Upper Class Virgin - Worth it?

Teahfc

claret_mike wrote: »

Having flown twice with Virgin on UC from Heathrow, I would highly recommend.

1st flight was to JFK and 2nd to Chicago.

From the moment you walk in to Heathrow and get separate check in, private security and getting from check in to lounge took approx 5-10mins. Which when I have flown through Heathrow and gone through the normal security, it has taken well over an hour..

The lounge was excellent too. Fresh cooked food, pool tables, cocktail bar, there is also a place you can get massages and jacuzzi if you want. You can go and relax in quiet area or even go and sit in the outside garden there.

Being able to leave from the lounge and just walk pretty much straight onto the plane - none of this sitting outside the gate, being on your tiptoes waiting to be called.

On board, the seats were comfy, the beds good and you being in control when you want to eat. I was chatting with people at the bar when serving food, they said just to let them know when i wanted it..

The service was excellent.

The lounges on the US side were nothing in comparison to heathrow but jfk better than the shared lounge at o hare.

Upon my return into the UK, I planned my breakfast in the revivals lounge so I got an extra hours sleep. I all got a free shower and a nice fresh shave (by the same people who do the treatments in the lounge).

Whilst having my shower they ironed my shirt so was refreshed for my onwards journey...

I have been spoilt with these flights and now am hoping to save for another trip but want to do Oz this way....

When did Virgin start flying to Chicago ?
I flew Chicago on co share with a Delta which runs that route? Only business no Upper.

Have you been to new lounge at JFK opposite gate 4 ? Opened in 2012, millions times better than the old one.

pleasedelete

Teahfc wrote: »

When did Virgin start flying to Chicago ?
I flew Chicago on co share with a Delta which runs that route? Only business no Upper.

Have you been to new lounge at JFK opposite gate 4 ? Opened in 2012, millions times better than the old one.

The JFK lounge food is better than LHR in my view but the overall service is a bit BLUUURGH. The staff in JFK fawn over 'celebrities' who are USA reality TV people -getting autographs etc - in the Uk celebrities just seem to hang out in the lounge without a fawning Virgin entourage.

MrsE_2

zagfles wrote: »

TBH I just don't get it. All the above is basically superficial fluff - all very nice, but worth a thousand pounds or more? Seriously?

OK, if you're on expenses, or you get a free upgrade with airmiles, or you're so filthy rich that £1k is loose change. But cocktails, pool tables, having your shirt ironed, a shower, a massage...I've had nearly all those things this weekend (the massage to come I hope ) and it cost a few quid, not a grand! Surely you could get so much more spending that grand on the ground?

I agree.
If I was filthy rich I would travel the world first class, but money was an issue in any way shape or form I wouldn't pay for this type of upgrade.
Im happy on holiday flights (going long haul ) to upgrade, its a couple of hundred pounds & the seat is so much better than cattle class, where you're wedged in like sardines:(
I can understand the lure of the flat beds in first, thats the important bit.
Re toiletries, I would rather my own!

blindman

aileth wrote: »

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?

As others have said it is expensive and utlimately it's down to you to justify the cost.

As an MSE I've flown Virgin UC several times and BA First and business a few times too.:cool:
I've only paid once for the UC ticket out of my own pocket and that was for the wife as my trip was paid for.

Similarly with BA I've used Avios to upgrade a cheap "sale" WT+ fare.

Virgin UC MSE way:
Accumulate Virgin FF miles, buy a Economy\PE seat and upgrade to UC

Get the Virgin atlantic credit card (25000 miles at the moment)
Get American Express Membership Rewards cards and others to accrue miles

Simililarly look at Head for Points in how to accumulate Avios.

IMHO the fares are too expensive to be justified more than once BUT for that "big" trip then one way in UC would be worth the experience if you're paying the ticket yourself.

Personally I'd pick the trip from LHR so as to enjoy the lounge (minimum 3 hour stay before flight) and you then get the full 12 onboard experience with drinks\food\films and a bed for those last few hours.

Have a great time.

blindman

zagfles wrote: »

TBH I just don't get it. All the above is basically superficial fluff - all very nice, but worth a thousand pounds or more? Seriously?

So how do you justify the people who drive cars worth £70,000 as opposed to my little £6000 Hyundai i10?

We both get from A to B. but have different ideas on how much the journey is worth.

ferf1223

Teahfc wrote: »

When did Virgin start flying to Chicago ?

years ago...based on the emails I have saved (we fly to Chicago every year and usually on VA) I've found confirmations back to 2008.

ferf1223

blindman wrote: »

So how do you justify the people who drive cars worth £70,000 as opposed to my little £6000 Hyundai i10?

