Flights
About Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic was founded by Sir Richard Branson over 30 years ago after he decided the UK aviation industry needed shaking up and style injected back into it. He wanted to make air travel exciting and enjoyable again. Virgin Atlantic became airborne in 1984 with the first flight from London Gatwick to Newark in the US on 22 June of that year. Since then, Virgin Atlantic has been the long-haul airline for people who want flying to be an adventure, no matter if they’re flying for business or leisure. And, every year, it flies more than five million people to over 30 of the best and most loved destinations around the world - the Americas, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Pioneering is at the heart of Virgin Atlantic. The airline has led the way with a range of innovations. It was the first airline to introduce Premium and a bar in every Upper Class cabin, seatback TVs, a fully flatbed seat and it’s a commercial aircraft that can fly on biofuels. And in 2017, Virgin Atlantic became the first ever European airline to have Wi-Fi across its entire fleet, so customers can stay even more connected than ever before.
Step onboard and experience irresistible service that’s intuitive and personal, award-winning entertainment, innovative products and stylish comfort in some of the best premium cabins in the sky. So, whether it’s business or leisure travel with Virgin Atlantic, the journey is bound to be unforgettable.
Cabin Classes
Economy
Virgin Atlantic’s legendary service is evident in its comfortable Economy Class cabin, which boasts three levels of service. Economy Light offers great value, while still providing the convenience of hand luggage and the comfort of a seat with adjustable headrest and 31-inch seat pitch. The Economy Classic service offers all the benefits of Economy Light, with a 23kg luggage allowance and the opportunity to select your seat in advance. Finally, Economy Delight is all about the extra perks. Passengers can use Premium Check-In at the airport, take advantage of priority boarding and enjoy a 34-inch seat pitch onboard. Simply put, there’s an option for every traveller.
Entertainment: Virgin Atlantic’s in flight entertainment system is filled with over 300 hours of movies, shows and games. Easy to use touch screens will have you breezing through the entertainment options and enjoying your favourite movie or show in seconds. Comfortable headsets are provided.
Food and Beverage: Each guest is provided with a menu after departure offering three delicious meal options and a wide variety of wines, beers, spirits, juices and soft drinks. As on all Virgin Atlantic flights the meal and beverage service is complimentary and features delicious dishes with an innovative twist. Entrée and mains are served first, then a dessert service and a speciality cocktail. Coffee and tea are always available and on most fights so is a delicious hot chocolate.
Premium
Enjoy the comfort of Premium with comfortable leather seats and an amazing 38 inch seat pitch. That’s more than enough leg room for even the tallest of passengers. And with a wide arm chair type seat, adjustable headrest, footrest, and pillow and blanket, a flight in Premium is sure to be a comfortable one. Enjoy a complimentary drink upon boarding along with a smart looking amenity kit with lots of little travel accessories. On the ground, enjoy priority boarding and expedited bag service.
Entertainment: Loads of programming is available on Virgin Atlantic’s award-winning in flight entertainment system. Noise-cancelling headsets create a quiet atmosphere in which to enjoy the latest movie or show, or maybe even a classic selection if you like.
Food and Beverage: In Premium you’ll find table linens and linen napkins. Delicious meals are served on fine china and include a selection of fine wines and premium beers and spirits. An after dinner liqueur is served with tea or coffee creating a true restaurant style experience.
Upper Class
The comforts and amenities of Upper Class begin right at your front door from the moment your chauffeur-driven limo arrives to take you to the airport. Enjoy a dedicated check in area (a drive-through check-in service is available at London Heathrow), private security channel and Clubhouse access. Once onboard, enjoy the private space and comfortable surroundings of your arm chair seat which transforms into a fully flat bed.
Entertainment: With so much entertainment available on the flight, you won’t even want to sleep. So snuggle into your bed of fresh sheets and fluffy duvet and enjoy the entertainment on your personal video screen. Noise cancelling headsets will tune out any ambient noise around you if you do wish to get some sleep.
