I was one of the first people on Virgin Atlantic's A330neo, the newest aircraft to fly between NYC and London. Take a tour of the plane.

In April, I eagerly made my way to JFK Airport where I was about to board a brand new aircraft.

Except unlike other planes I've taken out of JFK, this one was not scheduled to depart.

Instead, I was there to preview Virgin Atlantic's newest aircraft, the A330neo.

While it was already in operation between London Heathrow and Boston, Miami, and Tampa, I went to see the new plane ahead of its debut departure into service between London and New York's JFK.

According to their website, in addition to the A330neo, Virgin Atlantic's current fleet includes the Airbus A350-1000, Boeing's 787-9, and Airbus A330-300.

The same source states that the new A330neo has a 64-meter wingspan, which is nearly 4 meters more than their A330-300, and the reason why they are now able to fly further and faster.

The Airbus A330 and the Airbus A330neo are two variants of a twin-aisle aircraft manufactured by Airbus.

According to Airbus, the A330neo's "new engine option" differs from previous A330 planes in a few ways, including a new wingspan that has greater aerodynamic efficiency, which they say leads to lower fuel burn and improved fuel efficiency, less carbon dioxide emissions, and more range.

Virgin Atlantic has ordered 16 Airbus A330neos to add to their overall fleet.

The plane I boarded at JFK Airport was named "Billie Holiday," in honor of the musician.

As a company, Virgin Atlantic has a history of naming aircrafts since its first plane in 1983, drawing inspiration from music, film, literature, food, rhymes, and slang.

Even though my plane wasn't going to go anywhere on this day, it wasn't my first time onboard a Virgin Atlantic aircraft.

I've long been a fan of the airline, and have always appreciated their strong personality as a brand, from witty safety announcement videos to gender-identity inclusive uniforms.

My first business-class flight ever was actually on Virgin Atlantic in 2008, and in my opinion, Virgin Atlantic's business class, called Upper Class, is a top experience for travelers.

Each time I've flown Virgin, I've noticed that the cabin crew seem engaged and personable, and it's made being onboard more enjoyable for me than other airlines.

So, I was extra excited to check out the A330neo. Here's a closer look at every aspect of the new plane.

As I boarded the plane, I noticed the lighting on the A330neo displayed warm hues of lavender and rose, and it reminded me of what I'd expect to see in a futuristic sci-fi movie.

Similar to what I've seen onboard Virgin Atlantic's other planes, the mood lighting on the A330neo changes throughout various stages of the flight.

Henry Buckley, Virgin Atlantic's lead designer for aircraft cabin development, told me that those colors are intended to "mimic the daylight cycle and support the cabin experiences at each stage of the flight. There are hues of peach, amber warmth, hazel glow, silver moonlight, warm whites, light lilacs and subtle pinks," he said.

During my past flights with Virgin Atlantic, I've always thought the mood lighting helped me sleep quicker and wake up calmly, for an overall soothing, serene feeling.

I was told that the A330neo aircraft has 32 Upper Class seats, including two ultra-premium seats known as The Retreat Suite, 46 seats in premium economy, and 184 seats in coach.

I started my tour in Upper Class, which represents Virgin Atlantic's business-class cabin.

Immediately, I noticed the handsome, faux-leather material used on Upper Class' burgundy-colored seats, which I thought was a nice variation of Virgin's signature pop of red.

A lie-flat seat on an airplane is a true indulgence, and I enjoyed testing out the one offered in the A330neo's Upper Class cabin.

I was able to get into a seat and recline it fully into a flat bed, and thought it was comfortable and had plenty of space to stretch my feet out.

I tried multiple seats around the Upper Class cabin, and each felt private to me, like I was sitting inside my own little personal airplane cocoon. I also liked that I could adjust the seat's mood lighting, and that there were multiple ways of reclining the seat in between fully upright and fully flat.

On long-haul flights, I was told the seat is made plusher with the addition of pillows, mattress pads, a duvet, and provided pajamas, which I thought was a nice touch.

