tanglin

I can book business class seats on flights over a certain number of hours, and so far have always traveled in D1 on Delta.

However, if I book a business class seat on Delta and it flies on Virgin metal, do I fly Upper Class? I have not flown this for many years but in the past it was always a superior experience to other airlines (in the days of three classes Virgin Atlantic had two and UC was like first).

How do the two aircraft and services compare today? I am really thinking of VS, but I would also fly Virgin Australia too (out of LAX).

GRALISTAIR

However, if I book a business class seat on Delta and it flies on Virgin metal, do I fly Upper Class? YES

How do the two aircraft and services compare today? Route specific - but I prefer DL metal and hard product but VS service/food.

bgriff

Virgin Atlantic Upper Class has never really been a first class product, though of course their marketing department doesn't mind you thinking that.

They were I believe the first to give every business class passenger direct aisle access, so in that narrow sense it was more akin to first at the time, but in recent years many other airlines have caught up to that and in some ways even surpassed it.

Virgin Atlantic does still have some other little touches like the onboard bar which are different from most other business class products (and in theory better, though sometimes the noise from the bar if you're trying to sleep can make it worse than other airlines). Their lounges are very nice. Opinions vary on other parts of the experience, and in particular whether the Virgin Atlantic seat is better or worse than Delta's depends which exact aircraft types you're comparing on both airlines, and on personal opinion.


Not clear what route you're flying where Virgin Australia could also be in the picture, unless you're just choosing a destination based on what airline you want to fly, but Virgin Australia is separate and different, also with its own pros and cons, but broadly speaking I'd say Virgin Australia these days probably has a better onboard experience than either Virgin Atlantic or most Delta aircraft, but Virgin Australia does not have as nice a lounge offering as Virgin Atlantic does. Virgin Australia does have the onboard bar as well.


There are discussions of DL vs. Virgin Atlantic in various other threads on FT in particular, and reviews and trip reports of all three airlines around the internet.

All that said if you've flown D1 a bunch ... why not try something new and see what you think for yourself?

tanglin

Thanks for all the feedback, sorry it took a while to return!

My last time of UC in VS was when they only had 4 aircraft and my girlfriend was a FA there (we just had our 25th wedding anniversary!). So I was intrigued when I thought about the possibility of trying them again. I'll do what you suggest BG and give them a roll. I would be using VA LAX-SYD and VS LAX-MAN or LHR.

orlandodlplat

I flew VS UC for the first time on one of their A330s recently on a day flight MAN-JFK and I was pleasantly surprised. Food was quite nice, seat comfortable, service charming.

For the life of me I couldn't understand why you have to get out of your seat to turn it into a bed... which is the only reason i would prefer DL in general. if you can get past that, VS is a nice break from the big D.

Spent_All_My_Miles

If you want to fly in a 747, using Delta miles, Virgin is about your last bet.

DL is getting rid of its remaining 747s n a few months, AF got rid of theirs, KLM has some but using miles is basically impossible. AZ and SU don't have 747s.

Virgin got rid of 747s flying out of LHR a few years ago. They still have 747s flying out of LGW to leisure destinations (LAS, MCO, Caribbean, etc.). Because of limited premium demand, the upper deck is a mix of E/PE, and only the nose cone is J.

On my last few vacations involving travel to Europe, I managed to fly back to the US on a LGW-leisure city flight. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Virgin's lounges are very nice.

nichojo

China Airlines and Korean Airlines both fly 747s.

MSPeconomist

IIRC KE not only has the 747(-400?) still, but also the new 747-800 ones like LH.

I suspect that MU and CZ might also have 747s but no personal experience except for CZ domestic flights on narrow body aircraft. BTW, there's an amusing but sad review of a prime MU IFC flight, probably PVG/PEK-LAX or vv, by Ben in the OMAAT blog; it might have been the 747.

JohnnyRockets

CZ/MU doesn't fly 747. CZ has 380s. I think you were thinking of CA. They do fly 747-400 and 747-8i

MSPeconomist

NO, the OMAAT review was definitely for MU long haul IFC. It was a funny but tragic experience; there were rumors that what Ben wrote upset some MU executives so much that people were fired.

nichojo

That was on an a380. Only CA flies the 747-8 out of the mainland carriers. And yes, KE flies -400 and -8s.

MSPeconomist

I know CZ and MU don't have the 747-800 but I thought at least one of them was flying the 747-400.

CPMaverick

In terms of VA, it is a distinctly different airline than VS but both have their take on the 'Virgin' style. VA has 'the business' service instead of Upper Class. I haven't flown VS J, but I prefer VA 'the business' to Delta One. It is a much better soft product (voted the best in the world in some polls), PJs, and an in-flight bar. The seats are comparable between DL and VA J although people of course have their preferences. Give VA a shot I think you'll like them.

tanglin

Thanks all - I will use them next opportunity!

cmginc

All I can say is that the travel experience on VS from JFK-LHR and back on the 787-9 was the best I've had in 20+ years of flying. Service from Virgin was amazing, as was the food.