What are the differences among Virgin Atlantic's Economy Light, Classic and Delight fares?
Virgin Atlantic offers three different cabins on its aircraft: economy, Premium (premium economy) and Upper Class (business class).
But did you know its economy cabin offers three very different fare types? What are the differences, and which should you choose?
Related: Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: How to earn and redeem points for maximum value
Virgin Atlantic economy-class basics
All three Virgin Atlantic economy fare types include the following:
- A seat in the economy cabin of the aircraft
- One 22-pound piece of carry-on luggage
- All meals, snacks and drinks
- Inflight seatback entertainment
- The ability to earn Virgin points for the flight
The three economy-class fare types, called Light, Classic and Delight, then differ as follows:
| Category | Economy Light | Economy Classic | Economy Delight |
|---|---|---|---|
Checked baggage | Not included | One 50-pound bag* | One 50-pound bag* |
Seat selection | Available during the check-in process (can pay extra to select in advance) | Available anytime | Available anytime |
Seat type | Standard-legroom seat up to 31 inches | Standard-legroom seat up to 31 inches | Extra-legroom seat up to 34 inches (including in exit rows) |
Upgradeable to Premium or Upper Class with Virgin points | No | Yes | Yes |
Priority check-in | No | No | Yes |
Priority boarding | No | No | Yes |
*Passengers flying to or from India, Nigeria and South Africa have a different baggage allowance.
So why are there three different options for the same cabin? Virgin says it is about giving passengers more travel choices and not charging them for things they don’t want or need.
Don’t need checked luggage for a cheeky weekend in New York City? Don’t pay for it.
Want seat selection to ensure you sit next to your travel partner? There’s that option, too.
Economy Delight comes with some perks that airlines usually reserve for their elite members who are flying economy — now everyone can pay for these benefits.
The three options also help Virgin compete with low-cost carrier Norse Atlantic Airways on many of the same routes to the United States. Norse Atlantic offers very low headline fares similar to the Economy Light option with Virgin Atlantic. When fantastic sale fares are advertised with Virgin Atlantic, they will most likely be Economy Light options.
I would argue that an Economy Light fare with Virgin would be significantly better than the same on Norse Atlantic, as Norse Atlantic does not include a carry-on bag, food or drinks for free on its cheapest fares, whereas Virgin Atlantic does.
Related: This feels familiar: A review of Norse Atlantic Premium on the 787 from London to New York
How much do Virgin Atlantic Economy Light, Classic and Delight cost?
Looking at a round trip on the busy route between John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Heathrow Airport (LHR) in May 2025, I can see fares priced as follows:
- Economy Light: $583
- Economy Classic: $743
- Economy Delight: $843
So, Classic is $160 more than Light, or around 27% more. Delight is $100 (around 13%) more than Classic and $260 (around 44%) more expensive than Light.
So which type should you go for?
You could assume that Light is cheap for a transatlantic flight on a full-service airline — Norse Atlantic may have a similar price and not include seat selection or checked bags, but it also won’t include a carry-on bag and food and drinks like Virgin.
Value check: Are airline credit cards worth it anymore?
Another way to look at it is that the Classic and Delight fares are significantly more expensive than the Light option, so consider if you need all those extras bundled together in Classic and Delight fares if you are trying to decide among them. If you can get away with only carry-on luggage for a long weekend and don’t want to upgrade your fare with points, remember that you can pay for seat selection if you wish — even doing that both ways, you’ll still save money versus paying the Classic price.
If you do need to check a bag, note that Virgin will charge a steep $150 round-trip for the privilege on an Economy Light fare, which is nearly the same price difference as upgrading to Economy Classic; you would be better off paying for Economy Classic given it also offers free seat selection and no change fees (a fare difference may apply). An additional $50 each way for an extra-legroom seat could also be a wise investment in Economy Delight, especially given that you can select an exit row seat with a Delight fare.
All Virgin Atlantic economy-class award redemptions book into Economy Classic, whether you redeem Virgin points through Flying Club or use a partner currency like Delta Air Lines SkyMiles miles or Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles.
There is no way to book Economy Light or Delight fares with points or miles, and you cannot upgrade an Economy Classic redemption to Economy Delight with cash, points or miles, which is an odd restriction.
Related: Is Virgin Atlantic Economy Delight worth it on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner?
How to earn Virgin points
It's easy to boost your Virgin points balance with the right credit card, as Flying Club is a transfer partner of every major program with a transferable currency:
- American Express Membership Rewards (points transfer at a 1:1 ratio)
- Bilt Rewards (1:1)
- Capital One (1:1)
- Chase Ultimate Rewards (1:1)
- Citi ThankYou Rewards (1:1)
- Marriott Bonvoy (3:1, with a 5,000-point bonus for transferring 60,000 points and a 48-hour transfer time)
- Wells Fargo Rewards (1:1)
Some of the above programs offer regular transfer bonuses to Flying Club, meaning you might need even fewer points than you first thought.
Many of these programs offer cards that feature terrific welcome bonuses. Here are some of our favorite travel rewards cards that earn transferable points and miles that can be converted to Virgin points:
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
- The Platinum Card® from American Express
- American Express® Gold Card
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees)
The information for the Ink Business Preferred has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Bottom line
Virgin Atlantic has split its economy cabin into three different fare options.
You only need to pay for what you use, and you can choose between very cheap fares without bells and whistles and fares with almost everything an economy passenger could want.
Always remember that Virgin Atlantic is a full-service airline, so you can earn points and enjoy food, drinks and entertainment on all flights.
If more space is your top priority on long flights, paying for an extra-legroom seat with an Economy Light fare might be a better investment than paying for Economy Delight.
Related reading:
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.