In October 2026, we flew home from London to Toronto as a family of four: my wife, our 4-year-old, our 1-year-old riding as a lap infant, and me. The flight was Virgin Atlantic VS147, London Heathrow to Toronto, on the A350-1000, in premium economy.
My seat cost 10,500 Virgin Atlantic points plus £436.79 in taxes and fees. I had moved Amex Membership Rewards points over during a 40% transfer bonus, so my real cost was 7,500 Amex points per seat.
Here is what the ground experience looks like at Heathrow Terminal 3, what the seat and food are actually like, how the points math works out, and whether I would book it again.
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Premium perks start on the ground at Heathrow T3
Premium economy on Virgin Atlantic starts paying off before you board. At Heathrow Terminal 3, premium economy gets its own check-in area, separate from the economy lines.
It is a small thing, but with two kids and luggage for four people, starting the airport experience in a shorter, calmer line sets the tone for the whole trip. This is one of the underrated parts of premium economy on Virgin: the benefits are not just the bigger seat.
The redemption: 7,500 Amex points per seat
The headline number: 10,500 Virgin Atlantic points plus £436.79 in taxes and fees, per seat, one-way from London to Toronto.
I did not pay 10,500 Amex points, though. I transferred Amex Membership Rewards to Virgin Atlantic during a 40% transfer bonus, which turned every 1,000 Amex points into 1,400 Virgin points. So each 10,500-point seat really cost me 7,500 Amex points (10,500 divided by 1.4). This booking covered my seat, my 4-year-old’s seat, and the lap infant: 23,500 Virgin points total, or about 16,800 Amex points at the bonus rate. (My wife’s ticket was paid for by her company, since she was on a work trip.) The lap infant ticket was 2,500 Virgin Atlantic points plus £50.79 in UK passenger charges, no seat.
My booking confirmation tells the story for my ticket, my 4-year-old’s, and the lap infant: 23,500 Virgin points and £924.37 in total fees, which lines up exactly at 10,500 points and £436.79 per seat, plus 2,500 points and £50.79 for the infant.
The cash price for this ticket was about $2,400 round trip in premium economy, so figure roughly $1,200 for the one-way flight I am reviewing. Here is the full math:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| One-way cash price (about half of $2,400 round trip) | $1,200 |
| Taxes and fees paid (£436.79) | -$577 |
| Value covered by points | $623 |
| Amex points used (with 40% transfer bonus) | 7,500 |
| Value per Amex point | 8.3¢ |
A point worth being honest about, because it trips people up: that 8.3 cents per point needs the 40% bonus to exist. Without it, the same seat costs 10,500 Amex points and the math drops to 5.9 cents per point. Still solid, just not spectacular. This is exactly why transfer bonuses matter so much: the bonus is doing real work in this redemption. If you want the full playbook on how they work, I wrote a guide to credit card transfer bonuses.
The seat: like domestic first class, slightly smaller
The first thing you notice sitting down is the legroom. It is excellent, the kind of space that changes how a 7-hour flight with kids feels.
The seat itself is close to what you would expect from a US domestic first class seat, slightly smaller. Wide enough to be comfortable, with a real recline and enough room to shift around. On our outbound flight we had bulkhead seats, which offered even more legroom. This review covers the return, VS147, in a standard premium economy seat, and I never felt cramped.
Welcome drink and an on-time departure
Shortly after boarding, the crew came through with welcome drinks: water, sparkling wine, or orange juice. It is a small gesture, but it is the kind of thing that separates premium economy from economy on day one.
We pushed back on time and were in the air without any drama.
Dining onboard
Virgin Atlantic serves two meals in premium economy on this route: a full dinner after departure, and a lighter snack before landing. Here is how both went.
Drinks in real glassware
The drink service deserves its own mention. After departure I ordered a spiced rum with Diet Coke, and it arrived in real glassware, not plastic. That is a premium economy detail Virgin Atlantic gets right.
With the meal, I had a can of white wine, a Nice Sauvignon Blanc. They hand you the can, and you get a glass to pour it into. It is a fun presentation and the wine itself was perfectly drinkable.
