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.

I enjoyed the TG J lounge experience in BKK quite a bit more. That's one to consider.

The TG lounge has nice food ...but I still think the Clubhouse in London is far nicer. I don't remember any spa/salon services available at TG, but they do offer everything from different types of massages to haircuts/shaves to Virgin customers. And the food I've eaten in the Clubhouses in the US and UK are comparable to fine dining experiences. New Englanders close your eyes, but I think the New England clam chowder made at the BOS clubhouse is the best clam chowder in the region.

I haven't been in a Middle Eastern airline's lounge in a home city (ala Emirates on their home turf), so I suspect that may be better, but I've been to many lounges in the Americas, Asia, and Europe, and still will argue that the Clubhouse is the best.

As far as the in-flight lounge, many people are writing about how that's a big perk. I think it was cool to step up to the bar and order a drink while being somewhere over the Atlantic, but beyond a few minutes, it wasn't that remarkable. The inflight lounge is small and crowded and the seats at the bar are uncomfortable. I'd rather enjoy my drink from the comfort of my seat/bed than I would the "lounge." Now if it has been an in-flight breakfast buffet or omelet station, that would have been impressive :) But if you enjoy having a drink in cramped quarters, just have a sip of your favorite drink in a galley with your FA's.

Ya gotta look harder. ;)

They do offer spa services to C passengers. :-:

Your experience in LHR is VASTLY different than mine when it comes to the food.

The EK C lounge in DXB is widely regarded as being pretty awful, actually. TK in IST is supposed to be pretty impressive; I'll see the new version in person in a few weeks.

It was entertaining, to say the least. Particularly when the FAs weren't there and they didn't mind that I played bartender and poured for everyone. But that's also part of the problem with it. The crew were so disinterested that the experience was bad. And I had the same experience on multiple flights, so if it was an isolated issue it wasn't isolated enough.

Back OT
 

I am doing VS as opposed to CO. I have done both, numerous times, and I happen to love the Flyways Clubs as opposed to the United Clubs and especially in LHR as its always been the SkyTeam Lounge. I love having my hair done or a massage and I love the sauna/jacuzzi also. The food in the VS lounges is outstanding. The FAs are so young and cheerful and NO attitude as I sometimes experience on with the EWR based crews to LHR.

I like the inflight product better also. I guess it is subjective but I am always very pleased with my VS flts. Going in January and looking forward to it.

Cheers

Cheers!

I was just going to reply that my vote is for VS.

I don't know what's in the CO Kool-Aid, but apparently it's pretty strong stuff.

VS wins by quite a bit - the Clubhouse in LHR IS great (and one of the best C lounges around) and the food quality on my LHR-JNB flight was great, as were the flight attendants. The bar in the back made it amazing as well - the attitude of everyone on Virgin were simply great, but the food and experience on the ground and in the air would make me go VS every time - CO just isn't that consistent.

-jeremy

When does the new food product roll out? I am doing Virgin in Jan its almost 1k less than CO. From what I see, on the upper class fare I still get the 150% mileage and bonus. I've flown Co BF quite a bit so am looking forward to trying something new.

I certainly would not make decision on what carrier to fly based on lounge facilities in transit, unless a long layer over is an obligatory part of it. I would focus on the long hours in the plane.

While I like VS, two VS flights back to back probably not my cup of tea. For such I would put service over glitz and likely go with CO.

I suppose though CO miles not of interest to you as the VS flight won't get you EQMs to Tokyo.

Have you considered ANA? Much better than either CO or VS and can coddeshare with CO.