My BEST flight ever and what a bargain it was! London to Seattle in Upper Class with Virgin Atlantic
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- čas přidán 18. 11. 2022
- I had some old air miles, frequent flyer points, whatever they're called these days and they were about to expire. So I was faced with a 'use them or lose them' dilemma. Of course, I used them, and booked the most distant destination I could find for the dates I needed - Seattle, Washington, USA. I had just enough to be able to book Premium Economy, and that was fine by me. But then, a couple of days before the flight, I got distracted by the 'bid for an upgrade' button on the website. A bit more research showed I could bid any amount from £400+ for the chance to upgrade to Upper Class. The website suggested the average accepted bid to be around £800, but of course, this was too much for me, so I took a chance on bidding the minimum without any real optimism that is would be accepted. How wrong was I...The funny thing is, I actually bid the same for the return flight, but when the outbound was accepted and £400 swiftly deducted from my bank account, it was a mad scramble to delete the return, as I had a sneaky suspicion I'd get that too, and believe me, another £400 was not something I could afford however tempting it may have been to have a proper bed on the overnight leg!
So join me on a very rare treat, 10 hours in Upper Class with Virgin Atlantic. I know it's the older Upper Class product, but what will I make of it? Stay tuned to find out and enjoy the video...
Music courtesy of epidemicsound.com
('A traveling spirit' by Daniel Kadawatha)
Filmed on Saturday 5th November 2022 onboard Virgin Atlantic Flight VS105 LHR SEA.
Hi, I’m Steve, a travel reviewer from Scotland. Join me on my adventures as I discover my own country, often visiting places for the first time, so hopefully it's as much of an eye-opener for you as it is for me! Don't expect expert opinion, just a very honest journey of discovery. Sometimes featuring my intrepid sidekick Alicja, sometimes featuring adventures beyond the borders of Scotland. Enjoy!
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2 uploads in 24 hours? It's like Christmas come early. Thanks mate, you're a star.
Haha cheers mate! Have a great weekend :)
Steve smart idea to use points before expiration on a premium class flight the seat looked great service impressive (I’ll never afford it) and sky video super ! I think I saw you waving to me as you flew over New Jersey 😁Thx as usual see you soon😘
Dang Steve,if I had known you were coming over I'd have put you up so you could do some more filming around the area..I live close to where Carnation Milk came from! Send me a note when you plan on coming over next time...I'm from Glasgow been here 23 years...
Another belter. Good work my man 👍
Flippin heck slumming on the overnight coach via Sunderland to experiencing this! As someone who couldn't believe it when I got a 'free' mini bottle of wine on a KLM flight from Newcastle to Amsterdam- and realising this might be as good as it gets! - thank you for a down-to-earth approach to the other side of travel!
Cheers Richard, nice to see how the other half live, but back to reality soon :)
£400 upgrade is a steal for that seat, especially out of LHR with the lounge. I've been lucky to do upper class a couple of times. Great video.
Cheers Christopher! Absolutely! And I'd been a bit concerned I might not get lounge access with the cheap upgrade, but it really was ALL included!
You knew you where in for a good flight when the cabin crew member give you a kiss 💋 👍
Haha some welcome aboard eh!?
Good for you Steve, you deserve a bit of luxury after your overnight bus journey. Great video as always.
Oh I’ll be back to reality on my next adventure I’m sure 🤣
My jaw hit the floor when I saw that price..(The original, not the discount). I flew Icelandair this past holiday season from Sea-Tac to Gatwick for just under £1000 RT.
Of course that was plain old economy, but £10,000! No thanks..lol
Anyway, enjoyed being envious over what I could have had at 10 times the price..
Safe travels, friend!
Yeah, surely nobody pays that rack rate, unless they are happy to throw their money away!
Oh. @09.43 - lovely sunshine through the clouds!
At 12.04 - absolutely beautiful!
One hell of an experience, and what an amazing way to travel. A real eye opener for me for sure. Just like your comment on the flight, this video flew past so quickly. A marvellous watch!
