I’ve flown Virgin Atlantic Upper Class before. Lie-flat seat, better food, better service, better everything — the kind of experience that makes you think, “Yeah… I could get used to this.”
But Upper Class is also the kind of experience that’s often much more expensive (and award space can be hard to find unless you’re flexible… which we usually aren’t). So for a daytime transatlantic flight — where we’re not trying to get hours of real sleep — Premium Economy has quietly become our “sweet spot.”
This review is of our Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy flight from London Heathrow (LHR) to Orlando (MCO), and it answers the big question: Is Virgin Premium worth the price?
The quick verdict
- Yes, Virgin Premium Economy is worth it — for us — mostly for the seat, space, and the smoother airport experience.
- No, it’s not worth upgrading for the food alone. It’s fine, but it’s not the “highlight of the flight.”
- Virgin’s Premium product is one of the better Premium Economy cabins out there… especially on their newer aircraft.
- Just know what you’re getting: Premium is an upgraded experience, not a “budget business class.”
Booking details
We flew LHR–MCO in Virgin Atlantic Premium. We booked with points and paid taxes/fees in cash.
- Cost: 36,000 Virgin Points + £429.82 (our booking total)
Why are the taxes/fees so high? A big chunk of that cash cost is because this flight departed the UK, and UK departures come with hefty government taxes/charges (so the “fees” aren’t just the airline being cute).
(As always: pricing varies wildly by date, demand, and whatever mood airline pricing engines are in that day.)
First, a big caveat: This was the older A330 cabin
This flight wasn’t on one of Virgin’s updated Airbus A330-900neo aircraft with the newer cabin. This was the older Airbus A330 — and you can feel the difference.
The Premium seat itself is still very good. Still, parts of the onboard experience (especially the tech) felt dated… including some truly nostalgic connectors that looked like they were waiting for an iPod Classic to show up.
Airport experience: This is one of the underrated reasons Premium is worth it
If you only judge Premium Economy by the onboard meal, you’re missing half the point.
For us, one of the biggest quality-of-life improvements is before you ever step on the plane:
- Dedicated check-in (which usually means less chaos and less waiting)
- A more “premium” boarding flow than standard economy
- Overall, it just feels less like you’re being herded toward a gate like cattle
It’s not glamorous. It’s not champagne-and-caviar. But it’s a smoother start to the trip — and that matters.
The seat: the real reason to pay for Premium Economy
This is the part that makes Premium worth it: a meaningfully better seat.
You’re getting:
- More legroom and noticeably more personal space
- Wider seat and a less cramped feel overall
- Bigger IFE screen than economy (even if the system itself is older on this aircraft)
On a daytime transatlantic flight, we’re not trying to turn the cabin into a bedroom. We just want to arrive feeling like we didn’t spend 8+ hours folded into an airline-issued pretzel.
And for that? Premium works.
IFE and power: fine… but dated on this plane
The screen is larger than economy, which is nice. But on this older A330, the overall setup felt behind the times — and the ports were a throwback.
Translation: you’ll probably be fine if you’re charging via USB and watching whatever’s on the screen, but don’t book this aircraft expecting the latest-and-greatest cabin tech.
Wi-Fi
This flight had onboard Wi-Fi. A full-flight pass costs $28.52.
The food: edible, forgettable — but the presentation is nicer
The meal after takeoff was served on a single tray, and, honestly, it wasn’t much to write home about.
I had the panko-coated cod with potatoes and peas (plus tartar sauce). Sharon had the tomato and mascarpone-filled pasta. Both were edible… but by no means the highlight of the flight.
This is the key point: if you’re upgrading to Premium Economy mainly for the food, it’s probably not worth it. The meal is “fine.” The seat is the upgrade.
That said… Virgin did include one genuinely fun detail: the cutest little salt-and-pepper shakers, which we may or may not have started collecting.
Mid-flight snack: the ice cream bar was a nice touch
Mid-flight, we were offered an ice cream bar — not a life-changing moment, but a genuinely lovely little perk that made the flight feel more “looked after” than typical economy service.
The surprise highlight: the tea service before landing
And then, closer to landing, we got the part of the Premium experience that actually felt like a real upgrade: tea service.
Because how can you not love being handed a tray with a sandwich, a warm scone, and something sweet, along with tea, while you’re flying across the Atlantic?
Since this was a longer daytime flight, Virgin was able to space out service in a way that made it feel less rushed — and the tea service was easily the best part of the onboard food experience.
So… is Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy worth paying for?
For us, yes.
Not because it turns the flight into business class. It doesn’t. Not because the meal is amazing. It isn’t.
But because Premium gives us:
- A noticeably better seat (more space, more comfort, less misery)
- A better airport experience (the trip starts calmer)
- A few extra touches that make the flight feel more civilized
If we could fly Upper Class every time, sure — that would be great. But it’s often not a reasonable use of miles or money, and the pricing for premium cabins has gotten out of hand unless you catch a sale (which usually requires flexibility we don’t have).
So for a transatlantic daytime flight, Premium Economy is the middle ground that actually works. It’s not the penthouse suite. But it’s a room you can comfortably live in for a day.
One last thing: Virgin Premium is best on the newer planes
Even though we were happy with the overall Premium experience, I’ll say this: Virgin’s Premium Economy is even better if you’re on one of their newer aircraft. The older A330 cabin gets the job done — but it feels dated in places.
If you have the option to pick flights/aircraft, it’s worth trying to get the newer cabin. Same general concept… just a more modern execution.
Bottom line
Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy is worth paying for if your goal is a more comfortable transatlantic flight with a better seat, a smoother start at the airport, and a few extra touches along the way.
Just don’t do it for the meal.
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