Comparing Virgin Atlantic Premium and Delta Premium Select: A Transatlantic Experience
Traveling between New York City and London is an adventure filled with rich culture, iconic landmarks, and vibrant cityscapes. For many, the journey itself is an integral part of the experience. Opting for a premium cabin can make the long flight more comfortable without the exorbitant cost of first class. Recently, I flew Virgin Atlantic Premium to London and Delta Premium Select on the return trip. Here's a comprehensive comparison of these two premium options, including detailed insights from my journey and additional tips from other travelers.
Virgin Atlantic Premium: Fun Ambiance with Unique Perks
A daytime flight leaving New York JFK at 8:20am lands in LHR around 8:10pm, London time.
Ambiance and Atmosphere: Virgin Atlantic is celebrated for its chic and fun vibe. From the moment you board, the vibrant lighting and modern décor set a playful tone. The highlight for many passengers is the onboard bar, where you can socialize and enjoy a drink. This feature adds a unique, upscale touch that’s rare in other premium economy offerings.
Seat Comfort: Virgin Atlantic Premium seats are arranged in an 8-across configuration (2-4-2). This setup allows for more passengers, but the seats are narrower compared to Delta. This can be a drawback, especially on longer flights where comfort is paramount. Additionally, the seats lack leg rests, which might impact overall comfort during extended periods of sitting.
Virgin Atlantic’s inflight entertainment offers impressive, beautiful screens to watch movies and tv-shows. Unfortunately the selection of titles was not as expansive as other airlines.
While Virgin Atlantic cabins look beautiful the seats are noticeably narrower compared to Premium Economy seats on other airlines. This can make flying in the middle group of seats particularly awkward.
Under-Seat Storage: A notable downside in Virgin’s Premium cabin is the awkwardly configured under-seat storage, especially in the middle section. The bars under the seats in front are not aligned with where your legs go, making it challenging to store a bag. On my recent flight, I had to share foot space with the passenger next to me, creating an inconvenient situation for both of us.
Food and Beverage Service: Virgin Atlantic stands out with its extensive pre-order menu options, and the food quality is generally very good. However, some of their choices can be perplexing. For example, they served a fantastic hot breakfast, but also included a pastry in a wrapper labeled as oven safe. This pastry was clearly intended to be served warm, but passengers weren't going to heat it themselves, making it unpleasant to eat cold. This mix of great food and odd choices can impact the overall dining experience.
Virgin Atlantic served a light breakfast including an omelette and pastries, While the omelette was great, it was served with terrible cold pastries.
The main meal on Virgin Atlantic Daytime flight to London included a pasta dinner, salad and cheese.
In-Flight Entertainment: The in-flight entertainment system on Virgin Atlantic offers a decent selection, but it's not as extensive as Delta’s. The system includes a variety of movies, TV shows, and music, but the options can feel limited after a few hours.
Lounge Experience: The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at JFK Airport is a smaller, more intimate lounge. It’s less crowded, which allows for a more relaxed pre-flight experience. The lounge offers great complimentary food and drinks, comfortable seating, and a fun atmosphere. Virgin Atlantic’s lounge experience really shines on the other side of your journey. The London Heathrow Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse is amazing for inbound and outbound travelers. Stop in to shower or freshen up after a flight or plan to hang out for a big before your flight home. The Points Guy did an extensive review worth checking out if you’re traveling through LHR and want to scope out what’s available.
The Virgin Atlantic Lounge in JFK is less crowded than the Delta lounge and offers excellent food including a full English breakfast.
Additional Tips:
Priority Check-In and Boarding: Virgin Atlantic Premium passengers enjoy priority check-in and boarding, making the airport experience smoother and quicker.
Extra Baggage Allowance: Premium passengers are entitled to an increased baggage allowance, which is great for longer trips or those who like to shop while abroad.
Amenity Kits: The amenity kits provided include essential items like toothbrushes, toothpaste, socks, and eye masks, which can enhance your in-flight comfort.
Delta Premium Select: Superior Comfort and Entertainment
While the Delta vibe isn’t as fun as Virgin Atlantic, the Premium Economy cabins are noticeably roomier with wider seats, reclining leg-rests and more space to stretch out. Once the cabin lights go out, the ambiance differences fade away and Delta’s comfort wins out.
Ambiance and Atmosphere: Delta’s Premium Select is designed with a more straightforward, business-like ambiance. The emphasis is on functionality and comfort rather than a playful atmosphere. The cabin feels spacious and well-organized, creating a calm environment for travelers.
Seat Comfort: Delta’s Premium Select seats are arranged in a 7-across configuration (2-3-2), which allows for wider seats and more personal space. The seats come equipped with proper leg rests, a significant upgrade from basic footrests enhancing comfort for long-haul flights. The larger seat size and better ergonomics are clear advantages for those who prioritize comfort.
The main meal was served shortly after taking off from LHR. Spinach ravioli, garden salad and warm cream puffs served for Dinner.
Warm scones, french pastries, jam and a tea sandwich, served as the snack before landing in JFK.
Food and Beverage Service: While Virgin offers more choices, Delta’s food quality is notably better. Meals in Delta Premium Select are prepared with a focus on great taste and presentation. It’s nice to have a great meal served without having to peel foil off the top first! Additionally, Delta offers a premium selection of wines and spirits to accompany your meal.
