Virgin Atlantic vs. British Airways: the ultimate comparison

For those who haven’t flown either, a Virgin Atlantic vs British Airways comparison probably sounds easy. I mean, how different could two airlines based in London possibly be?

As a seasoned traveler who has flown both a number of times, I’m here to tell you that it’s not as simple as it seems. It’s kind of like comparing Fiat with Ferrari. Sure, both are Italian auto makers, but one is massively more hip and edgy than the other.

**(My sincerest apologies to British Airways for referring to them as the “Fiat” of the airline industry)

Virgin Atlantic vs. British Airways: a brief summary of all the similarities and differences

Virgin Atlantic and British Airways were born from different origins and continue to evolve in different directions. However, despite their differences, there are some notable similarities:

Similarities

• Both airlines are based in London with their primary hub being Heathrow Airport (LHR).
• The Airbus A350 is the flagship aircraft of both airlines. One could argue that it’s the A380 for British Airways, but they’ve been very slow in keeping it updated with the latest cabins.
• Both British Airways and virgin Atlantic offer what are arguably some of the best premium airline seats in the business.
• Both airlines have a large presence at the John F Kennedy airport in New York (JFK). For both, it’s their most important international destination.

Differences

• Virgin Atlantic only operates long haul flights. British Airways operates a mix of both long haul and short haul.
• British Airways operates more Boeing aircraft than Virgin Atlantic (which is primarily – but not exclusively – an Airbus operator).
• The cultures of both airlines are vastly different. Virgin Atlantic prides themselves and being hip and cutting edge, while British Airways excels in areas of professionalism and class (well, they try anyway).
• British Airways is a much larger airline than Virgin Atlantic. They have a fleet of over 254 aircraft with destinations to 215 airports, compared to the 43 aircraft and 22 destinations of Virgin Atlantic.
• British Airways is part of the Oneworld Alliance. Virgin Atlantic is part of the SkyTeam Alliance.

An oversimplified history of both airlines

The differences between Virgin Atlantic vs. British Airways begin with their wildly different histories. British Airways has a longstanding history of official support, and Virgin Atlantic set out to be the antithesis of British Airways and everyone like them. Here’s how the two airlines came to be:

A brief history of Virgin Atlantic

In 1984, Virgin Atlantic took to the air as the underdog in the airline industry. When most air travelers had to choose between a limited selection of expensive options, Virgin Atlantic set out to stand out from the crowd. Chairman Richard Branson’s general philosophy of, “Screw it, let’s do it,” informed much of Virgin Atlantic’s progress.

The airline offered novel luxury services like in-flight entertainment and massages, paired with edgy catchphrases like, “BA [British Airways] doesn’t give a shiatsu.” Over time, more established airlines began offering similar amenities, and Virgin Atlantic started to tone down its flamboyance. But Virgin Atlantic still prides itself on its independence.

A brief history of British Airways

British Airways was founded in 1924 as Imperial Airways, the government’s “chosen instrument of air travel.” As an official government transportation provider, Imperial Airways initially offered limited service to destinations in Europe and selected English colonies. Eventually, Imperial Airways merged with British Airways Limited, itself a product of four merged private airlines.

The British Airways that we know today is a combination of those early airlines and the successor government airlines that formed later. Virgin Atlantic prides itself on independence and flair, British Airways prides itself on its long, official legacy of government service and technological innovation.

Virgin Atlantic seats vs. British Airways seats

Virgin Atlantic and British Airways offer similar seating types in business class, premium economy, and economy. The main difference is that British Airways offers first class on some aircraft types, whereas Virgin Atlantic does not.

Virgin Atlantic seats

In my experience, I find the seats on Virgin Atlantic (in any class of service) to be unique and stylish. They may not be all that more comfortable compared to what British Airways offers, but it’s definitely an experience.

Business class

Virgin Atlantic’s business class product (Upper Class) has been improving over the years. It’s a world class lie-flat premium seat IMHO, no better or worse than what British Airways offers. You really can’t go wrong one way or another.

