Virgin Atlantic can charge thousands of pounds for an Upper Class ticket across the Atlantic. I paid £900.
On 4 June 2026, I flew Virgin Atlantic flight VS105 from London Heathrow to Seattle-Tacoma in Upper Class, sitting right at the front of the cabin in seat 1A. I booked using a companion voucher, bringing my cost down to around £900.
And that price is important — because my opinion of this flight would be very different if I’d paid the £6,000+ cash fare.
The seat was excellent. The food was fine without being memorable. The crew were pleasant, though I was largely left alone once the meal service finished.
At £900? Yes. At £6,000? Not for me.
Seat 1A: The Best Part of the Flight
I was in 1A, right at the front of the Upper Class cabin against the bulkhead. And the biggest benefit wasn’t something you’d notice from photographs.
It was the footwell.
One frustration with some business class seats is that they look enormous upright, but when you lie down your feet disappear into a surprisingly narrow compartment. Seat 1A felt noticeably different. Because of its position against the bulkhead, I had a much wider space around my feet — more room to move, to shift position, to actually get comfortable.
Sitting upright, that’s a nice bonus. Trying to sleep on a nine-hour transatlantic flight, it becomes considerably more important.
If I flew Virgin’s A330neo Upper Class again and 1A was available, I’d book it without hesitation.
Dining: Good, But Nothing That Blew Me Away
Business class food almost always looks impressive. Proper plates, real glassware, metal cutlery — presentation alone makes everything feel more premium than an economy tray.
But presentation is only part of it. The more important question is whether the food itself is actually exceptional.
For me, it wasn’t.
The starter arrived nicely presented and was enjoyable enough — but this wasn’t one of those airline meals where I found myself genuinely surprised by the quality. The main course continued much the same way: perfectly acceptable, nicely presented, considerably more civilised than economy. But not memorable.
I’d describe the catering as good. Not great.
At £900 for the ticket, that didn’t particularly bother me. At £6,000, my expectations would be considerably higher.
Virgin Atlantic also served afternoon tea before arrival in Seattle — sandwiches, cakes, something hot. It’s a nice touch, and very on-brand. But my overall verdict on the food didn’t change.
Service: Good — But I Was Mostly Left Alone
The crew were friendly and I had no problems whenever I interacted with them. What surprised me was how little interaction there was for much of the flight.
Once the main meal service had finished, I was largely left alone. No regular passes through the cabin checking whether I wanted another drink or needed anything.
Depending on what kind of passenger you are, that might be exactly what you want. I don’t need crew hovering over me every ten minutes. But there’s a middle ground — and for Virgin Atlantic’s premium cabin, I’d have appreciated the occasional proactive check-in.
The crew themselves were good. The service just wasn’t particularly attentive.
Sleeping in Seat 1A
This was where 1A really won me over.
A business class seat can have all the technology and finishes in the world, but on a long-haul flight one thing matters more than almost anything else: can you actually get comfortable enough to sleep?
For me, the answer was yes — and again, the wider bulkhead footwell was the reason. In some seats, the bed looks spacious until you lie down and realise your feet fit into a narrow compartment. I didn’t have that problem in 1A. Having more room to move gave the bed a more comfortable feel than the dimensions alone would suggest.
It’s a small detail on a seat map. After several hours trying to sleep across the Atlantic, it isn’t small at all.
Is Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Worth It?
The question that matters isn’t whether Upper Class is better than economy. Of course it is.
The question is: is the difference worth what you’re being asked to pay?
At approximately £900 using a companion voucher, my answer is easy. Yes. Absolutely. I got a private suite, a fully flat bed, decent catering, and a significantly more relaxing journey. I’d book it again.
But when Upper Class fares reach £6,000 or more, the equation changes completely. The seat doesn’t become five times more comfortable because the ticket costs five times as much. The food wasn’t exceptional enough to justify thousands of pounds. And the service wasn’t so extraordinary that I’d pay that price for it alone.
It depends almost entirely on what you pay.
The Jetlag & Champagne Verdict
At around £900: Absolutely. Book it.
At £1,500–£2,000: I’d seriously consider it.
At £6,000+: Not for me.
Virgin Atlantic Upper Class delivered where it mattered most — comfort, space and sleep. Seat 1A was excellent, and the bulkhead footwell is something I’d specifically look for again. The catering was decent rather than memorable, and the service was pleasant without being attentive.
But at the price I paid? Worth it.
I travelled on Virgin Atlantic flight VS105 on 4 June 2026. This trip was not provided or sponsored by Virgin Atlantic. I paid approximately £900 using a companion voucher. All opinions are my own.