Thanks so much Peter, a rare treat indeed, but back to reality for me now :D
That was a great flight made better by caring friendly staff,well done Virgin Atlantic.Enjoy your visit Steve
The crew really did make all the difference on this flight, exceptional
yep virgin always friendly staff. and much better IFE
Wow what a bargain. I could certainly get used to travelling like this.
That was your best flight. This for me is the best flight review I’ve seen on CZcams to date. Download to earth and genuine. Really enjoy it , would make me consider Virgin Atlantic which I never thought of before . Thank you again. 😊❤😊
Hey thanks so much Joseph! Really appreciate it :)
100% agree ! Breath of fresh air this guy 👍
It is always good to be made to feel special on a flight and the crew seems to have done that for you, stay safe and well, cheers.
They really do make all the difference on an otherwise very expensive product!
Looks amazing! Never knew you could bid for tickets! Good to know! I’m going to Seattle next year, been on the bucket list for a while. Looking forward to next weeks video! Cheers again, Steve.
Enjoy the planning for your trip and hope you have an amazing time when it comes :) Hope you’ll have longer than the one day I had 🤣
Getting a free or cheap upgrade going East is much harder, as demand is so much higher in that direction. Well done Steve, it's great to enjoy a travel treat, and paid out of your own pocket too (unlike most of your fellow passengers there I'll guess).
Top quality video as always, Steve, and it's wonderful to see travel getting back to normal. Keep up the great work.
Thanks so much John! Yeah, been a while since I've had the chance to get over to that side of the world!
That was amazing and you are so very lucky! And well deserved too. Thank you for taking us with you.
Thanks so much, I sure got lucky this day!
So exciting to see you flying to my area. ( new vloger) I live four blocks from Point Roberts, Wa. USA . Now I will have to try and find your return home vlog! Thanks so much for your wonderfulVlogs😅 😊and it doesn’t matter what country you are in. They’re always basic, interesting and all true. Keep travelling and love Alecjia.
Fantastic video, we dont get to fly Virgin very often. We fly to the Philippines with PAL. Very similar in experiences. Great service and friendly crew always. As Richard Branson said. "Dont look after your customers, look after your employees and your employees will look after your customers".
So true mate, I hope the bosses realise what great employees they have!
@@steve-marsh Its a start pal.
Superb as always Steve. Those views of the Hebrides & the Arctic circle were nothing short of spectacular. Looking forward to next week's vid as it promises to be awesome.
Cheers mate! I actually chose this route specifically to see those very sights :)
Another highly enjoyable video - Steve's videos are always down to earth and don't have the "jaded traveller" feeling that some You Tube productions have - you enjoy when he gets a treat (like the desert)and he talks to you like are in the opposite seat ! Excellent.
Thanks so much John! Really appreciate the kind comments :)
Thanks Steve, a nice truthfully warm and sincere review, none of the cheesy sponsored stuff, I am sure Alicja would have loved to join you on First Class. Freat to hear your positive experience with the crew, can't wait for next week's video
Cheers Stuart! Thankfully Alicja doesn't get as excited about the travel bit as me, otherwise she'd have killed me :D
Great film Steve - informative and well delivered😊
Hello Steve, just found your channel - thanks for the brilliant content. This video is class - you can tell you are appreciative of the upper class experience which gets lost on some other channels! Hope you had a great time in Seattle. All the best mate 👍
Hey I really appreciate you watching and getting in touch! Welcome aboard, just don't be expecting too many business class flights around here :D Have a great weekend!
One of your best blogs Steve, well done!