Premium Economy

Virgin Atlantic’s premium cabin features cozy leather seats with headrests and footrests. These seats have built-in power outlets to charge your gadgets and are more spacious than any seat you’ll find in economy class.

Economy

Virgin Atlantic economy class is typical for long haul economy. You’ll get a blanket, pillow, and headphones just as you would in British Airways economy. The only difference is that the Virgin Atlantic seats are a lot more pink. And purple.

British Airways seats

British Airways offers multiple types of seats on both long-haul and short-haul flights. Most seats, regardless of class, offer AC power.

First Class

First Class seats on British Airways are fully enclosed suites offering total privacy. In my opinion, it’s not that much better than business class. The only benefit to these seats is slightly better food and slightly more privacy. Note that Virgin Atlantic does not offer first class, so there’s nothing to compare it to.

Business Class

Business class on British Airways (officially known as Club World) is nearly the same type of product that you’d find on Virgin Atlantic. It’s a 1-2-1 seating configuration on most aircraft types. On some aircraft types, there are privacy doors which technically makes it a business class suite (just like first class).

Premium Economy

Premium economy on long haul British Airways flights is nothing to shake a stick at. They’ve come a long way over the years, and they offer a competitive product featuring all the perks you’d expect in a premium economy seat. Things like: an adjustable foot rest, power ports, and deep recline (more than Virgin Atlantic premium economy).

Economy

British Airways economy class (officially known as World Traveler) is basically the same as Virgin Atlantic economy class – but without all of the high style and design. It’s fine. And sort of comfortable (offering more legroom than what you would find on one of their domestic aircraft).

Virgin Atlantic food vs. British Airways food

From complimentary snacks and beverages to full-service meals, you probably won’t disembark hungry from either airline. You may not be entirely satisfied, but you won’t be hungry either.

Virgin Atlantic food

The good thing about Virgin Atlantic food is that it’s not any worse than British Airways food. The bad thing is that it’s not any better either.

Business class

Business class (Upper Class) food on Virgin Atlantic is about as middle-of-the-road as it gets for long haul business class IMHO. It usually tends to be more ‘hearty’ type meals (meat and potatoes), and they tend not to get overly creative with the menu. The same thing can be said about British Airways BTW.

Premium economy

The food you’ll get in premium economy on Virgin Atlantic is slightly more upscale than what you would get in economy class. Everything is served in a single tray (as opposed to being served in courses), and it’s generally OK.

Economy

Honestly? I’ve found Virgin Atlantic economy class food to be nothing short of terrible. Portions are small, and it’s not very tasty. You have been warned. At least the alcohol is free!

British Airways food

Everything I said about the food served on Virgin Atlantic applies to British Airways as well. Let’s be honest folks: there’s not a lot of good food being served on airlines from the UK these days.

First Class

First Class service on British Airways is more about the service than it is the food in my opinion. The meals aren’t all that fancy from what I’ve seen, but the way that it served will make it feel like fine dining. It’s basically business class food in a fancy wrapper.

Business Class

Business Class food in British Airways is on par with the food in Virgin Atlantic business class. Portion size is the same as well. I probably wouldn’t even be able to tell a difference between the food if you didn’t tell me which one was which.

Premium Economy

Believe it or not, I’ve had better food in British Airways premium economy than I have in business class. The food you’ll get in premium economy is a mix of what the experience is like in both economy and business class. You’ll get business class food quality, but it’ll be served on a single tray (just like economy class).

Economy

British Airways economy class food is acceptable. Just as how it’s done on Virgin Atlantic, I appreciate their attempt to offer traditional British food for almost every meal.

Comparing Virgin Atlantic and British Airways in-flight entertainment

From television to movies to music, there’s a vast selection of entertainment options for child and adult passengers of both airlines.

For the record, I have found the in-flight entertainment onboard both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic to be quite good. Especially on newer aircraft.

Virgin Atlantic in-flight entertainment

Virgin Atlantic offers a pretty good selection of movies and TV shows. I find the user interface of the in-flight entertainment system to be slightly less intuitive compared to the British Airways offering, but overall it’s pretty good.