In addition to its functionality for sleep, I was also impressed by the sturdy privacy door that accompanied Upper Class seats. When I was sitting down, I thought it reached about 1.5 to 2 feet above my head.

I noticed that it seemed to help dampen cabin noise, which I know I'd appreciate on a long-haul flight.

One of my favorite perks of flying in first or business class are the amenity kits that are often provided.

In the Upper Class amenity kit I saw on the A330neo, the pouch includes socks, a toothbrush and toothpaste, a Virgin Atlantic pen, earplugs, and an eye mask.

In the past, many of the business-class seats I've sat in had USB charging ports, but I was surprised how Virgin Atlantic's A330neo took this a step further to provide a wireless charging mat in each business-class seat, tucked underneath a storage compartment.

I liked the positioning of the wireless charging mat because I thought it was easy to access whether sitting or lying down, and I could imagine it keeping my phone safely cradled in place during turbulence.

USB and power outlets were available, as well.

On the A330neo, Virgin Atlantic's entertainment system includes Hollywood blockbusters, independent films, documentaries, and what they describe as "quirky short films."

The entertainment systems also have TV and music, and passengers can create their own playlists, which is something I've done onboard in the past.

As a regular traveler, I often travel with a Bluetooth audio adapter to connect my Airpods to the plane's entertainment system. But on Virgin Atlantic's A330neo, this proved unnecessary since the ability to connect Bluetooth audio devices was built into the entertainment system.

When I walked toward the front of the Upper Class cabin, I noticed The Retreat Suite, which consists of two exclusive seats within the Upper Class cabin that are 2" longer than a traditional Upper Class seat when stretched into a full lie-flat seat.

To me, The Retreat Suite felt like a mini first-class cabin tucked away at the front of business class. The seats can be booked individually or together, with a privacy divider that can be raised between the seats.

The seats also come with unobstructed foot space, an ottoman at the opposite end that converts into an additional place to sit, plus a sizable and expandable table at its center.

When I tried it out, I felt like I was sitting at a proper dining table at a restaurant. I imagined sharing a meal or game with my travel partner mid-flight, and thought it would be a great option for two people traveling together.

Other perks I noticed in The Retreat Suite's ultra-premium seats included larger-format 27" touchscreen monitors, compared to 17.3" in Upper Class and 13.3" in Premium and Economy cabins, with Bluetooth connectivity and wireless charging.

The seats also had additional tucked-away and extremely deep storage units that I thought appeared larger than other Upper Class seats.

This extra storage would be ideal for individuals like me who tend to not travel light and like to spread out a bit on the plane, I thought.

According to Virgin Atlantic representatives, those traveling in Upper Class can reserve the Retreat Suites up to 14 days before takeoff online, in Virgin Atlantic's booking management tool.

The suite seats are first-come, first-serve, so I suggest setting an alarm on your phone if you want to experience them on the A330neo.

And in my opinion, if you're already traveling in Upper Class, you should. I thought these seats were the pinnacle of luxury, and an excellent option for families or friends traveling together.

At the back of the A330neo in Upper Class, just before reaching the Premium cabin, is an area called The Loft.

A Virgin Atlantic representative told me that this area is meant as a social gathering space that can fit eight people in four banquet-style seats that were designed for conversations where one person is sitting while another is standing.

In the space, I saw two large 27" TV monitors with Bluetooth audio connectivity that I thought were ideal for watching shows or movies with fellow passengers. I also found it convenient that Upper Class passengers could stop by here to pick up self-serve water, beverages, and ice cream during the flight, all stocked in a large fridge and freezer.

The Loft replaces an area known as The Bar on other Virgin planes, where passengers can gather and grab a cocktail shaken up by a flight attendant.

Since I've flown Virgin Atlantic and Upper Class a few times, I found the absence of The Bar to be disappointing since The Loft is more of a hangout spot, as opposed to an exclusive area where someone is waiting on you.

All these luxury perks in the A330neo were certainly attractive, but not necessarily cheap. When I researched fares on the company's website, I found that they tended to be around at least $5,000.

