Prepare your popcorn because travel experts have put two British transatlantic travel giants head-to-head in an epic battle of business classes. The Points Guy travel site documented their experiences in Virgin Atlantic’s upper-class ‘Retreat Suite’ and BA’s ‘Club Suite’ on flights from London to JFK. The reviewers were impressed by the ‘sexy fun and giant entertainment screen’ on Virgin Atlantic, as well as the ‘delicious food’ on British Airways. However, there were downsides to both flights. Let’s delve into the verdicts and check out the trailer for the full review video.
VIRGIN ATLANTIC UPPER CLASS
Testing out the Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Retreat Suite was none other than Points Guy Editor Nicky Kelvin. His ticket, which cost him 47,500 Virgin Points plus £627 in taxes and fees, took him from Heathrow Terminal 3 to New York’s JFK on an Airbus A330-900neo.
Nicky had plenty of positive things to say about his flight. He raved about the Virgin Atlantic ground experience at Heathrow’s Terminal 3, describing it as second to none. He highlighted the exclusive “Upper Class Wing” which offers a private, efficient, and unique way to arrive at the airport. Private security and a world-class lounge, which rivals some first-class lounges, complete the ground experience.
Nicky continued, praising the regular Upper Class Suites for their comfort and spaciousness. However, he emphasized that the Retreat Suite was particularly huge, comfortable, and private, especially for sleeping. He also mentioned the gigantic inflight entertainment screen. When it came to the food, Nicky called it plentiful and tasty, but admitted it was less refined compared to other business class products. Nicky summed up the Virgin Atlantic experience as a blend of incredible professionalism and cheeky, sexy fun that sets it apart from the competition.
Of course, there were downsides to the flight as well. Nicky noted that the boarding process didn’t match the exclusivity of the ground experience. Unfortunately, the biggest and best seat, the Retreat Suite, is not available as a window seat. With only two seats in the cabin, luck and an extra fee are necessary to secure it. Additionally, while the food and drink were plentiful and tasty, the cuisine was not as refined as what you might find in other business class offerings.
BRITISH AIRWAYS CLUB SUITE
Taking on the British Airways’ Club World business-class ‘Club Suite’ on a 777-200 flight from Heathrow to JFK was Liam Spencer. His ticket cost him 80,000 Avios plus £175 in taxes and fees.
Liam had positive experiences on his flight with British Airways. He praised the food as the real winner, with dishes ranging from fresh smoked salmon and asparagus to braised leg of lamb, each bite more delicious than the last. He also recommended checking out the extensive cocktail menu. Despite being over four years old, BA’s Club Suite still felt fresh and enticing to Liam. The cabin was pristine, and he even remarked that if someone told him the seat was brand new, he would believe them. Liam mentioned that the fully-closing door added a level of privacy that elevated the business class experience.
However, there were a few downsides to Liam’s British Airways flight. While the Club Suite offered a fully-flat bed, it couldn’t quite match up to leading products like Qatar Airways’ QSuite in terms of comfort and space. Liam also found the business-class check-in experience at Heathrow Airport to be adequate but underwhelming, especially when compared to Virgin Atlantic’s separate wing for Upper Class passengers.
To discover more from The Points Guy, head over to thepointsguy.com/uk-travel. And if you want to see the complete Virgin Atlantic vs British Airways video, just click here.
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