The cutlery is real silverware, wrapped in paper, and the food comes on ceramic plates instead of disposable plastic containers. These details add up. Nothing about the meal service feels like economy with a bigger seat.
Dinner after departure
About an hour after takeoff, dinner service started. The menu offered three mains: mini herb chicken pie, truffle mac and cheese, and dill roasted salmon. My wife and I both went for the chicken pie.
The chicken pie was decent. Not the best thing I have eaten at 38,000 feet, but pretty flavorful, exactly what you would expect from a chicken pie. It came with herb potato mash, broccoli, carrots, a side salad, and a small cheese plate with grapes and crackers.
Dessert was the standout: a cherry chocolate mousse that was absolutely delicious. One of the better desserts I have had in premium economy, full stop.
The Mile High Tea before landing
About 90 minutes before landing, the second service arrived: Virgin’s Mile High Tea. The choice was a chicken sandwich or a cheese sandwich. I took the chicken sandwich.
It came with a warm scone, a chocolate eclair, and a proper cup of coffee served in a ceramic mug branded with Virgin Atlantic. A nice touch, and a pleasant way to wake up before descent.
Entertainment and free Starlink WiFi
The entertainment system is decent. The screens are responsive, the selection is big, and I would call the whole thing average. It does the job on a 7-hour flight without impressing anyone.
The real win is the WiFi. Virgin Atlantic has Starlink on the A350, which means free, full high-speed internet. You can connect your own device and stream whatever you want instead of relying on the seatback screen. On a flight with two small kids, having a second screen option with real internet makes a difference.
Flying premium economy with a 4-year-old and a lap infant
This is where premium economy earns its keep for us. The extra legroom meant the 4-year-old had space to move without kicking anyone, and holding a 1-year-old for 7 hours is meaningfully easier when you are not wedged into an economy seat.
The real dishes and silverware made feeding the kids simpler. The welcome drink and the crew’s pace kept things calm at boarding, which is the hardest part of flying with toddlers. And the lap infant ticket at 2,500 Virgin points is one of the better infant deals going: no seat, but a fraction of what a cash infant fare would cost.
Verdict
Virgin Atlantic premium economy on the A350-1000 is a strong product. The seat is comfortable, the legroom is excellent, the food is good with one genuinely great dessert, and free Starlink WiFi is a real differentiator.
The honest caveats: dinner was decent rather than memorable, and the entertainment system is average. And the points math I got, 8.3 cents per Amex point, depended on a 40% transfer bonus that is not always around.
Final Rating: 8/10. Would I fly it again? Yes, without hesitation, especially when a transfer bonus is running. For a family crossing the Atlantic, this is one of the best uses of flexible points I have found.
Frequently asked questions
How many Virgin Atlantic points is premium economy from London to Toronto?
I paid 10,500 Virgin Atlantic points plus £436.79 in taxes and fees per seat, one-way from London Heathrow to Toronto. Because I transferred Amex points during a 40% bonus, my effective cost was 7,500 Amex points per seat. Award prices vary by date and demand, so check before you transfer.
Can you transfer Amex points to Virgin Atlantic?
Yes. American Express Membership Rewards transfer to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club at a 1:1 ratio, and transfer bonuses come around periodically. I moved my points during a 40% bonus, which is what made this redemption’s math so strong. Never transfer speculatively: confirm the award seats exist first.
Does Virgin Atlantic premium economy include free WiFi?
Yes. The A350 has free Starlink high-speed WiFi, and it is genuinely fast enough to stream on your own device. This is included for premium economy passengers at no charge.
How much is a lap infant ticket on Virgin Atlantic with points?
I paid 2,500 Virgin Atlantic points plus £50.79 in UK passenger charges for our 1-year-old’s lap infant ticket on this flight. That is a small fraction of a cash infant fare and one of the better infant award deals among transatlantic carriers.
Related reading
- Credit Card Transfer Bonuses: How They Work (2026 Guide)
- Etihad Airways 787-10 Business Class Review
A family of four across the Atlantic, three of us on points for about 16,800 Amex points, and a great mousse. That is the deal.
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