Best Ways To Book Virgin Atlantic Upper Class With Points [Step-by-Step]

Key Takeaways

• Virgin Atlantic Upper Class offers lie-flat seats, direct aisle access, an inflight bar, and a multi-course meal.
• These seats are best booked through Virgin’s Flying Club using points, or by transferring points from partners like American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards.
• Delta SkyMiles and ANA Mileage Club are 2 other programs you can use to book Upper Class award tickets.

If airlines have gained a reputation for taking the fun out of travel, Virgin Atlantic has worked hard to be different. The London-based airline brings a fun atmosphere to flying, and it’s obvious when flying their Upper Class product.

From great lounges — particularly at London Heathrow (LHR) and New York City (JFK) — to inflight bars to fun crew members, the Upper Class experience is nice and easy from start to finish.

A Look Inside Virgin Atlantic Upper Class

If you’re looking for a way to cross the Atlantic, flying Upper Class on Virgin Atlantic is a very nice way to go.

Now, let’s be clear from the outset: this isn’t going to be the same over-the-top experience as flying Lufthansa first class or Singapore Airlines Suites to Europe, but it’s still a great way to fly.

Every Upper Class seat can flip into a lie-flat bed so you can catch some shuteye, whether you’re on a 7-hour flight from the East Coast or a 10-hour flight from San Francisco.

Additionally, each seat has direct aisle access, so you won’t have to worry about others climbing over you or tripping on someone just to walk around during the flight.

Again, don’t expect the same kind of space at your seat that you’d find when flying Singapore Airlines business class. The seat width isn’t terrible, but the walls on each side of it can feel a bit cramped.

Hot Tip: If you want to turn your seat into a bed, you’ll need to get some help from a crew member as the seat won’t recline until flat — it must be flipped into the bed position.

Finally, most Upper Class seats are positioned so that you are facing someone across the aisle. This leaves very little privacy for those who would prefer to feel like they’re alone when sitting in their business class seat.

As part of Virgin Atlantic’s effort to make flying fun, you will also have access to their inflight bar.

On an overnight flight from New York City (JFK) or Washington Dulles to London, you might not find many people congregating, but there are usually at least a few. If you have a long flight, you can expect more action around the bar (especially if it’s a daytime flight).

Whether you’re hanging around the bar or watching a movie from your seat, you’ll always be able to enjoy a glass of champagne or a cocktail.

As an Upper Class passenger, you’ll also enjoy a multi-course meal that includes an appetizer, main course, dessert, and a cheese course. Throw in some friendly service from the crew, and you have quite the enjoyable flight!

Beyond the flights, you will also have access to Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses at a number of airports, including the famous Clubhouse at London Heathrow. Additionally, when London Heathrow is your destination, you can grab a shower and a bite to eat at the Revivals Lounge before heading into the city.

Now that you have an idea of what to expect (and why you probably want to book Upper Class soon), let’s talk about the booking process itself.

Virgin Atlantic’s New Upper Class

Virgin Atlantic revamped their Upper Class product. The old product consisted of herringbone seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, whereas this new arrangement consists of modified reverse herringbone seats.

Offered on the A350-1000, this new version of Upper Class represents a huge upgrade compared to their older Upper Class seats, which have been criticized for their lack of privacy.

The new Upper Class seats are 20 inches wide, 44 inches in pitch, and 82 inches in bed mode, equal to 6’10”. While these seats are quite narrow and on par with United Polaris, there’s a privacy divider that adds additional privacy.

The high-tech, touchscreen, in-flight entertainment screens measure 18.5 inches, so it represents a huge upgrade over the last version, which measured 13 inches. Also, the in flight entertainment system will be Bluetooth compatible, which will allow passengers to also control the screen at the touch of a phone.

All of the seats are facing the windows, so you won’t need to turn your neck to look outside. In addition, Virgin Atlantic is revamping their onboard bar. Instead of having an onboard bar, they will offer an in-flight lounge called The Loft.

Inside The Loft, you’ll find lounge seating for up to 8 passengers and tables for snacks and drinks. Also, you can enjoy programming from the 32 inch television connected to personal Bluetooth headphones.

