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I flew on Virgin Atlantic from New York to London in economy for the first time. It's now one of my favorite long-haul rides.
I flew on Virgin Atlantic from New York to London in economy for the first time. It's now one of my favorite long-haul rides.
Taylor RainsAug 20, 2024, 18:33 IST
<p class="ingestion featured-caption">I flew on Virgin's A350 in economy from New York to London and loved it.Taylor Rains/Business Insider</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Virgin Atlantic Airways has spent billions on new aircraft to revamp its fleet.</li><li>I flew on Virgin for the first time in economy on its Airbus A350-1000 from New York to London.</li></ul><p><a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/virgin-atlantic-business-class-upgrade-retreat-suite-a330-neo-2024-7">Virgin Atlantic Airways has spent billions of dollars</a> to completely transform its fleet.</p><p>This includes acquiring a <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.planespotters.net/airline/Virgin-Atlantic">dozen</a> next-generation Airbus A350-1000s since 2019. They are Virgin's largest planes, and the airline has introduced<strong> </strong>them with <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/upgraded-virgin-atlantic-flight-first-class-pros-cons-2024">upgraded business</a> and economy-class cabins.</p><p>I recently ditched my go-to airline,<strong> </strong><a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/flying-on-deltas-boeing-767-economy-it-was-great-review-2022-9">Delta,</a><strong> </strong>to experience the new A350 economy class on a July flight from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to London Heathrow Airport.</p><p>This was my first time flying Virgin, and I had high expectations for what Skytrax considers <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-airlines-in-the-world-skytrax-survey-2024-6">one of the world's top 20 best airlines</a>.</p><p>I was impressed with the small comfort touches that made for an <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/virgin-atlantic-economy-class-flight-review-pictures-2018-8">easy ride to London.</a></p>
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I arrived at New York-JFK Terminal 4 at 5 a.m. for my flight to London.
I flew Virgin's A350 in economy from New York to London for the first time in July.Taylor Rains/Business Insider
The check-in was surprisingly efficient.
It took me just a few minutes to tag and drop off my luggage, which cost a steep $75 to check.Taylor Rains/Business Insider
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Economy passengers with Priority Pass can access Virgin's Terminal 4 lounge.
The lounge featured Virgin's staple red branding with decorative finishes, a bar, and à la carte food.Taylor Rains/Business Insider
I was among the last to board and headed to aisle seat 52G.
I enjoyed the view from my aisle seat.Taylor Rains/Business Insider
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At 5 feet 3 inches tall, I had plenty of space.
I felt I had more than enough legroom, but I'm small and fit into virtually any airline seat.Taylor Rains/Business Insider
The padding was plush, and I appreciated the adjustable headrest and recline.
The six-way headrest on Virgin's seats featured plush padding.Taylor Rains/Business Insider
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The blanket was surprisingly effective.
The seats came with linens and headphones. Taylor Rains/Business Insider
The seatback had an 11.5-inch screen loaded with good in-flight entertainment.
The screen could tilt up to improve the viewing angle when the seat in front reclined.Taylor Rains/Business Insider
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The aviation enthusiast in me loved the outside camera.
We could watch the view of the plane from the outside via the seatback screens.Taylor Rains/Business Insider
The food was better than most competitors, and I was happy the breakfast was simple.
The meals didn't disappoint for airplane food.Taylor Rains/Business Insider
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There wasn't any free WiFi.
Virgin's WiFi cost nearly $9 for one hour of browsing. A messaging option was also available for $3.95.Taylor Rains/Business Insider
The plane landed in London on time, and I waited only 10 minutes for my luggage.
I liked the mood lighting throughout the flight.Taylor Rains/Business Insider
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I'd easily book Virgin again for the comfort and service.
I could use the adjustable tray table to watch pre-downloaded content on my Kindle Fire 10.Taylor Rains/Business Insider