In-Flight Entertainment: Delta excels in in-flight entertainment with a vast selection of movies, TV shows, games, and music. The system is user-friendly, with high-resolution screens and higher-quality headphones provided. The movie selection was up to date with a huge selection of new releases, recent Oscar winners and old, nostalgic classics.
Lounge Experience: Heading to Europe or within the US, Delta Sky Clubs are larger and offer a wide array of amenities, including showers, business centers, and varied dining options. However, they can be more crowded, especially during peak travel times. Delta passengers heading back to the US from London have access to the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse — as mentioned above this is a fantastic lounge and definitely worth spending time in before flying home.
Hard to see by pictures, but Delta offers much nicer pillows and blankets than Virgin Atlantic. Their amenity kit also comes in a reusable, hand woven pouch vs. the Virgin Atlantic paper pouch.
Full leg rests in Delta Premium Select make a big difference, making your seat into a proper recliner vs. the tiny metal footrests on Virgin.
Additional Tips:
Delta Comfort+ and Premium Select: Delta offers an intermediate class between Premium Select and Economy, called Comfort+. It’s worth noting that Premium Select offers significantly more comfort and amenities than Comfort+.
Sky Priority Services: Premium Select passengers enjoy Sky Priority services, which include expedited check-in, security, and baggage handling, streamlining the airport experience.
Amenity Kits: Delta’s amenity kits are well-stocked with skincare products, socks, eye masks, and dental kits, ensuring you arrive refreshed.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Seat Configuration and Comfort: Winner Delta.
Virgin Atlantic: 2-4-2 configuration, narrower seats, no leg rests.
Delta: 2-3-2 configuration, wider seats, leg rests and adjustable footrests.
Food and Beverage: Winner Delta.
Virgin Atlantic: More pre-order options, great food with some odd choices (e.g., cold pastries meant to be served warm).
Delta: Fewer options, but superior food quality and presentation.
In-Flight Entertainment: Winner Delta.
Virgin Atlantic: Limited selection.
Delta: Extensive selection, user-friendly system, high-quality screens.
Lounge Experience: Winner BOTH! Best of both worlds!
Virgin Atlantic: Virgin’s JFK lounge is smaller, cozier and offers great food. Virgin’s LHR lounge is a clear winner — it’s big, beautiful, comfortable and offers great amenities.
Delta: Delta’s JFK lounge is larger with more amenities than the Virgin Lounge but can be crowded. Delta flyers heading back to the US from LHR can enjoy Virgin Atlantic lounge making it a win-win!
Ambiance: Winner Virgin Atlantic.
Virgin Atlantic: Fun and vibrant, unique onboard bar.
Delta: Functional and spacious, business-like ambiance.
Overall Comfort: Winner Delta.
Virgin Atlantic: Adequate for shorter flights, ambiance is a plus.
Delta: Superior comfort for long-haul flights, better amenities.
Final Verdict. Winner Delta.
Both Virgin Atlantic Premium and Delta Premium Select offer great options for travelers looking for more space, comfort and amenities than economy class without the high cost of first class. Based on our experiences flying both and comparing notes with other frequent travelers:
Virgin Atlantic is great for those who enjoy a fun, social flying experience and appreciate the unique perks like the onboard bar and extensive pre-order menu options. If you’re traveling with friends and plan to enjoy some cocktails on the flight, you may enjoy the vibe and little bar. If you’re traveling with a family of 4, narrow seats in the middle section may not bother you and may also be a nice benefit if you like to sit 4 across. However, those looking for true space and comfort on a long haul flight may find the narrower seats, awkward under-seat storage, and more limited entertainment selection disappointing given the “premium” price-tag vs economy.
Delta is better suited for those who prioritize comfort, with its wider seats, leg rests, superior food quality, and extensive entertainment options. Our family (of 4) prefers to sit in 2’s, always opting for 2 rows, one in front of the other. Delta’s configuration and additional space is perfect for us. Long-time Delta flyers and loyalists, we’re thrilled they continue to deliver fantastic value for the fare. While they may not have the “vibe” of Virgin Atlantic, we prioritize the in-flight comfort and experience over the pre-boarding or takeoff moments. More functional and spacious cabins, better food, and more entertainment choices make Delta a clear winner for our team.
Additional Tips for a Better Flying Experience
Early Booking: Premium seats can fill up quickly, especially during peak travel seasons. Book early to secure your preferred seat and cabin.
Use Frequent Flyer Programs: Enroll in the airline’s frequent flyer program to earn miles and enjoy additional perks such as upgrades and lounge access.
Pack Essentials in Carry-On: Keep essential items like chargers, a change of clothes, and toiletries in your carry-on for easy access during the flight.
Stay Hydrated: Long flights can be dehydrating. Drink plenty of water and avoid excessive caffeine and alcohol.
Dress Comfortably: Wear comfortable clothing and layers to adjust to varying cabin temperatures.
Choosing between Virgin Atlantic Premium and Delta Premium Select ultimately depends on your personal preferences and travel priorities. Both airlines offer excellent services, but Delta’s superior comfort and amenities make it my preferred choice for transatlantic travel. Enjoy your journey, and happy travels!
