VS Upper Class or CO BF?
 

I have the option to fly on either VS or CO service from MIA-NRT. If you were to choose, which airline will you fly. CO is MIA-IAH-NRT while VS is MIA-LHR-NRT.

Thanks.

VS, no question. Fully flat, longer beds. Open bar on the plane. Clubhouse in LHR is basically a playground for adults - amazing food, free massages, trim haircut, game room, etc.

CO might have better food in-flight, but VS beats it everywhere else.

I agree with the assessment above, but note that the distance and travel time is much longer MIA-LHR-NRT than MIA-IAH-NRT. I might take CO for efficiency's sake.

CO wins on in-flight food, seat and IFE to me. The lounge in LHR is nice but not so much to make up for the shortcomings of the in-flight product. And I'd stop well short of calling the food in the LHR Clubhouse "amazing" unless it is only being compared relative to the in-flight food.

Thanks for the replies. As pointed out, flying time transpac saves me time, which makes me incline to choose CO.

If I were traveling alone, I would pick VS J for the privacy of a pod.

CO
 

I would definitely go with CO. First, the most important factor is convenience.

What good does it do you if the bed is a littler longer, the lounge cooler, if the entire trip is much longer and tiring?

On CO, you will also get full lie-flat on IAH-NRT, not on MIA-IAH, of course, but your trip will be much shorter and therefore more enjoyable.

As sbm12 pointed out, catering on CO is excellent, as is the spectacular AVOD selection. Overall, I have always been very satisfied with my trips on CO BF.

My vote goes to VS- had an amazing time with them.

PROs:
++++Clubhouse!

+++ Onboard Bar

+++ Friend used Ottoman to have breakfast/lunch at my seat. Unlike any J class I've ever flown.

++Seat kinda folds out like rollaway bed rather than (CO)a seat that poorly morphs into a flat bed.

+really nice eyeshades IMHO

+Good Drinks

Cons:
-Older IFE

--Dorritos Chips as a course.

Are the two options mutually exclusive? Why not try both?

CO
 

The Virgin Clubhouse is by far the most impressive lounge experience there is...with some of the best service and food in the world. But their product on-board /in the plane is not that great and is in need of an update. On a plane, CO's BusinessFirst experience is superior to Virgin's UpperClass.

If I were in your shoes, with your connections and all, I'd stick with CO.

Compared to what? There are several better lounge experiences out there IMO.

I"ve flown both. Definitely Continental. While the VS lounge is nice, I'd rather be more impressed in the air, and not the ground. Virgin's food is inedible. It really is awful. If you get stuck on their dreaded 343's, the IFE is a dinosaur.

Choose CO.

I recently flew VS UC BOS-LHR, and would NOT go out of my way to fly them again. Yes, the seat/sleep pod was nice, but the food presentation was similar to what you'd get on a EWR-ORD F. Meal served on one tray consisted of premixed salad, a roll and entree. For a long flight, you'll be better served on CO's BF. I did not experience the LHR Clubhouse, but the BOS one was not much and very crowded. So it depends on what you're looking for, the VS experience or a shorter flight with better food and inflight service. PS, the VS UC bar had 3 seats and was not very well attended. and during my flight was very dark and not at all what I had expected.

FWIW, VS had rolled out a new inflight menu that is meant to bring it up to par with what's available elsewhere. Whether or not it actually succeeds I can't speak to... yet.

Would also love to know which lounges are superior to the LHR clubhouse. I know a few that are comparable (TK in IST and TG 1st in BKK), but nothing that is superior, especially on a J class ticket. The wealth of options you have when stepping into the LHR clubhouse are unmatched, IMO.

I can't think of better J lounges.