Thanks so much Henry! Can I say it was an absolute pleasure to film! :)
Another great video Steve. Look forward to watching your day in Seattle and the return leg too. Stay safe and thank you ✈
Thanks so much, Seattle was fun, editing the video just now :)
Really really really enjoyed this video mate. Seems the Virgin crew have done you a great service on board, massive shout out to them for that. Very jealous of your travels on this one haha!! Thanks again 😎🏴🇺🇸
Cheers Arron! A very rare treat indeed! :)
Steve another great video looks like the service was brilliant and you got a kiss thrown in for good measure 😊😊 always love your videos Paul in Kent
Cheers Paul, that whole experience was 100% worth the bid price, an incredible rare treat which was embraced every minute!
not a lot nicer than a kiss from an air hostess, except then they invite you round home for a 'drink'.😊
Great video, as always, Steve. What a lovely version of "My Bonnie" - you always have excellent music.
Amazing review. Loved that you tried the bike. Subscribed.
I was amazed to see a second upload Steve, this is my style of transport, if I could still travel! looks like no expense is spared, a great name ‘Dreamliner’ I bet you’ve never had a welcome like that before 😉 your face was a picture! when the seating area turned into a cosy nest I was very surprised, and you slept well, overall I was very impressed, I would give it five stars ⭐️ it was lovely to see you treat yourself to some luxury, sorry about the return journey, the glimpse of Seattle was amazing! well done you 👏👏🤗
Thanks Bernice! A very rare treat indeed and one I just couldn't turn down when the opportunity arose.
Watching these videos has expanded my scope when planning my travel.
I’m planning on a week in London, but watching Steve has given me the idea of flying into Amsterdam or Paris, spending a night or two and taking the train through the Chunnel.
Since my last trip there seem to be more options and better infrastructure for going further afield.
Good on you, mate!
Oh no, don't use me as your travel agent, I'll have you walking round the streets all night with no hotel :D
@@steve-marsh, I’m too old to wander the streets so I’d have something handy but inexpensive like a Z Hotel in my back pocket for such emergencies, but seeing what the options are today, as opposed to those during my last trip, is invaluable.
Forget 'Chunnel'. That nickname died out not long after the Channel Tunnel opened. Likewise, 'Britrail' refers to a ticket/pass, not British Rail. Anyway, enjoy your travel.
@@peterdean8009, who said ‘Britrail’?
Oh Steve, this was my favourite video so far. Loved the disclosure about your op shop shirt. Your honesty is so refreshing, and such a nice shirt. I envy your experience in upper class. It looked so comfy. One day when I win lotto. Thank you for all your videos, so enjoyable and best part all for free 😂😂😂 🌷
brilliant steve.enjoying your videos keep them coming
What an amazing experience pleased you got a good flight after some of your travels xx😊😊
Watched this before getting up on a Sunday morning. It’s so relaxing
Thanks for coming along David!
Thanks so much for doing this video. I had no idea how the 'other half' lives. Now, that's traveling with style. Glad you could document it for me, since I'll never see it. What a great deal you got. Love all your videos! (Oregon, US)
Thanks a lot :) I must say, the other half live well :D Apart from the obvious onboard experience, what really blew me away was the airport experience. I am not a big fan of airports, but with this ticket, it's a great place to be!
Wow Steve, that really didn't disappoint. Incredible to see that and what a saving. I never get a kiss on the cheek from Ryanair😁thanks for sharing, glad I saved this till today to watch.
Haha I'm back to earth with a bump now mate!
This looks like an epic trip! Definitely going to add a flight like that to my bucket list!
On flight like this, the longer the better :)
Excellent videos - thanks for cheering us up - we haven't been on holiday for 5 years / due to punishing task of me looking after as a carer for my parent(s) - thanks for your a1++++++++ videos for boosting our outlook in life back.
So glad you enjoy the videos, wishing you and yours all the very best!
@@steve-marsh Thanks Steve.
What an fantastic flight and an amazing price! I've never flown first class and would love to one day. Great video Steve.
Your some guy, I would never get to these places Steve , thank you so much for taking me all over the place. The crew treated you really well , glad about that, it looked great. Your very smart to book a trip like that. Thanks again from me in Irvine 🤗
I got really lucky with this one Grace :)
holy cow! That is an insane price even with points. you cannot argue with service with a Kiss and a smile🙂 Love the shots.
