Delta One Suites or Virgin A350 UC Red Eye
Jan 30, 2024, 9:42 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2024
Posts: 3
Delta One Suites or Virgin A350 UC Red Eye
If you had a choice of Delta One Suites (A330-900NEO) or Virgin A350 Upper Class on a red eye from NYC to LHR, which would you choose? Assuming that the goal is to sleep as much as possible and have as restful a flight as possible. Less focused on the service or food.
Jan 31, 2024, 3:46 am
#2
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Auckland, NZ/New York, NY/ATL
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Posts: 5,225
Virgin 1000000000000000%. The A330-900 neo product is cramped by comparison. Superior, more efficient service will help with VS as well (even if youre not eating).
Jan 31, 2024, 11:53 am
#5
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 162
The A330neo is garbage honestly, one of my pet peeves with Delta is their choice of the A330neo over the 787. The A330neo fuselage is not wide enough for the latest business products, so the seats are pretty cramped. Also the A330neo does not have the generational improvements such as lower cabin altitude, higher humidity and lower noise that next gen aircraft like the 787 and A350 have. The A350 will be very quiet in the business cabin up front, especially on the longer A350-1000 variant Virgin operates which puts the business cabin further away from the engines.
Jan 31, 2024, 2:47 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Atlanta
Programs: Delta Death March, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat, Marriott/Hilton Gold Life
Posts: 1,547
Another vote for Virgin A350.
Only time I'd take DL over VS is their old crap planes - A340 and A330.
(they also have A330neos btw - and I've found they switch up aircraft on the same route EVERY DAY)
Only time I'd take DL over VS is their old crap planes - A340 and A330.
(they also have A330neos btw - and I've found they switch up aircraft on the same route EVERY DAY)
Jan 31, 2024, 5:29 pm
#8
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: SFO
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Jan 31, 2024, 5:37 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2021
Location: New York, NY
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I love Virgin and on the whole it's a far better airline than Delta. I fly JFK to LHR quite frequently and have flown Delta's A330-900neo and B767s many times. I've also flown all of Virgin's aircraft on the route including the Airbus A350-1000 and Airbus A330-900neo. If you are looking for the best food and service, I'd choose Virgin, but it seems you are rightfully prioritizing sleep which adds a bit more nuance. All of the above posts from other commenters are very fair, but I wanted to note two things from my experience.
- I've found the Delta One Suites on the Airbus A339 to be longer than Virgin's beds on the A350-1000. The difference is about an inch or two, and this is confirmed on their websites. I'm 6'3'' and every extra bit of bed-length is helpful. Delta has a slight edge here.
- Virgin's A350-1000 Upper Class suites are not true suites with closing doors. The doors are a side panel that slides out a few inches. I know there are varying perspectives on whether doors are gimmicks, but I do find them helpful in getting a better night's sleep. Delta also has a slight edge here.
Feb 1, 2024, 9:52 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 644
My one gripe (as a Brit now in the US and doing this a lot) - is I find both VS and BA make way more cutesy announcements, turn the lights on like 90 mins before landing, f- around with meals and breakfast.... whereas Delta's willful service negligence is actually very welcome on a red eye.
"We'll be landing shortly" - in the dark, like 30 seconds before the wheels hit. Much prefer it. AA are the same.
For all other aspects of the experience, always VS. But they do faff around a bit.
"We'll be landing shortly" - in the dark, like 30 seconds before the wheels hit. Much prefer it. AA are the same.
For all other aspects of the experience, always VS. But they do faff around a bit.
Feb 2, 2024, 8:47 am
#11
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Atlanta
Programs: Delta Death March, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat, Marriott/Hilton Gold Life
Posts: 1,547
Feb 2, 2024, 12:32 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,237
I wouldn’t be averse to the older VS 330/340 for a redeye. I think those herringbone seats make good beds. Lots of shoulder room and no feet in a cubby. I’d avoid at all costs in daytime flights, though.
That said, I’ve never been in the newer VS seats or the D1 suite so can’t say how those specific products compare.
That said, I’ve never been in the newer VS seats or the D1 suite so can’t say how those specific products compare.