Currently, the new Virgin Atlantic Upper Class seat is offered on:

• New York City (JFK) – London-Heathrow (LHR)
• Los Angeles (LAX) – London-Heathrow (LHR)

How to Fly Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Using Points

Unlike many airlines, Virgin Atlantic is not part of a major airline alliance, but they have partnered with several other airlines. Let’s take a look at a few ways you can use points and points try Virgin Atlantic Upper Class. Note that taxes, fees, and carrier-imposed surcharges apply to all reward flights. Points shown are for round-trip flights; one-way flights would have the points halved.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

As you would expect, you can use Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club program to book Upper Class award tickets. The process is quite simple; just follow the steps below:

1. Visit Virgin Atlantic’s website
2. Select “Book” from menu options
3. Select “Book A Flight” from the drop-down menu
4. Enter your origin and destination
5. Select “One-Way” or “Return”
6. Select your travel date(s)
   • If you don’t need to travel on specific dates, you can choose to search for dates within 1 week or within 5 weeks
7. Select “Pay with Points”
8. Show “Advanced Options”
9. Select “Upper Class” as the cabin type
10. Click “Find My Flights”
11. Select your flight and click “Next Step”
12. Review the Flight Summary and click “Next Step”
13. If you aren’t logged in to your Flying Club account, you will be prompted to do so now
14. Complete your booking

There are a couple of things to keep in mind when booking with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

First, the carrier-imposed surcharges are steep, especially when flying from the United States to the United Kingdom.

Second, the Flying Club award chart has peak season and regular season. Make sure you book awards during the regular season to save a ton of points!

While the redemption rates aren’t always great and the carrier-imposed surcharges can be very high, the advantage to using Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is that you can transfer a number of rewards currencies to book if you need more points:

• Chase Ultimate Rewards (almost instantly)
• American Express Membership Rewards (roughly 2 days)
• Citi ThankYou Points (roughly 2 days)
• Marriott (< 24 hours)

Delta SkyMiles

If you want to keep carrier-imposed surcharges to a minimum, Delta SkyMiles is probably your best bet.

To book Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, follow the steps below:

1. Go to Delta’s website
2. Log in to your SkyMiles account
3. Select “Book A Trip”
4. Enter your origin and destination
5. Enter your travel dates; choose “Exact Dates” or “Flexible Dates”
   • You can also use “Advanced Search” to search by month
6. Select to show the price in “Miles”
7. Select your flights
   • Make sure the flight is operated by Virgin Atlantic – this will be clearly stated
8. Review your itinerary
9. Enter passenger information, then select your seat and pay the taxes/fees

As Virgin Atlantic operates out of a limited number of airports in the U.S., a connection on Delta might be required. Sometimes, the online search results won’t show Virgin Atlantic flights as an option if a connection is required.

However, if you can find award space on Virgin Atlantic and a separate saver level award for a connecting flight, there is a way to make this work. You can speak with Delta via online chat or over the phone and they can add the connecting flight so you don’t have to book separate awards.

Delta is an American Express transfer partner at a 1:1 ratio if you need more SkyMiles to complete your booking. Transfers from Membership Rewards generally process almost instantly.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club

Unlike the options above, if you want to book Virgin Atlantic Upper Class with All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club, you will have to call to complete the booking. Just follow these steps for an easy booking process:

1. Go to Delta’s website
2. Select “Book A Trip”
3. Enter your origin and destination
4. Enter your travel dates; choose “Exact Dates” or “Flexible Dates”
   • You can also use “Advanced Search” to search by month
5. Select to show the price in “Miles”
6. Select your flights
   • Make sure the flight is operated by Virgin Atlantic – this will be clearly stated
7. Note the flight numbers and times
8. Call ANA’s contact center at 1-800-235-9262
9. Specify that you want to book an award ticket on their partner Virgin Atlantic
10. Provide the flight dates and flight info
11. Complete the booking

Like Virgin Atlantic, you’ll want to be careful when booking with ANA Mileage Club as they will pass on the steep carrier-imposed surcharges. While the mileage cost is much cheaper, ANA requires you to book a round-trip award ticket — which means very expensive taxes and fees.