Cheers Roger!
Lucky you Steve, your vids are very informative and interesting, so keep it up, all the best John T.
Cheers John! Yeah, really did get lucky with this one, maybe never again, but you've got to grab these opportunities when they arise :)
Steve your best video yet... Loved every minute of it.
Hey thanks so much Jeff!
Great vid as always. Mrs TT and I flew with Virgin Atlantic in Upper Class to Boston back in 2017 (before I was YouTubing) honestly what a product it is. From start to finish it is special. I really enjoyed getting your perspective on it. What a price too!
Great vlog as always Steve, I love Seattle. Totally agree about the directions getting to the light rail station within the airport. Great flight review. Hope all is well and hope you have a great weekend, take care
Once you find the light rail, it's a great service :) Cheers Peter, have a good one too!
@@steve-marsh totally agree, I was last in Seattle when they were doing the extension to the light rail past the airport. I stayed in one of the airport hotels and would get on every day at either the airport or tukwila to get into Seattle for the sights and tours.
Love the extra camera stuck to the window so that you could capture the view even when your nose isn't pressed against it! What a bargain, too. Really enjoyed travelling with you, virtually, Steve.
Cheers David! Aye, the cabin crew were awfy interested in the wee suction cup on the window too :)
Loved it. Looking forward to next week.
Thanks so much! Editing right now :)
Brilliant video.I didn't want it to end.
Cheers Brian! Appreciate it :)
Amazing video Steve. Thanks for sharing
Thanks Jim! :)
A two for one SteveMarsh video weekend. What a treat. Hope your stay in Seattle went well and the return flight. It's nice to be pampered while traveling. Stay cool bro!
Cheers Frank! A nice wee rare treat :)
The food not having been prepared by me, the cabin crew being their lovely selves, I guess they'd have to drag me out by my feet. I wouldn't leave the plane voluntarily! 🤗
The clouds and the light over Seattle on approach were fantastic! 🥰
Oh I was distracted by that view for most of the flight, incredible!
Great stuff Steve, thx for sharing mate, looks like a great flight
Cheers Pete, a very rare treat!
Great vid, very informative, really enjoy your travels 👍👍
Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it :)
Did you see Fraser Steve ? 😂 looks fantastic mate
New subscriber Steve absolutely loving yer adventures, you and yer lass are so great at explaining stuff its a cliff hanger sometimes but youz always get through...and that's what life's all about
Thanks so much mate, and welcome aboard! I hope we can keep you coming back for more adventures :)
Good one Steve , Enjoyed this one and aye a better way tae travel fir sure ✈ 😊 Enjoyed all cheers and safe travelling , look forward to others 👍
Great Steve reminded me of the pre covid videos and the pool table, expensive but what a bargain and the top level food and cocktails it would always go to quick for me but a bucket list. Well done
Cheers John! Still felt expensive, but what a saving and a rare treat indeed :)
Brilliant Steve , I once bagged a free upgrade from Sri Lanka to London back in the 90s , still the best flight I've ever had 👍
Fave you tube channel mate
Hey thanks so much! Glad you've had that upgrade buzz! :)
I really enjoy your videos of Scotland. I have Scottish heritage and since I will never get to visit Scotland myself, I am loving seeing it through your eyes. Would love to see places like Edinburgh, Glasgow etc. Thanks for such interesting videos!
Great video, Steve. I love your enthusiasm, I think its how I would be on that flight. And how friendly was that crew member? She must be a subscriber...
Excellent thank you. Crew outstanding 👍
They made all the difference mate! Back to ryanair for me now
A brilliant video showing your flight experience really interesting & enjoyable well done great content as always 👌👌👌✈️
Cheers Michael, can be tricky to film on flights so appreciate it!