Food and Beverage: The finest Champagnes and wines are available immediately upon boarding, while you can also order a beverage at the onboard bar during your flight. The attentive cabin staff will take your order from an extensive menu of entrees, mains and desserts. If you’re not hungry right away, that’s ok too. Upper Class allows you to eat when you’re ready, anytime. If you’re travelling on a daytime flight, you’ll even be treated to a traditional afternoon tea service.
For more details on why we recommend flying premium with Virgin Atlantic, see our First and Business Premium Airline Guide.
Baggage
Virgin Atlantic Baggage Allowance
Carry-on
Virgin Atlantic's hand baggage allowance is10kg for all three Economy services and Premium. Only one bag is allowed in the cabin and laptops and other devices must fit within this bag. Children and infants are also allowed one carry-on bag up to 10kg in weight. The cabin allowance for Upper Class is two bags with a maximum weight of 12kg each. Additional items allowed in the cabin are small handbag, pocketbook or purse, coat, umbrella and a small amount of duty free.
Place any medication or valuables in your cabin luggage.
Checked
The allowance for checked baggage may vary depending on routing, class flown and frequent flyer status level. The general breakdown is as follows:
- Economy Light – No checked luggage included
- Economy Classic and Delight - 1 bag (up to 90x75x43cm) with a maximum weight of 23kg
- Premium – 2 bags (up to 90x75x43cm each) with a maximum of 23kg each
- Upper Class – 3 bags (up to 90x75x43cm each) up to 32kg each
Economy Classic or Delight passengers are allowed one additional bag on flights between the UK and Lagos or India. Guests travelling in Premium on flights between the UK and Delhi have an increased allowance of three bags, each weighing up to 32kg.
Bulky Items
For qualifying sporting equipment of 23kg or less, these items may be checked in free of charge - providing they don't take you over your check-in allowance. Contact your Flight Centre Travel Expert on what items are allowed at no cost and for those which require additional fees and advance booking notice.
Musical instruments must be packed in a protective case and if in excess of the passengers standard baggage allowance, an excess bag fee will be applied.
Children's Baggage
For children and seated infants, the baggage allowances listed above apply. For lap infants, the baggage allowance is one 23kg bag in any cabin, excluding Economy Light which is hand-luggage only.
Additional bags may not be purchased for infants
Dangerous Goods
There are many dangerous items that are forbidden on flights. Items include flammable liquids, gasses and materials, explosives and fireworks, poisons, paints, fertilizers and lithium batteries. For a full list of these items check with your Flight Centre consultant.
Always contact your travel agent or airline in advance if you think an item you’re carrying may be considered a dangerous good. Some items may be allowed but will have specific procedures to follow for carriage.
Check-in
Check-in at home or at the airport
Virgin Atlantic offers several ways to check in for your flight:
Online: Checking in online is the quickest and easiest way to seat select and print off your boarding pass. Just go to the ‘Manage Your Flights’ icon on the Virgin Atlantic website and proceed from there. This is available from 24 hours before your flight until 70 minutes before your departure.
App: Check-in on your mobile device using the Virgin Atlantic app between 24 and two hours before departure. The app is available for download via Google Play or the App Store.
Airport counter: Airport check-in counters are available for bag drop-off and seat selection several hours before flight departure. The desks close 60 minutes prior to departure. Dedicated lines are normally available for Premium and Upper Class passengers.
Kiosk: Kiosk check-in is only available at some UK and US airports. Follow the prompts, print off your boarding pass and proceed to the bag drop off point before heading to the gate.
At the airport:
Clubhouses
Add extra sparkle to your Journey in a Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse
For Virgin Atlantic, flying is always about pleasure, which is why its Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses are design to add sparkle to your trip, and lift your travel experience to greater heights...
So, if you're flying in style, why not start things early at the airport? Virgin Atlantic's exclusive Clubhouses offer fine dining, as well as a space to relax, work and play. Each one feels like a private members' club – with incredible service, amazing food, fantastic facilities and a chilled-out atmosphere to match. You can even pamper yourself in the Clubhouse Spa to unwind before your journey.
Virgin Atlantic's Clubhouses have a space to suit every kind of traveller – whether you want to chill with a cocktail or find a quiet spot to work – and are reserved for Upper Class passengers and Flying Club Gold members.