Virgin Atlantic will introduce several enhancements as part of a $17 billion (£12.5 billion) fleet transformation, including new cabins and streaming-quality Wi-Fi.
In response to growing demand, more premium seats will be made available.
It will be the first UK airline to introduce free, streaming-quality Wi-Fi across its fleet with unlimited use by passengers signed up to its Flying Club loyalty scheme. Using Starlink technology, the rollout will begin in the third quarter of 2026 and be completed by the end of 2027.
The objective is to create a ‘home away from home’ Wi-Fi experience, allowing passengers to be connected from the moment they board a Virgin aircraft.
From the third quarter of 2026, 10 A330neo aircraft will join the fleet with larger premium cabins. The aircraft will have six Retreat Suites – four more than at present. They will also have 48 Upper Class and 56 Premium seats, compared to the 32 and 46 now available. The number of Economy seats will drop from 184 to 128.
The Retreat Suite is a private space made for sharing by up to four people. With a 6ft 7-inch seat that converts into a flat bed, it has an ottoman that doubles as an extra seat. The suite has a 27-inch touchscreen and offers Bluetooth connectivity and wireless charging.
The airline’s Boeing 787-9 fleet will undergo complete cabin refurbishment from 2028 to 2030. Inspired by A330neo interiors, new seating will be available in all three cabins.
The Upper Class and Premium cabins will increase in size, offering 44 and 56 seats respectively (up from 31 and 35). Eight Retreat Suites will be introduced to the 787-9 in every Upper Class cabin. Meanwhile, the Economy cabin will be reduced from 192 to 127 seats.
A new app, the World of Virgin Atlantic in Your Pocket, will be introduced in December 2025. Built for Flying Club members but available to all passengers, it will offer improved personalisation and notifications.
Accessible through the app, the Your Virgin Atlantic Concierge promises personalised, hands-free assistance, including travel ideas and airport navigation. Integrating real-time voice and emotionally intelligent AI concierge services in any language, Virgin becomes the first European airline to partner with OpenAI and Tomoro.ai.
As part of a new partnership, Votary will provide luxury skincare and wellness. From early 2026 Votary face creams and mists, multi balms and hand creams will be part of the Upper Class amenity kit.
“Every new product, partnership and platform unveiled has been shaped by guest insight and fuelled by our people’s ingenuity. We understand who our guests are and everything we do begins with them, as we use our insights to create thoughtful experiences that feel brilliantly different at every opportunity,” said Siobhan Fitzpatrick, Chief Experience Officer of Virgin Atlantic.
Shai Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic, said: “We are investing billions to fly the youngest fleet across the Atlantic; the first UK airline to have free, streaming quality, fleet-wide Wi-Fi; more premium cabins and a full retrofit of the 787 fleet; alongside a new app featuring the world of Virgin Atlantic in your pocket, all delivered by our amazing teams. The best is yet to come.”