My only real complaint is the cheap headphones they provide in both premium economy and economy. You won’t even get noise canceling headphones in premium economy, so I highly recommend bringing your own.

British Airways in-flight entertainment

I ain’t never said anything bad about British airways in-flight entertainment, and I ain’t gonna start now. It’s fine. It’s not great, but the selection of movies on TV shows is on par with what Virgin Atlantic is offering. Honestly, there is no clear winner here.

Comparing the Virgin Atlantic and British Airways frequent flyer programs

Despite all the differences between the two airlines, the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and British Airways Executive Club are remarkably similar programs. Earning, redeeming, and selection of rewards are broadly similar, with some subtle differences between the two.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

The Virgin Atlantic Flying Club allows members to earn points from flights and other travel experiences. Points are redeemable on rewards such as chauffeur service, free and reduced-price flights, spa services, and other partner programs.

Flying Club members will also earn points toward Virgin Atlantic Flying Club tiers, which offer additional benefits to members as their membership tier increases. Members earn more points per flight at higher levels and get bonuses like free seat assignment, extra luggage, and Clubhouse access.

Benefits over British Airways:

• Earning points is more straightforward than the British Airways frequent flyer program – no outside spending necessary.
• Measurable benefits for each membership tier climbed.

British Airways Executive Club

The British Airways Executive Club allows passengers to earn points called Avios on flights, hotel stays, and car rentals with certain British Airways partners, which can be spent on flights and flight upgrades. These points can be pooled with up to five other members of the member’s household for more rewards.

As Executive Club members earn and spend Avios, they also earn Tier Points toward higher tiers of Executive Club membership. Higher tiers offer more significant benefits, including priority boarding, lounge access, and cabin upgrade vouchers.

Benefits over Virgin Atlantic:

• Household sharing of Avios means you can earn and spend rewards as a family.
• Avios only expire after years of inactivity, so there’s no rush to spend.

Comparing the Virgin Atlantic and British Airways route networks

In terms of comparing destinations, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways couldn’t be any more different. Virgin Atlantic serves only a fraction of the destinations reached by British Airways.

Virgin Atlantic route network

Virgin Atlantic offers a much more limited route network as compared to British Airways. Virgin’s routes extend to major cities in the U.S. and tropical vacation destinations in South and Central America, with a few destinations in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. In other words, it’s all long haul.

British Airways route network

With routes traveling to six continents, the British Airways route network covers nearly every corner of the globe. Not only that, they offer an extensive short haul route network as well.

The best way to compare the British Airways route network to the Virgin Atlantic route network is to say this: British Airways is a global business airline, while Virgin Atlantic is more of a leisure airline.

Why would you choose Virgin Atlantic over British Airways (or vise versa)?

Depending on whether you prioritize having a variety of destinations, or an extensive selection of snacks and entertainment, here’s why you might choose Virgin Atlantic over British Airways (or the other way around):

Choose Virgin Atlantic if:

• You care more about a stylish and hip experience rather than something more traditional (and arguably higher class, depending on the class of service that you are flying).
• You want to fly on something other than a Boeing 777 every now and then. The Virgin Atlantic fleet is very diverse.
• You typically fly the same routes.
• You want a better lounge experience at the airport. FYI, Virgin Atlantic lounges are generally phenomenal.
• You want an experience to remember. To be honest, it would be hard for me to remember my past British Airways experiences if I didn’t write airline reviews for a living.  However, thanks to all that hot pink mood lighting and ultra hip vibes, all of my Virgin Atlantic experiences have been etched into my brain permanently.

Choose British Airways if:

• You value industry experience over perks.
• You enjoy the traditional airline in-flight experience.
• You want access to the Oneworld Alliance and all of the benefits that come with it.
• You want an airline with more flight options. British Airways is a much larger airline than Virgin Atlantic (which is very important for business travelers).
• You fly American Airlines a lot. FYI, American Airlines and British Airways are close partners, and it’s easy to earn points and status on both. If that sounds appealing, be sure to check out my American Airlines vs British Airways comparison to find out more…