Upper Class Virgin - Worth it?

aileth

Hi all, looking at flying Virgin Atlantic to Tokyo for a big birthday. I've flown there premium economy before and always enjoyed it, but as this'll be a big one have been looking at upper class. On the dates I'm looking, it'll be a grand extra per person, £1.7k per person return, whereas premium economy is £700-odd return per person. Is it really worth the extra grand per person?

C_Mababejive

Do you know what you will get for the extra money aside from the elitist value of turning left instead of right?

aileth

Seat beds, booths, bar, chaffeur, clubroom and fancy-schmancy food as far as I can see.

richardw

What's the additional cost per hour slept in the seat bed above premium economy?

aileth

£83 apparently

richardw

If you can sleep ok in PE £83 is quite a bit extra.

C_Mababejive

I'd skip it. Ive spent 16 hours on a coach and managed ok so i reckon i could do a flight in PE. Just bring all your comforts i.e neck pillow,ear plugs,eye shade etc etc..

dano17439

If you can afford it go for it I say. My friend regulary travels around the world Business class on various airlines which is nice obviously. He sometimes gets upgraded to First Class and said even the difference between Business and First is fantastic

aileth

We enjoyed PE so much and each time we've gone to Tokyo we've flown it, I suppose I'm just trying to 'glam' up the big birthday, but it's an awful lot more and I'm battling to justify it. I suppose if I have to even consider whether it's worth it, it's probably not!

marsman802

it's an extravagance but then it's not like you'll do it again unless something special happens.

I'm all for living for the moment and have slowly been working my way through the various experiences or airline travel.

I had three things I specficially wanted to do before I was 30.

1) Skydive
2) Run the London Marathon
3) Fly First Class

Number 1 I am doing in Seville on Monday.
Number 2 I keep getting waitlisted.
Number 3 I will do within the next 18months although this will be using Avios to heavily reduce the cost.

I've heard very good things about the Clubhouse @ LHR.

Really it's where you are in your life and whether or not you can spare the cash to splash out.
Only you can weigh up the economics of the situation.

marsman802

aileth wrote: »

We enjoyed PE so much and each time we've gone to Tokyo we've flown it, I suppose I'm just trying to 'glam' up the big birthday, but it's an awful lot more and I'm battling to justify it. I suppose if I have to even consider whether it's worth it, it's probably not!

We're flying PE on Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong in May. Not flown PE before but my wife should have a BA Silver card by then so we can enjoy some of the lounge experience.

However the difference to Business is ok but to First is something else really and the best thing to do is research and make sure you make the most of it and get everything out of it you would desire.

Check out flyertalk.com for Virgin Upper info from forum members and also check out youtube for various videos of different aspects of the experience.