Virgin Atlantic Upper Class · checked 26 October 2026Virgin Upper Class: is it worth it?
For the Clubhouse alone, very nearly. On board it depends on the plane: Virgin Atlantic's newest A330neos have a suite with a door, while the 787s keep the old seat until 2028.
Photo: Virgin Atlantic
The short answer
Book it for the Clubhouse and the A330neo. On a 787, it's a good flat bed with a famous bar, and not much privacy.
- The Heathrow Clubhouse: table-service dining, a cocktail bar, a spa and runway views.
- A330neo: every seat faces forward, on its own aisle, with a door that fully closes.
- The Retreat Suite, on the A330neo, seats two face to face for dinner.
- 787-9: 1-1-1 seats angled to the aisle, no doors. New seats start in 2028.
- Flying Club reward prices move, and fees from London are high.
The extra worth paying
Row 1 on the A330neo, with a 32-inch screen and an ottoman a second person can sit on for dinner. You add it to a confirmed Upper Class booking for an extra fee.
From 5 November 2026, new A330neos carry six of them, including solo ones at the window.
Check Virgin fares (affiliate link)* Affiliate linkWhich seat will you get?
Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, plane by plane
Virgin shows the aircraft on every flight. Pick the plane on your booking to see the seat, and where you'll spend time out of it.
Airbus A330-900neo
A suite with a door.
Every seat faces forward with its own aisle and a door that closes fully. Behind row 8 is the Sky Loft, a small lounge for Upper Class. New A330neos from 5 November 2026 have 48 seats and six Retreat Suites.
Source: Prince of Travel, the complete guide to Virgin Upper Class (updated 15 Oct 2026).
CheckYour booking shows the aircraft. On an A330neo seat map, row 1 holds the Retreat Suites. Planes can be swapped late, so look again a few days before you fly.
Before you board
The Clubhouse at Heathrow
It's the reason many people book Virgin over BA. Upper Class passengers check in at the private Upper Class Wing, then walk through to this.
Photos: Virgin Atlantic
- EatTable-service brasserie dining, not a buffet.
- RelaxThe Secret Spa, a hair salon, showers and Somadome pods.
- ElsewhereClubhouses at JFK, Washington, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Johannesburg too.
By the numbers
The seat, measured
Fully flat, on the A330neo and A350.
About 21 inches.
17.3 inches in the other A330neo seats.
On new A330neos from 5 November 2026, up from 32.
New seats start then, finishing by 2030.
From Travel Business First, Prince of Travel, One Mile at a Time and Aerospace Global News (see sources).
Honest about it
What's good, and what isn't
Worth it for
- The Heathrow Clubhouse, widely rated the best business class lounge there.
- The Upper Class Wing: a private check-in straight to security.
- A door and forward-facing seats on the A330neo.
- The Retreat Suite, if you're travelling as two.
- Somewhere to go on board: the Loft, the Sky Loft or the bar.
Know before you pay
- 787-9 seats are angled to the aisle with no door, until the 2028 refit.
- No door on the A350 either: middle-seat partitions slide but don't enclose.
- Flying Club has no published reward chart, so prices move.
- Fees from London are high: Air Passenger Duty alone is £244 in Upper Class.
- The Retreat Suite costs extra on top of an Upper Class ticket.
Questions
Virgin Upper Class, answered
Is Virgin Upper Class worth it?
For the Heathrow Clubhouse and the A330neo, yes. On a 787-9 you get a flat bed and the bar, but the seats face the aisle with no door, until new seats arrive from 2028.
Does Virgin Upper Class have a door?
On the A330neo, yes: every seat has a door that closes fully. The A350 and 787-9 don't.
What is the Virgin Retreat Suite?
A bigger suite in row 1 of the A330neo, with a 32-inch screen and an ottoman that seats a second person for dinner. You add it to a confirmed Upper Class booking for an extra fee.
Where are Virgin Clubhouses?
London Heathrow, New York JFK, Washington Dulles, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Johannesburg.
Is Virgin Atlantic business class called Upper Class?
Yes. Upper Class is Virgin Atlantic's business class, with a fully flat bed on every long-haul plane. It includes the Upper Class Wing check-in and the Clubhouse at Heathrow.
Virgin Upper Class or BA Club Suite?
Virgin wins on the lounge and on social space. On the seat it depends on the plane: a BA Club Suite and a Virgin A330neo both have doors, while Virgin's 787-9 and BA's older planes don't.