Like with Delta, you can transfer Amex Membership Rewards to your ANA Mileage Club account to get the necessary miles to book Upper Class.

The difficult part is that Membership Rewards often take 2-3 days to transfer. This is made more difficult by the fact that ANA will not put award tickets on hold.

Other Ways to Book Virgin Atlantic Upper Class

Virgin Atlantic also partners with Singapore Airlines, which allows you to use KrisFlyer miles to book Upper Class. Unfortunately, other airline partners such as Air New Zealand and South African Airways don’t have award charts that are competitive.

Great Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Redemptions

Many of the award booking options for Virgin Atlantic Upper Class flights are going to involve some steep taxes and fees thanks to carrier-imposed surcharges. That being said, there are some interesting ways to book Upper Class so you can get the most bang for your miles.

If you are okay with roughly $1,200 in taxes and fees, you can book Upper Class with ANA Mileage Club for 88,000 miles round-trip between San Francisco and London.

You could also depart from New York City, Washington, D.C., or another city further east — but if you’re going to spend $1,200 on taxes and fees, it might as well be for a 10-hour flight so you can have time to enjoy the inflight bar!

If you only need a one-way award ticket, Delta SkyMiles can book Upper Class for 85,000 miles plus only $5.60. Clearly, this is the cheapest out of pocket option.

Hot Tip: Since Delta uses a region-based award chart, the one-way cost will be 85,000 miles whether you book Upper Class from San Francisco or New York City!

Virgin Atlantic’s own Flying Club program splits the United States into East and West with different redemption rates for each.

The East includes Atlanta, Boston, Miami, New York, Orlando, and Washington, D.C.; a one-way Upper Class booking from here will cost 47,500 miles plus around $500 in taxes and fees.

From the West Coast (San Francisco and Seattle), it will cost 67,500 miles plus the ~$500 in taxes and fees. Regardless of the departure airport, make sure you book during the regular season, since peak season rates require significantly more miles.

You could also connect in London on your way to Johannesburg, South Africa. Again, you’ll see that Delta provides an option without carrier-imposed surcharges: 150,000 SkyMiles plus around $50 for a one-way Upper Class award.

ANA Mileage Club allows you to book Upper Class round-trip for 104,000 miles plus roughly $1,100. Notice that this is actually cheaper than just flying to London!

Hot Tip: ANA also lets you book a stopover, so you could visit London for a week before continuing to South Africa if you wanted.

Virgin Atlantic requires 105,000 miles for a one-way award in Upper Class plus just over $500 for taxes and fees.

Overall, each loyalty program has its positive aspects when booking Upper Class:

• Delta keeps your cash costs to a minimum
• ANA requires the fewest miles
• Virgin Atlantic miles can be earned so easily because of 4 transfer partners

How to Earn Enough Virgin Points for Upper Class

Virgin Points can be transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, and Citi Thank You Rewards (all at a rate of 1:1), or from Marriott Bonvoy at a transfer rate of 3:1.

Delta and ANA are Amex and Marriott transfer partners.

(For more on this topic, see our guides on: Chase Transfer Partners, Amex Transfer Partners, Citi Transfer Partners and Marriott Transfer Partners.)

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U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Marriott loyalists will love this card's annual Free Night Award, automatic elite status, and up to 17x points per $1 on Marriott hotel stays.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card

Marriott loyalists will love this card's annual Free Night Award, automatic elite status, and up to 17x points per $1 on Marriott hotel stays.

Welcome Offer

Earn 125,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening.

125,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$875

Annual Fee

$95

APR

20.99% - 27.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

If you’re a frequent traveler and a Marriott loyalist, there’s a lot to love about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card. The card comes packed with several great benefits like a free hotel night once a year, automatic Silver Elite status (with a fast-track to Gold Elite status), and multiple options for redeeming points.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Earn big when you use your card at thousands of participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
• Earn big at grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
• Automatic Silver Elite Status

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• Marriott Silver Elite Status is the lowest status tier

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Card Highlights

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.99% - 27.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 

Rewards Center

Marriott Bonvoy

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express^® Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.