Very informative, it looks like you get looked after very well,nice drinks, glad you enjoyed your pudding, beautiful views, scones look nice and choice of jams,
Love this Steve , lovely to see how the other half live lol 😂
wow that was some saving, cracking adventure steve, what a view over western Scotland, and the north Atlantic
Honesty, the reason I chose this route was for the views and they didn't disappoint :)
Thanks for the vid Steve. Have flown a few biz classes transatlantic though not to the USA, and this certainly looks nice.
I was last in Seattle in 1991 to visit relatives
in Oak Harbour . Nice to see it again. Thanks Steve 😊
Thanks again for your efforts mate.
Hey Tim, the pleasure is all mine :)
Welcome to the US Steve! I hope you enjoyed your stay here.
Thank you! all too short a stay!
So glad that you able to treat yourself to that upgrade. The best I've been able to do for myself was Premium Economy when I flew St. John's to Tokyo, soooooooo worth the extra money on such a long flight.
Cheers Curt! It sure was a rare treat and a lovely memory!
wow living it up looked great looking forward to the contrast on the way home
Cheers mate! Aye, back to reality on the return :D
Excellent flight 😊
Hi Steve !! We find your videos trying to find new ways to travel from Aberdeen (our home ) we are from Brazil and we enjoy so much your channel ! Tks for the amazing job ! Cheers !
Hey thanks so much Caroline! Really appreciate it and hope you are enjoying Scotland :)
Thanks for sharing this amazing trip 😁👍🏼
And to you for watching! :)
Thanks Steve that was a brilliant video Virgin look a lovely airline to travel with
Cheers James, a rare treat indeed! :)
Good one Steve, you were flying in the lap of luxury! A well deserved treat for you.
Cheers Philip! A rare treat indeed, but makes me embrace it all the more!
Thanks, Steve, for a wonderful video, from an Englishman living in Scotland. I miss flying to the USA, which I haven't done since 1998.
The views into Seattle looked great, Washington State is beautiful; the last time I was at the Space Needle was in 1981 just after the eruption of Mt St.Helens, which was still blowing smoke across the state. One thing I don't miss is the reception one always gets at US Immigration, they seem to have a courtesy bypass, at least in my experience. I look forward to your future videos.
They aren't any nicer to U.S. citizens and T.S.A. security personnel are usually a nightmare.
Haha you are so right, they often have a very stern approach, trying to intimidate almost, I remember the first time I visited as a teenager and I was seriously scared, but now I just laugh at it :D
If I saw a program like “Boarder control” or similar: And watched someone came from all the way from Scotland via London to Seattle to just stay 2 nights, because they liked traveling. Then I would have thought: Something is suspicious, he is hiding something:)
Great video.
Haha I can understand the suspicion I guess :D
It is nice to see you on a plane and having trying out the food and drinks and the price is good and the airport was very nice to see people walking around
It was well worth the price for a bit of indulgence :)
Wow, what a result, great video!
Cheers Bill. I really had to take this hit for a video 🤣
Wow something else I'll never do so thanks for th eye opener!
Steve I love how down to earth you are from your thrift shirt to appreciating this amazing flight. 😊.The salt and pepper shakers " pinched from Virgin " made me laugh.Looking forward to your next video of Seatle. Thankyou.
Thanks Sarah! And pinched they were ;)
Haha I won't tell if you don't😂
Hi, Steve. You are correct, you should have gone with the pie. Last time I flew VA in October 2022 I couldn't decide what to have so the FA suggested the pie. A good choice. I complely agree with you about the cabin crew. They are the best in the sky by far, followed by Qantas. The purser that welcomed you on board was on one of my flights. I flown with VA six times now and can't wait fore the next. Thanks as ecer for bringing us this video🙃🙃❤❤
You were in Seattle?! I wish I could have bought you a beer while you were here! Thanks for the fun video. I'm so glad you got to experience such a fabulous flight.
Oh no way! Sorry Lisa, it was literally a flying visit! :(
Excellent, Steve!!
Thanks so much, glad I recorded it because it could be the last time I see business class :D
@@steve-marshDid Richard Branson sponsor you? 😉
Ever considered going up in a hot air balloon, Steve? Would make a great vlog!!
