I paid $1,100 to upgrade my flight to upper class. It was great, but a few drawbacks made me hesitant to splurge again.

Upon arriving at Manchester Airport, I checked in via the upper-class desk.

With my ticket, I could check two bags with a combined weight of up to 70 pounds for free, which I made the most of.

After dropping off my suitcases, I spent about five minutes in the fast-track security line and went to the upper-class lounge.

Upper-class passengers flying from Manchester Airport have access to the 1903 lounge.

I noticed the lounge had a full self-service bar with sparkling wine, premium spirits, and a rotating menu of hot and cold food.

I enjoyed a glass of sparkling wine and a full English breakfast, with back bacon, scrambled eggs, potatoes, and baked beans.

Then I made the most of the high-speed WiFi and caught up on some emails.

Boarding began about one hour before my flight was due to depart.

There wasn’t any line when I arrived, but eventually, staff members called my group to board first.

As I waited, I saw passengers from other groups trying to board the plane early, which seemed to cause a little confusion among staffers and passengers.

After boarding the plane, I headed to my spacious seat.

I was offered a choice of sparkling wine, orange juice, or Virgin Atlantic’s ruby-slipper cocktail, which consisted of sparkling wine, rhubarb and raspberry tonic waters, and freeze-dried raspberries.

I also received an amenity kit containing socks, Ren skincare products, an eye mask, a bamboo toothbrush, and toothpaste.

I was very comfortable in my seat, which had plenty of legroom and a plush footrest, but I wished there were more storage space.

There was a small table for drinks next to the seatback and a pocket on the seat itself.

I had trouble finding space for my phone, headphones, and books.

On the flight, some seats, including mine, were angled to face another row of passengers.

Though the high walls surrounding the seats made the space feel more private, facing someone almost directly for eight hours felt a little jarring.

My seat also faced away from the window, which I wasn’t sure if I liked at first. But it was still easy enough to turn around and gaze at the clouds.

I’m sometimes a fussy eater and am not usually fond of airplane food.

However, the meals offered on Virgin Atlantic’s upper-class menu seemed to rival those found at a restaurant. The menu had starters, mains including a roasted trout fillet, and desserts such as mousse.

When it was time to eat, Virgin Atlantic staff members set my table with a tablecloth and silverware.

For my appetizer, I chose butternut-squash-and-sage arancini.

The golf-ball-sized arancini were served with a grilled lemon wedge, sauce, and pea shoots.

The arancini was the perfect mix of sweet and savory, and the breadcrumb exterior was crispy.

My main course was a roasted chicken breast with fondant potatoes, Broccolini, mushrooms, and Madeira sauce.

The chicken was juicy, and the vegetables were soft and tender.

My dessert of choice was chocolate-and-salted-caramel mousse.

The rich mousse was served alongside Chantilly cream, crispy caramel flakes that resembled sprinkles, a strawberry slice, and a sprig of mint.

We were also offered a light meal about an hour before landing. The choices included burgers, flatbreads, bao buns, and a traditional British afternoon tea with scones, cream, and jam.

After dinner, I checked out the upper-class bar, which had four seats.

I thought it was a nice place to sit for a change of scenery, especially if you’re traveling with other people and want to socialize without blocking the aisles.

There wasn’t a bartender, but a cabin-crew member stopped and asked to take my drink order.

About halfway through the flight, I wanted to take a nap. The cabin crew laid my seat flat and added a fitted sheet, a duvet, and a pillow.

I managed to get about two hours of solid sleep. I felt well rested when we landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Overall, I’m glad I upgraded my economy ticket to upper class for this journey. I was comfortable, I felt taken care of, and I had a memorable flight.

However, I wouldn’t pay more than $1,100 to upgrade my ticket if I were flying on this particular aircraft.

If I had to splurge on an upper-class ticket again, I’d go for a flight with more luxurious suite-style seats.

This story was originally published on February 1, 2024, and most recently updated on October 7, 2024.