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Virgin Atlantic rolls out new menu offerings across all cabins to celebrate fall

Oct. 02, 2023
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3 min read
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Fall is underway, and Virgin Atlantic is the latest airline to celebrate the season by rolling out new menus across all cabins.

The new offerings, which launch Oct. 4, include more plant-based and vegetarian meals, along with more "wellness" drinks like matcha, sparkling tea and kombucha. Passengers flying in Virgin's Economy Delight class — a fare class within the economy cabin — now also have the option to pre-order meals, like passengers in Upper Class and Premium.

“We’re delighted to introduce our new onboard menu, marking the return of the season that makes our customers crave some winter sun," Corneel Koster, Virgin's chief customer and operating officer, said in a statement. "At Virgin Atlantic, we’re always looking to create memorable moments onboard, which is why we strive to offer an unmatched, contemporary and extensive selection of dishes across our cabins."

Here is a breakdown of some of the new additions:

Upper Class

Snacks: Savoursmiths bubbly and serrano chilli chips, Yumma peach flavored gummy sweets, Creative Nature blueberry muffin bar, LoveRaw vegan caramelized biscuit bars and more options.

Breakfast (new a la carte menu): "Build your own breakfast" that includes a selection of yogurt, fresh fruit, pastries and cereal; an "express breakfast" that's served 40 minutes before landing has a bacon roll or a warmed pastry.

Lobster, clam and calamari paella with saffron and paprika rice. VIRGIN ATLANTIC

Lunch/dinner: Stilton and walnut salad with bacon and date relish; grilled barbecue chicken with corn mac and cheese; lobster, clam and calamari paella with saffron and paprika rice; golden beetroot tartare with candy beet; vegan Dijonnaise, toasted fava beans and tarragon and sweetie drops; creamy shiitake mushroom soup; and four cheese agnolotti pasta with creamy tomato sauce, roasted butternut squash, kale and shaved vegetarian Parmesan.

Four cheese agnolotti pasta with creamy tomato sauce, roasted butternut squash, kale and shaved vegetarian Parmesan. VIRGIN ATLANTIC

Premium

Snacks: Savoursmiths bubbly and serrano chilli chips, Yumma peach flavored gummy sweets, Creative Nature blueberry muffin bar, LoveRaw vegan caramelized biscuit bars, along with more options.

Lunch/dinner: Chicken lasagne; sage and thyme pork stew; panko-coated tofu with katsu vegetable curry and a British cheese plate with vintage cheddar, Blacksticks Blue cheese, fig jelly and grapes with olive oil and sea salt crackers.

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Economy Delight

Snacks: Walker’s shortbread fingers, vanilla Oreos, Cadbury mini fingers and Penn State sour cream and chive pretzels.

Lunch/dinner: Chicken, leek and tarragon casserole and creamy spinach and butternut pasta; meals also include Cathedral City cheddar and crackers and a Pots & Co plant-based chocolate pot.

Economy

Snacks: Walker’s shortbread fingers, vanilla Oreos, Cadbury mini-fingers and Penn State sour cream and chive pretzels.

Bottom line

Virgin's new offerings give passengers more flexibility when it comes to ordering meals for those longer-haul flights. It especially caters to those who may want to limit their meat intake or are vegetarian.

Featured image by ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Why We Chose It

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  • 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.