Virgin Atlantic debuts new social space called 'The Booth' for A350 leisure routes
Virgin Atlantic continues to innovate the inflight experience with the debut of its newest concept, a sky-high lounge configuration it calls The Booth. It will be featured on the carrier's reconfigured "leisure fleet" of Airbus 350-1000 aircraft that Virgin intends to introduce before the end of 2021.
These planes will be used to handle flight service to popular vacation destinations such as the Caribbean and Orlando, Florida, and are configured with smaller Upper Class cabins to reflect the fewer business travelers on these leisure routes.
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In fact, the first customers who will get to enjoy one of the new "leisure fleet" aircraft will be those flying between London Heathrow (LHR) and Orlando (MCO) in December of 2021. Other leisure destinations such as Barbados will get to enjoy the new aircraft in the new year.
The new cabins will offer 397 seats in total, including 16 Upper Class suites, 56 Premium seats and 325 economy seats. Within the economy cabin, 45 seats will be so-called Economy Delight, offering customers extra legroom as well as priority boarding and advanced seat selection.
Incidentally, the first aircraft in the leisure fleet will be G-VEVE, named Fearless Lady, in honor of Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson's late mother, Eve.
The reconfigured A350s have 28 fewer business class seats but 90 more seats in economy class. If you're looking to redeem your Virgin Points on this route you might struggle to find much availability in Upper Class based purely on the small size of the cabin.
And then there's The Booth, the latest addition to the aircraft social spaces Virgin Atlantic is known for, such as its inflight bar and The Loft, which is a collective space for the airline's business-class passengers on its traditional A350s.
Related: Lofty heights: A review of Virgin Atlantic's Upper Class Suite on the A350 from London to New York
The Booth is a similar concept, only smaller. It provides a more intimate — possibly cramped — experience. Based on the promotional images supplied by the airline, taller passengers might find the legroom lacking in The Booth.
"Tucked away in the Upper Class cabin, The Booth aspires to create a [cozy] corner, providing comfy lounge-style seating for two, separated by a single leaf table," the carrier said in a statement.
The Booth will have leather seats and almond-hued highlights, and be enclosed by two 27-inch touchscreen monitors, which is said to create an immersive experience for passengers.
Virgin Atlantic says the content displayed on the monitors (think: a digital art gallery as well as camera views around the plane) will be continuously updated and tailored to the route and time of day, which is a clever way to keep the concept fresh for travelers. Passengers will also be able to use headphones in The Booth, as it will be equipped with Bluetooth-enabled audio jacks.
Alongside the social space, the leisure fleet will also feature the airline's newest Upper Class suite design, which includes all window-facing seats with a 44-inch pitch and fully flat 82-inch bed.
Some people are speculating the airline could allow passengers to reserve The Booth for a period of time — say, for dinner. Given the new design of the A350's business-class seats don't allow passengers to eat and actually face each other, this sounds like an interesting concept, particularly for couples, friends and families flying together.
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- 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.
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| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
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Why We Chose It
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.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- 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.