When Virgin’s Dynamic Pricing Strikes: A330 Upper Class to Manchester
A recent trip to New York put Virgin Atlantic’s dynamic pricing madness firmly into perspective – and my Flying Club balance through a minor existential crisis.
This was a fairly last minute trip. I’d been hunting for a return to London in either Upper Class or Premium, but every “saver” seat had vanished. The outbound was similar for Premium. Economy, however, was sitting there quietly for a steal — just 6,000 points. For a daytime flight? Fine. I could endure it.
The plan was to sort the return later. Bold move, I know. I flew out without a confirmed ticket home, figuring I would work it out eventually. Spoiler: we did, but not before a mild panic attack.
Two days before heading back, those reasonable options were gone — like socks in a hotel laundry. Economy had skyrocketed to 40,000+ points, Premium was 90,000, and Upper Class? A jaw-clenching 200,000+.
I began flirting with other airlines, even eyeing cash fares (which, insultingly, were cheaper). Then I thought — “what about Manchester?” A quick search later, bingo: Upper Class to MANCHESTER for 110,000 points. Not ideal, but better than Heathrow for double the cost. Without hesitation, I booked it.
Flight Details
- Route: New York ( JFK) → Manchester (MAN)
- Aircraft: Airbus A330-300
- Flight No: VS128
- Cabin: Business Class, Seat 7A
- Duration: ~7 hour
- Travel Date: September 2025
Check-In
I arrived at a lively JFK around 5:30pm and bee-lined for the Delta One check-in — tucked at the far right of the terminal.

A little insider tip: this is the only way to get anything close to Virgin’s Wing experience outside Heathrow.
After a long, dramatic corridor walk worthy of a Bond opening scene, I found the Virgin desks hidden to the side.

Naturally, I went to the first counter there, only to be politely redirected to a Virgin one.

Why the differentiation in New York when there is non in Heathrow, I pondered.
Lounge
Check-in was a breeze, and I headed for the Delta One Lounge.
It was heaving. Unsurprisingly. I didn’t even have time for the sit-down restaurant this time; there was a 30-minute wait when I checked.
So I grabbed a few bites from the Market Hall and perched at the buzzing bar with a drink in hand.
I thought about swinging by Virgin’s Clubhouse for nostalgia’s sake — but alas, time was not on my side.
Boarding
Boarding started a full hour before departure, though I strolled up fashionably late, about 30 minutes before take-off, just as the final few were trickling on.

The aircraft — an A330 Classic, sistering an A350 bound for London — was full.

Virgin’s A330s use the vintage herringbone layout, like the 787s, but the cabin somehow feels roomier.

I grabbed a “window” seat on the A-side, where at least you can lean away from the aisle like a civilised human.
The crew, led by Jason (who I’m fairly sure was from Manchester), were upbeat and chatty — very Virgin. Within minutes, I was handed a welcome drink: a lime and mint gin..

which hit the spot nicely.
We pushed back bang on time and climbed out into the clear New York night.
Virgin A330 Upper Class to Manchester
Once airborne, most passengers immediately flattened their seats — this was a short overnight after all. The crew began the drinks service, but this is where things soon got… leisurely.
My drink arrived an hour after take-off. Not ideal.

The crew seemed slightly overwhelmed, juggling bed-making, meal orders, and who knows what else.
Dinner rolled out in slow motion. Here was the menu for this flight:
As my table was set, warm bread appeared at 1 hour 40 minutes in..

but the starter took another 20 minutes — by which point the bread was colder than a Siberia Express at midnight.

Still, the fried shrimp starter was excellent, albeit gone in three bites.
Then things picked up. My Sesame Seared Tuna — one of the “exclusive” pre-order meals – arrived soon after..

It was light, fresh, and the sort of thing that makes you feel smugly healthy at 38,000 feet.
IFE & Bedtime
Virgin’s Vera IFE system on the older A330s surprised me, the controller was newer than the ones on the 787s, and the screen sharper too.

Everything ran smoothly, unlike the occasionally temperamental systems on older aircraft.

I converted my seat to bed mode..

and though I was offered PJs verbally during boarding. They never arrived, so I asked again later.
Once flat, the bed was actually quite decent — no awkward foot cubby, which is a win in my book. I managed around 2.5 hours of sleep, waking up to cabin lights and a faint whiff of breakfast.
Breakfast & Arrival

I wasn’t planning on eating breakfast, but when I requested tea, the friendly crew asked if I wanted anything else with it.
Seeing as I had some time, I just asked for fruit…

It arrived with muesli and yoghurt — a light, fresh way to ease into the morning.

Landing into Manchester felt novel. As a lifelong Londoner, I’ve never touch down home in an airport that is not in London. The joy? No holding patterns. Straight in, smooth as you like.

I even had time for lunch with a friend in Manchester before hopping on a two-hour train back to London — surprisingly painless.
A330 Classic vs 787
I mostly flown the Virgin 787 Upper Class but there are 5 class 330s in Virgin fleet so here’s a quick side-by-side note for the Avgeeks:
Feature | A330 Classic | 787 Dreamliner |
---|---|---|
Cabin feel | Slightly wider | Narrower |
Windows | Smaller | Much larger (sometimes too bright) |
Air vents | Yes | No |
Storage | Poor | Equally poor |
Privacy | About the same | About the same |
The bar setup is also slightly different on the 330s..

Whilst no-one was really using it on this flight, I’m not sure I like that one of the lavatories is literally in the bar area! Otherwise, I think I prefer the A330.
Final Thoughts
This flight was a mixed bag – excellent crew attitude, but disorganised, slow service. Virgin executed the leisure concept here almost too literally. On a day flight, It’s fine. On a short overnight, not so much !
Still, I appreciated the friendliness, the surprisingly good food, and the smoother-than-expected experience on an older aircraft. And while 110,000 points isn’t exactly a bargain, I’d still rather that than 90,000 for Premium.
Virgin’s dynamic pricing might test your patience — but sometimes, if you’re creative (and a bit desperate), you can still survive the game. If you intend to use your Virgin points more wisely, be sure to plan ahead and keep a regular eye on the Virgin Reward Finder
🧭 Verdict
⭐ Seat: 6.5/10 – dated but functional
⭐ Service: 6.5/10 – lovely crew, chaotic pace
⭐ Food: 8/10 – the shrimp starter and tuna were both good
⭐ Sleep: 6/10 – fine for a short overnight
⭐ Value: 5/10 – not great redemption value, but better than nothing

Faze, founder of Wander Up Front and Elevate Your Stay, is a London-based travel specialist with a deep passion for aviation. With over 2 million miles flown, he has spent the last 7 years focusing on First and Business class experiences.
Faze provides straightforward, no-frills insights into premium airline products and services, sharing what matters to help travellers make informed choices.
Follow him on his adventures and behind the scene stories on Instagram !