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My Virgin America Review!

  • Million Mile Secrets

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    I recently took my first flight on Virgin America, from San Francisco to New York City.

    I had low expectations for the flight.  Virgin America is known for its chic atmosphere, and I expected a lot of smoke and mirrors instead of quality service and overall performance.  But I was pleasantly surprised!

    Virgin America Impressed Me With Their Sleek Planes, Efficient Service, and Passenger-Friendly Perks!

    I’ll share my thoughts on the flight and my full Virgin America review!

    Virgin America Review – Exceeded My Expectations

    When I think of hip, I think of design over substance.

    I had never flown Virgin America until recently.  I expected a visually appealing experience that was inefficient in other aspects.  Kinda like going to a “hip” restaurant and being disappointed with the food.

    Are We Boarding a Plane or a Nightclub? Virgin America’s Mood Lighting Is Funky, but Kind of Neat!
    Virgin America does NOT fall under that category!

    I found Virgin America quite wonderful!  It had a stunning cabin AND efficient service.  For example, flight attendants offered to help passengers put items in the overhead bin!  You don’t see that very often anymore.

    My flight departed from Terminal 2, Gate 51B.  I always appreciate being able to use a mobile boarding pass.  That said, it was a bit confusing because there is no app.  I had to log-in on the Virgin America website and was then able to view the boarding pass.

    I Love the Convenience of Having a Boarding Pass on My Smartphone. Environmentally Friendly Practices Make Me Happy!

    Enroute to the gate, I was impressed by the fact that a Yoga Room was available for passengers to use.  Then again, this was San Francisco.

    A Perfect Spot to Stretch and Decompress Before a Long Trans-Continental Flight

    There were plenty of staff working the gate, and the boarding process was orderly and hassle-free.

    A Well-Staffed Gate Means Smoother Boarding!

    Even the waiting chairs were hip and modern.

    I Could Use One of These in My Living Room!

    If you want to use the in-flight entertainment but forgot to bring your own headphones, you can purchase a colorful set for just $3.

    Silver, Pink, or Blue? Deposit $3 (Cash Only, BOO! ;)) and Snag a Pair of Headphones for Your Flight

    I made my way to 9F, a window seat.  Every seat has a touch screen.

    It Was ~8:30 am, but It Felt Like We Were Boarding a Night Flight!

    Another thing I loved is that it was only an extra $49 for the exit row on a trans-continental flight!  I’ll gladly pay that for a comfortable seat on a flight lasting 5 hours.

    If You Want Extra Legroom, Most Airlines Will Charge Big Bucks (Especially for Long Flights!). But Virgin America’s Price Was More Than Reasonable

    I really liked the color scheme, and Virgin’s distinctive branding.  The seats were really comfortable, too.  It almost didn’t feel like I was on a regular plane!

    I wasn’t a fan of the rap safety video, though.  I didn’t get it, and I honestly wouldn’t have known what to do in an emergency if I hadn’t seen safety briefings on other airlines.  What do y’all think??

    Waiting to push-back, I caught a glimpse of my favorite plane – a Boeing 747-400, operated by Qantas.

    What a Beautiful Bird! The Boeing 747 Is Still at the Top of My All-Time Favorite Aircraft List

    We departed San Francisco behind another Virgin America Airbus A320.

    San Francisco Is a Virgin America Hub, so There Were Plenty of Other Company Aircraft

    The onboard service was polite and efficient.  Another great feature on Virgin America is the ability to order drinks any time from the display on the seat in front of you.

    You Aren’t a Slave to the Drink Cart Schedule on Virgin America

    You can also order snacks, like veggie chips, nuts, and jerky sausage…

    Feeling Peckish? Order a Snack When You Feel Like It!
    …and more substantial offerings for noshing.
    I Liked That There Were Plenty of Vegetarian Options – and Choices for Folks on Low-Carb Diets, Too!

    I was happy to get work done on this flight.  But if you’re bored (or like making new friends), there’s an option to chat with other passengers on the flight in real-time.  I could see how this might be creepy if you prefer privacy, but there’s a way to block messaging if you’re not interested.

    There Were No Million Mile Stalkers Onboard This Flight 😉

    The time flew (ha!) by!  Most passengers kept themselves busy with the in-flight entertainment.

    Virgin America’s Entertainment System Offers Live TV, Music, Movies, and More

    And when we landed in New York, I was thrilled to get a peek at Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A380, which operates the JFK – Frankfurt – Singapore route.  Another one for my bucket list!

    Soon, the Only US Airport Served by Singapore Airlines’ A380 (Which Has Amazing First Class Suites) Will Be New York – JFK

    I won’t judge the book by its cover next time.  Virgin America’s planes, staff, and customer-friendly experience was a very pleasant surprise.

    Bottom Line – Virgin America Review

    Virgin America impressed me with their gorgeous cabin and friendly, efficient service.  It didn’t feel like any airplane I’ve been in before! I’ll definitely fly with them again when I have the chance.

    If you’ve flown Virgin America, what did you think?  I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments!

    Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)