Virgin's premium economy offering, called Premium, is the middle ground between business class and coach.

It has wider faux-leather seats and nicer amenities than in economy, but lacks as many of the bells and whistles of Upper Class.

After leaving the aircraft, I researched Premium fares on Virgin's website and found roundtrip fares available in May 2023 for $2,370 roundtrip.

For the size of the seats and the lower price point, I thought the Premium cabin was the best value onboard Virgin Atlantic's A330neo.

With a 2-3-2 configuration, seats in Premium felt wide and comfortable to me, with a deeper recline over seats in Economy. They have an 18.5" seat width and 38" seat pitch, according to a sheet provided to me onboard the plane by a Virgin Atlantic representative.

I noticed that each seat was separated by a divider console, which also acted as an armrest.

Premium cabin seats have a 13.3" touchscreen monitor, which is the same size monitor as in Economy, and come with Bluetooth audio connectivity.

When I tested out the Premium seat, one of my favorite features was one I didn't expect: calf rests.

They opened and closed seamlessly for extra comfort, and didn't take up any additional legroom space when not in use.

I could definitely see the advantage of these calf rests for better positioning myself to sleep on a transatlantic flight between London to New York City.

I was pleased to see that Premium passengers received an amenity kit, too.

It included everything that I saw in Upper Class except the sleep suit and linens, though a blanket and pillow were provided.

The armrest in Premium also serves as the location for a wireless charging mat, similar to what I saw in Upper Class.

I felt this would be ideal in a situation where I knew my seatmate, but less suitable if I traveled next to a stranger and had to fight for space since only one phone could fit on it at a time.

Premium seats also had other power charging outlets that faced me as I sat down. I thought this was nice as I more often see them underneath the seat, which can be more difficult to reach.

Walking into the back of the plane, I found the coach cabin on Virgin Atlantic's A330neo, called Economy. I found it to be delightful and stylish, and liked the seat texture, which a representative for the airline told me was a new red marl knit fabric for Virgin Atlantic. It reminded me of a rich, textured Berber-style fabric with a combination of neutral burgundy colors.

Virgin's A330neo is a twin-aisle aircraft, meaning the plane has a 2-4-2 seating configuration in Economy. I enjoy this seating configuration when traveling with my husband or another companion since it's possible to snag a pair of seats together near the window with a more private feel, even in coach.

Virgin Atlantic has three economy seat fares, including Economy Delight, with extra leg room and a 34" seat pitch at the front of the cabin. Economy Delight passengers can pick their seat prior to departure and bring luggage onboard to stow overhead.

Economy Classic seats follow, and are the standard economy experience for travelers who don't want to pay extra for more leg room, or to be closer to the front of the cabin. Economy Classic passengers can still pick their seat prior to departure and bring overhead luggage.

The last is Economy Light, where fares are restricted to include just a carry-on personal item, and seats are assigned, not chosen. Economy Light seats do include the same 31" seat pitch as Economy Classic seats, however.

Like the other classes, Economy seats on Virgin's A330neo come with a wide selection of movies and TV, viewed in this case on a 13.3" seat-back screen.

With these monitors, there's an option to use a personal mobile device to control the screen, which I thought was a cool option.

A rep for Virgin Atlantic told me over email that the Wi-Fi on board will be provided by Viasat, a satellite internet provider, and will allow passengers full video streaming speeds, something I've seen become more frequent on airlines lately.

A rep for Virgin also confirmed that the Wi-Fi cost will be £5.99 for 1-hour, roughly $8, or £18.99, about $27, for the full flight.

While nothing on Virgin Atlantic's A330neo felt completely revolutionary to me as a frequent flier, the beauty of the new plane impressed me, as did its updated comforts and connectivity that I think make it a great option for the routes it services from London Heathrow.

All of the seats I tried felt roomy and comfortable, and I'd gladly fly in any cabin. But based on the larger seats and value in pricing, you'll most likely find me in Premium on Virgin's A330neo for my next trip to London if I couldn't snag a good Upper Class fare.