Nicky Kelvin, head of The Points Guy UK, has pitted British Airways and Virgin Atlantic premium economy cabins against each other in a head-to-head comparison. He flew Virgin Atlantic from Heathrow to Tampa on an Airbus A330-900neo, paying 22,500 Virgin Points and £394 in taxes and fees. Without points, return fares start from £946 per person.
The Virgin seat offered a pitch of 38 inches, width of 18.5 inches, a 13.3-inch entertainment screen, and a 2-3-2 layout. Nicky praised the real mugs for tea, dedicated snack selection, wireless charging, and large screen. However, no amenity kit was provided on the daytime flight, and headphones were not noise-cancelling.
On the return leg, Nicky flew BA's World Traveller Plus from Newark to Heathrow on a 777-200, paying 10,400 Avios and £412 in taxes and fees. Fares without Avios start from £706. The seat had identical pitch and width to Virgin's but a smaller 12-inch screen.
Nicky noted BA's use of paper cups for tea and lack of dedicated snacks, offering only water, juice, and biscuits. However, an amenity kit was provided, and the breakfast was described as 'very comprehensive'. He found the seat comfortable and spacious, with a fresh interior despite the older aircraft.