Welcome Offer

Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you spend $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

85,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$595

Annual Fee

$250

APR

20.24%-29.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express^® Card, the latest mid-tier offering in the Marriott Bonvoy lineup of cards, offers cardholders automatic elite status and ways to earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on each of their stays and daily purchases.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
• 4x points per $1 at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per calendar year, then 2x points)
• 2x points per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $250 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Free Night Award certificate is not an automatic benefit

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Card Highlights

• Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy^® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• Earn 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2X points).
• Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ Card.
• Marriott Bonvoy 1K Bonus Points Per Stay: Earn 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points per paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott for properties participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• With complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elites status, earn up to 2.5X points from Marriott Bonvoy^® on eligible hotel purchases with the 25% Bonus Points on stays benefit, available for Qualifying Rates.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Free Night Award: Earn 1 Free Night Award after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ Card in a calendar year. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® points) at a hotel participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• 15 Elite Night Credits: Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express Card^® you can receive 15 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy^® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
• Plan It^® is a payment option that lets you split up purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee. Plus, you'll still earn rewards the way you usually do.
• $250 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.24%-29.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card

A premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.

Welcome Offer

Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

95,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$665

Annual Fee

$650

APR

20.24%-29.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card is a premium card designed with road warriors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalists in mind.

So is the card a worthwhile addition to your wallet?

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy program
• 3x points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines and restaurants worldwide
• 2x points per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• Steep annual fee of $650 (rates & fees)
• 6x points per $1 is the same earn rate offered with lower annual fee alternatives like the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express^® Card

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card at restaurants worldwide.
• With Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when available at select properties and booked with a Qualifying Rate.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy^® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®. Earn 3X Marriott Bonvoy^® points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines and 2X Marriott Bonvoy^® points on all other eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card.
• Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
• $100 Marriott Bonvoy Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton^® or St. Regis^® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
• Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®: Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($120) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck^® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
• Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy^® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express.
• Enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, which offers unlimited airport lounge visits to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
• With Cell Phone Protection, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• $650 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.24%-29.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Marriott Bonvoy

What Makes Virgin Atlantic Upper Class a Great Redemption?

Flying Virgin Atlantic Upper Class is a great way to travel for a number of reasons, but here are few that really stand out.

The Clubhouse and Revivals Lounge

When you fly Upper Class, make sure you leave time to visit one of their Clubhouse lounges, especially if you are departing or connecting at London Heathrow or New York City (JFK).

From great cocktails and champagne to delicious meals, you’ll actually enjoy waiting for your flight here!

If London is your destination, take advantage of the Revivals Lounge at Heathrow.

You can get a hot shower, breakfast, and coffee or tea to give you a jolt and start the day right. If you so desire, spa treatments are also available, which can be especially nice after a long flight from the West Coast.

Inflight Bar

There are several airlines that provide inflight bars, but you usually only find them on the Airbus A380.

Virgin Atlantic has taken a different approach and installed inflight bars on all of their aircraft, so every Upper Class passenger can mingle, enjoy a drink, and grab a snack.

Keep in mind that the inflight bar will not be offered on the new Upper Class routes. Instead, you’ll be able to enjoy The Loft aboard the new Upper Class.

A Fun Flying Environment

Whether it’s the atmosphere of The Clubhouse lounge or at the inflight bar, Virgin Atlantic strives to make flying fun. The crew members are very often friendly and willing to chat while making sure every passenger has what they need.

Final Thoughts

While some business class products are great because of their spacious seats or cabin layout, Virgin Atlantic sets itself apart with its approach to flying. While the cabin layout could probably use some improvements and the seats are due for a bit of an upgrade, they are a fine way to travel and not the only reason to try Virgin Atlantic Upper Class.

With several ways to book one of these flights and plenty of ways to earn the necessary points to do so, you will be on your way to an Upper Class experience before you know it!