Business Treaveler logo

Travel news, reviews and intel for high-flyers

Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic is a major UK airline based in Crawley, England, that specializes in long-haul transatlantic flights. It was founded in 1984 by British tycoon Richard Branson and operates routes to more than 30 worldwide destinations, including 12 cities across the United States. Although Virgin Atlantic does not strictly offer a first class service—it’s Upper Class tier is essentially business class—the airline offers a consistently attentive service with all the amenities expected by frequent fliers. Its reputation for providing top-of-the-range in-flight entertainment makes it especially appealing to younger travelers.

by Business Traveler

October 01, 2022

Where does Virgin Atlantic fly?

As the name suggests, Virgin Atlantic has a strong focus on the UK and U.S., with 20 out of the 35 available destinations in one of the two countries. Popular destinations in the United States include New York, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Outside its transatlantic focus, Virgin flies to six Caribbean islands and nine cities across Africa and Asia. The airline's base of operations is Heathrow, with secondary hubs found at Manchester Airport and Gatwick Airport. Virgin has a smaller fleet than most well-known airlines, with a relatively modest 37 aircraft under its command.

FAQ

What is Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club?

The Flying Club is the name of Virgin Atlantic's frequent flyer program and it’s free to join. As with other similar schemes, points or miles are earned in various ways, the most common of which is purchasing airfare, either with Virgin or any of its partner airlines. Points can also be transferred from Tesco’s Clubcard or any other Virgin loyalty schemes, such as Virgin Holidays or Virgin Experience days. Virgin Atlantic also offer a range of branded credit cards which allow customers to earn miles by shopping.

When you have enough points on your account, they can then be redeemed for certain services. The option offering the best value for money is almost always buying flights with Virgin. However, other selections are available, such as shopping with other Virgin companies or purchasing holiday experiences from selected providers.

Passengers can also acquire tier points by booking flights with Virgin, with the amount earned dictated by fare class. Once someone has enough, they can move through the elite status levels of The Flying Club, each one offering progressively better perks and benefits.


Red - Available upon joining Sky Club

 Dedicated phone line
 Discounted access and earned points at No1 lounges
 Earn points at Virgin Holidays

Silver - 400 tier points within one year

 Benefits of red
 Free seat selection
 Premium check-in
 Tier renewal bonus
 Household account linking up to nine flyers
 Virgin hotels member benefits
 Priority waitlist
 30% more points earned

Gold - 100 tier points within the last 12 months

 Benefits of Silver
 Free seat selection for you and your party
 Extra hold and carry-on baggage allowance
 Clubhouse access + one guest
 Access to Heathrow Revivals lounge
 2,000 birthday points
 Silver membership for a friend
 Guaranteed economy seat for any flight

What are Virgin Atlantic's ticketing options?

Virgin Atlantic has three types of fare, Economy, Economy Premium and Upper Class. Economy has three booking categories within it.

Economy

 Last to board
 Standard seating
 Free snacks and drinks
 Carry-on
 USB charging point

Economy Light

 Seat pitch up to 31 inches
 Seats assigned at check-in
 Carry-on only

Economy Classic

 Seat pitch up to 31 inches
 Standard seat selection
 Carry-on
 Checked in bag
 Upgradeable with Virgin points

Economy Delight

 Seat pitch up to 34 inches
 Preferred seat selection
 Carry-on
 Checked in bag
 Upgradeable with Virgin Points
 Extra legroom
 Priority boarding

Premium Economy

 Large leather seat, up to 38-inch pitch
 Free seat selection
 Carry-on
 Two checked-in bags
 USB charging point
 Priority baggage delivery
 Upgradeable with Virgin points
 Priority boarding
 Free restaurants with quality food and drink

Upper Class

 Lie flat beds
 Large leathers eating
 2 x carry on
 2 x checked-in bags
 Priority baggage deliver
 Upgradeable with Virgin Points
 A la carte dining experience

What are Virgin Atlantic's baggage fees?

Virgin Atlantic allow passengers to bring different amounts or baggage and maximum weights depending on fare class.

Economy Light

 One 10kg carry on

Economy Classic

 One 10kg carry-on
 One 23kg checked-in bag

Economy Delight

 One 10kg carry on
 One 23kg checked-in bag

Premium Economy

 One 10kg carry-on
 Two 23kg checked-in bags

Upper Class

 Two carry-ons, maximum 16kg
 Two 32kg checked-in bags

Different allowances are available depending on the route, with more details available here.

Additional baggage

Passengers can bring a maximum of ten bags on a flight, although there are some journeys where less will be allowed.

Economy passengers who wish to bring a second bag must pay a flat rate of £65 per bag. Any additional bags, regardless of fare class, cost £140.

Overweight bags

Bags that exceed their maximum weight cost £65kg per bag.

Oversized bags

Oversized bags cost £200 per bag.