makes a bigger difference than you think. Wi-Fi package codes sometimes arrive after you connect, not before. If you plan to work, buy the full-flight package up front and keep your receipts, since refunds for dropouts are handled via a simple online form.
Entertainment and connectivity: the hardware improved, the catalog stays familiar
The A350 introduced a nicer screen with good brightness and touch response. The selection is a mix of recent releases and a back catalog of comfort movies that suits red-eyes. The interface is intuitive, with a welcome absence of lag and a crew messaging feature tied into The Loft screen for group announcements. Noise-canceling headphones are serviceable. They will not beat your own Sony or Bose set, but they are fine if you forgot yours.
Wi-Fi uses a satellite link with two packages: messaging or full browsing. Speeds vary. On my best flight, I had enough bandwidth for email, Slack, and light photo uploads throughout the Atlantic crossing. On the worst, it was useful for messaging only. If connectivity is mission critical, have a fallback that does not require constant syncing.
Ground experience: Clubhouse, check-in, and the limo that is no longer included
Part of the appeal of Virgin Atlantic Upper Class has always been the ground flow at Heathrow Terminal 3: a dedicated Upper Class Wing car drop, private security lane, then the Clubhouse. The limo transfer that used to be bundled with revenue tickets is not standard anymore. It can still be arranged as a paid add-on or included in certain premium corporate deals, but many travelers will simply take a cab or an Uber to the Upper Class Wing.
Check-in staff at the Wing are efficient, and security is usually under 10 minutes even at peak. The Clubhouse remains one of the best business class lounges in Europe. It feels like a brasserie crossed with a members’ club, not a cafeteria. You can sit for table service dining, grab a seat by the windows for plane spotting, or book a shower. Breakfast staples, a signature burger, and a rotating seasonal menu anchor the food. Champagne is poured without fuss. If you are traveling through outstations like JFK, the Virgin Clubhouse there, now managed by Plaza Premium, still carries the brand’s style and an above-average menu, though it is smaller and can feel crowded during the evening bank.
How it compares: where Virgin leads and where rivals edge ahead
If you are benchmarking upper class in Virgin Atlantic against other transatlantic business class cabins, a few points stand out. Privacy is good, especially on the A350 with doors, but Qatar’s Qsuite still beats it for total seclusion and bedding. British Airways’ Club Suite has comparable privacy with a slightly larger footwell in some rows, and stronger connectivity on good days. Delta One Suites often share DNA with the Virgin seat yet feel more hushed, with fewer social touches and a more uniform service pace.
On soft product, Virgin’s crews and lounges give the airline an advantage for travelers who like personality. Catering quality is competitive, with consistency that has improved in the last couple of years. Amenity kits are stylish and practical, with sustainable touches like recyclable packaging and decent hand cream, though they do not reach the luxury level of some Middle Eastern carriers.
Price-wise, Virgin Atlantic business class often prices closely to British Airways on the same routes, then undercuts at the margins during sales. If you are using points, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club offers excellent value to Japan on partners and solid value to the U.S. on off-peak dates, but surcharges on Virgin-operated flights can be high. If your goal is purely the lowest tax and fee bill, redeems on partners can be smarter than on Virgin itself.
Seat selection and practical strategies
Choosing the right seat can elevate the experience meaningfully. Window seats are best for solo travelers. The most private window seats sit slightly behind the aisle, and rows away from The Loft reduce ambient noise. Middle pairs are better for couples, provided you are comfortable with the partial divider.
Here are five quick tactics that consistently improve the journey:
- On overnight eastbounds, request the express meal and turndown at boarding, then change into loungewear before pushback so you can sleep sooner. If you want to use The Loft, pick a seat within two rows but not directly adjacent to keep noise down while staying close enough for a quick stretch. Pre-order special meals or popular mains 24 to 48 hours out if available on your route, especially on full flights where choices can run out. Bring your own headphones and a short USB-C cable. The provided sets are fine, but your own ANC will improve sleep and movie audio. If you are tall, choose a center seat for a marginally wider footwell and reduce the chance of your feet feeling boxed in.
Edge cases: traveling with children, working en route, and long-haul fatigue
Upper Class is workable with a toddler if you know what you are walking into. The suite walls contain some of the chaos, and the crew are patient, but the footwell is not a bassinet. Request a bulkhead bassinet seat if available, though availability in Upper Class can be limited, and policies shift by aircraft. Snacks at The Loft help with kid logistics when the aisle feels crowded.