We both get from A to B. but have different ideas on how much the journey is worth.

Agree - and we have a very similar car (make, value), but we do see the value in upgraded long-haul flights at least some of the time - which means sometimes our airfare is equal to a fair percentage of the purchase price of our car...it's not just the actual extra things you get flying in those cabins, it's the fact that the onboard experience is that much more comfortable and it's difficult to put a specific value on that as to some people it might be a fair amount, to others it's worth £20. We have taken the we work hard, we save a fair amount, our only real treat his holidays so we will splurge on nice flights approach...so far we haven't made it to UC but have upgraded from PE on one leg of a flight in October.

So it's all relative, what has value to one person, doesn't to another. We spend little on drink wherever we are, we drink, just not much...we think it's kind of mad how much some people will spend in a year on alcohol...there are plenty of things that have different relative values to different people.

zagfles

blindman wrote: »

So how do you justify the people who drive cars worth £70,000 as opposed to my little £6000 Hyundai i10?

We both get from A to B. but have different ideas on how much the journey is worth.

Same thing. Although I guess with an expensive car the premium you're paying is far less per hour of use.

I get the idea of paying more for a premium product, and it's often worth it (eg I would touch eg economy tyres or ham with a bargepole), but in the case of flying the price difference is so staggering for basically the same end product with a few mostly superficial add-ons it almost defies belief.

Particularly when you get so much free in economy anyway - we flew to NZ on Singapore a few months ago, the entertainment system was excellent with hundreds of films to choose from, cocktails flowing, any extra food or drink just press the call button or stretch your legs and wonder down to the galley....And rather than a flat bed in a "dorm", we had a 10 hour layover in Singapore and booked the transit hotel so we got proper beds in a private hotel room (and it was almost free - cost about £100 but SIA gave us transit vouchers which covered most of the cost).

MrsE_2

blindman wrote: »

So how do you justify the people who drive cars worth £70,000 as opposed to my little £6000 Hyundai i10?

We both get from A to B. but have different ideas on how much the journey is worth.

Because you're using them day in day out. Its not a fleeting experience.

claret_mike

I never paid £1000 more than a basic fare.... I managed to get the lowest fare in their sales... IIRC there was about £600 more than basic fare and about £400 more for Prem Economy fare.

Do I value to whole experience at £400-600? Well yes I do or I would not have paid it. Why did I value it?

1st trip was a special occasion and I wanted to make it "special" not an MSE frugal trip. I was travelling at a time where airport security was making heathrow even more of a nightmare. I wish I had taken a picture of the queues where they were reporting on the news at the time that it was taking a minimum of 90 mins to get through security. There was also in the hall where the duty free and shops are, no seats and people tripping up over people because people were getting there early to ensure they got through security on time for their flights etc. There may have also been maintenance work being carried out which wasn't helping either.

I would have had to have been there 4 hrs before my flight to ensure I was going to get through, which would have been half of that in queues and the other bit, fighting for a seat or being uncomfortable and stressed at idiots who seem to lose their normal outlooks as soon as they enter an airport.

Anyway, I still got there 4hrs before and within 15 mins I was in the lounge, sat eating a freshly cooked breakfast (£7-10 in the airport). I had several drinks (£20 ISH) also. I was able to sit in comfortable seating for that time and I had booked a free haircut whilst there (which had saved me time and cost doing before hand).

I was called for my flight, I walked to the gate and there were people literally blocking the gate before they had even been called (never get this where you have an assigned seat) but I was able just to go straight to the front and walk on. I got onto the flight and was completely stress free.. This was what I wanted for the special occasion. Would the rest of my holiday have been spoilt had I not done this, probably not but I was lucky to have the choice and had saved up to do the trip this way.

On the flight, free drink served in my seat, no worry about who was sat next to me. As I was flying out in the day, I didn't really get to use the flat bed on the way out but I did enjoy being able to just sit relaxed and stretched out and being able to have a few drinks sat at a bar rather than feeling restricted to my seat.

Again, I appreciate that MSE views may think this indulgence is not very MSE but to be frank, I don't ever regret spending the money I did. The experience I have will be with me for a lifetime and the memories of that trip are brilliant.

2nd trip was again a special occasion but in that I was visiting an old school friend who was getting married. I had a 1 year old at the time and my wife felt it was too far to take a baby/toddler and because it was only really me and my friend she knew said that she would stay at home and let me go (yes I have a brilliant wife). As we had saved up for 3 plane tickets, I was still able to save money and do it UC so I did that.

My view is that if you can afford it, do it. If you can't - don't do it..