Again, Mr Branson might be able to help you?
Steve, so glad you got some luxury for a change! You deserve it. I once went BA to San Francisco and it was nothing like your experience on this flight. Are you now expecting a kiss from all flight attendants now? Love the wee train too.
Haha I'll be emailing Ryanair to see how much extra they charge for the kiss
What a bargain Steve, you sure lucked out there👍Awesome video once again mate👌
Cheers Rab! I couldn't turn this down, even though £400 is still a big hit to the bank account! :O
Hope you had a great time in Seattle. I lived for seven years on Lake Union, back in the early 2000's. I still miss the city. 🥰
What a setting that city has! Incredible! Sadly I only had one day with not the best weather, but still had a blast :)
@@steve-marsh Glad you had a great time, even if it was only for one day. That's great you were able to take the Lightrail. I moved away a few months before it opened. 👍
Amazing video Steve! 🏴
Thanks so much Casey!
Awesome video Steve! Unreal amount of money for a flight (standard fare) and great job getting it for what you paid. Well done. Interesting to realize that there are folks that pay the regular fare and don’t even think about it. I’m becoming a great fan of ocean cruising. You should try one someday. Get a really cheap fare and cruise somewhere exotic taking us with you. Thanks for a great trip.
Thanks Barbara! I'm really REALLY keen for us to try a repositioning cruise or something, again, looking for a bargain! :)
And there we were feeling sorry for you wandering the streets of London at night like a homeless orphan!!🤣🤣🤷♀️
Because VA and Air NZ are in partnership, we were unexpectedly put on a VA flight from Heathrow to San Francisco in 2018.
Seriously the best service ever, even though we weren't in the posh seats.
I asked for chicken for lunch, and they had run out. The crew member then went to the business class section and snuck one of their meals down to me🥰
Even the check in the process was fabulous, we were really looked after well.
Can't ever see us turning left on the plane, but well done finding those fares!
Kelley I 100% still require your full sympathy :) Hey, glad you had a nice ride with them too :)
WOW what a treat! I'd love to travel in style like that. It was nice to see what you get for your money if you do upgrade. Superb, a lovely video, thanks Steve 🥰
Thanks so much Lynn!
Well done Steve really interesting video looks a lot more comfortable than the Northlink ferry ,keep em coming
Haha I even had a seat :D Thanks John!
Great video! As always!
Cheers man!
Wow, Seattle! If I’d known, I could have driven up! What a fantastic price, and well worth the incredible experience. An interesting tidbit; you caught the US on that horrible day of the “time change”, though I dare say that meant nothing to you, coming from GB. Some months ago, my husband and I took Amtrak from our town up to Seattle for a two day trip, an enjoyable getaway. Can’t wait for the rest of your adventures.
Ach really wish I'd had longer there! And the forecast was better for the coming days as well. Would have been awesome to fit in a wee train journey!
Thanks so much Steve for sharing that great flight.we had a virgin 350 take the footballer s off .love from Birmingham.🎅✈️
Ahhh cool! Thanks Sean :)
Amazibg Steve, a great experience for you!!! Been to Emirates Lounge in Dubai which was brilliant , I upgraded with my miles to Business Class. Use them or lose them!
Use them or lose them sure is the way to go! I would've been gutted if I just let them expire!
Looks amazing!
I flew Heathrow to Seattle years ago with Air Canada, changing to a smaller aircraft in Calgary. I only changed planes in Calgary, but I bought a Calgary fridge magnet from the airport! 😃
Haha nice! I do the same during layovers :)
What a lovely welcome onboard 😘 Virgin crew are always ace, make you feel a million dollars and like you’re an old friend they haven’t seen in years
So true, they do it so well and with genuine warmth
Great video. I live in Seattle I'm glad you had an international flight the international arrivals terminal is new just opened this year.
Some walk though to get from the gate :D I enjoyed going over the big bridge though :)