If you plan to work, the combination of a stable tray table and decent power outlets makes it achievable. The main friction point is connectivity variability. Draft offline and sync in batches. For video calls, assume no unless you are on a daytime sector with unusually strong Wi-Fi.
On very long segments like London to Johannesburg, the suite holds up. The bed remains comfortable past the six-hour mark, the crew keep water and snacks flowing, and the refreshed cabin air makes a difference you notice only after landing, when your skin feels less drawn and your eyes less tired.
Sustainability and subtle touches
Virgin talks frequently about sustainability, and on the A350 you see some of it in action. Lightweight catering carts, partially recycled amenity kit materials, and reduced single-use plastics appear throughout the cabin. Menus are printed on thinner stock, linens are laundered with more efficient processes, and wine choices sometimes include English bottles that cut freight miles. These are not headline features, but they fit the airline’s growing focus on emissions reductions alongside its fleet modernization.
Reliability: delays, recovery, and communication
Across multiple flights, on-time performance was average to good. When irregular operations hit, Virgin communicated clearly through the app and at the gate, and rebooking onto partner airlines was offered when delays risked missed connections. If you are connecting beyond London, leave a buffer of at least 90 minutes in Terminal 3. Two hours is more comfortable if you want a shower and a quick bite in the Clubhouse.
Cabin defects were minor: a loose seat panel once, a sticky tray table latch another time. Crews addressed what they could and logged the rest. If a seat issue would compromise your sleep, raise it before pushback. They can sometimes reseat you if the cabin is not full.
The miles and points angle
For frequent flyers, the value proposition hinges on how you earn and burn. Virgin’s program, Flying Club, is a transfer partner of several major credit card currencies. That flexibility helps. Redemptions in Virgin upper class to the U.S. often incur higher surcharges, but off-peak mileage rates can still be attractive. Companion vouchers from U.K. credit cards unlock outsized value if you travel with a partner. Partner sweet spots exist with ANA for Japan and occasionally with Delta on U.S. domestic connections. When you see online chatter about “virgin atlantic first class” awards, it usually refers to booking partner first class products through Flying Club rather than anything on Virgin metal.
Where the A350 Upper Class fits in 2025
If you rank business class cabins in a transatlantic context, Virgin Atlantic Upper Class on the A350 lands in the top tier for atmosphere and service style, and in the strong upper-middle for seat design. The introduction of suite doors closed a competitive gap, though the door does not create total seclusion. The Loft is distinct. You either value that social heart or you consider it a nice-to-have. The ground experience through the Clubhouse lifts the entire journey, especially out of Heathrow and JFK.
There are cabins with more generous footwells and deeper storage. There are airlines with flashier wine lists or more lavish amenity kits. But the overall balance on Virgin is coherent: a modern suite, warm crew, thoughtful dining, and a brand personality that treats the flight less like a transaction and more like a pleasant evening that happens to occur at 35,000 feet.
If you are deciding between business class Virgin Atlantic and a competitor with a purely functional vibe, ask yourself what you value more on a long night over the North Atlantic. If it is privacy above all else, you may still prefer a Qsuite or another fully enclosed product with a wider bed. If it is a well-executed total journey, including a lounge you actually want to spend time in and a cabin that feels alive, Virgin Atlantic business class on the A350 is a compelling pick.
Final thoughts from repeat flights
Every airline promises comfort, good food, and sleep. The test is how often those promises survive a real flight with a full cabin, a small delay, and a mix of passenger needs. On my series of A350 sectors, Virgin’s Upper Class met that test more often than not. The crew stayed calm and kind when a family needed extra help. The Loft gave a place to stretch just when the cabin felt too still. The bed, even with its tapered footwell, made eastbound short nights tolerable.
I keep a shortlist for transatlantic business travel: reliable seats, predictable service, decent coffee, a lounge that is more than a holding pen, and a loyalty program I can actually use. Virgin ticks those boxes often enough that I do not hesitate to recommend it, especially out of London where the ground experience adds a full chapter to the story. If you have been curious about virgin upper class and wanted a clear-eyed take, the A350 implementation is the version that showcases the airline’s strengths without hiding its trade-offs. It is not “virgin airlines upper class” as a fantasy of first-class extravagance, and it does not claim to be. It is a very good business class that feels human, with just enough flair to be memorable.