Virgin Atlantic Upper Class to Cape Town: The 'Coffin Seats' Worth Flying

The Virgin Atlantic 787 Upper Class seat to Cape Town gets slated online. "Coffin seats." "No privacy." "Outdated." We've flown it twice now, and here's the reality: the seat isn't revolutionary, but the experience absolutely works. From the Heathrow Clubhouse champagne breakfast to landing refreshed in Cape Town 11.5 hours later, this is Upper Class done right, even with angled herringbone seats from 2014.

We booked return for 115,000 Virgin Points each plus £850 taxes. That's roughly £2,100 total per person for what would've cost £4,200 cash. Worth it? Let's break it down.

Jump to the good bits

• Why we choose Virgin (and keep coming back)
• London to Cape Town: route & timing details
• The Upper Class Wing & Heathrow Clubhouse
• The infamous coffin seats: privacy vs comfort
• Which seats to book (couples vs solo)
• Service & crew: the real differentiator
• Food & drink: restaurant quality at 40,000ft
• Onboard bar: worth the walk
• Amenities, pyjamas & bedding breakdown
• Cape Town arrival: smooth but windy
• How we booked on points: the playbook
• Return flight: Cape Town lounge & landing
• Final verdict: who this works for

Why We Choose Virgin Atlantic (And Keep Coming Back)

We deliberately fly Virgin Atlantic. Not because the seats are cutting-edge (they're not), not because it's cheaper (it rarely is). We fly Virgin because in 2025, when most brands are quietly backing away from DEI commitments and Pride campaigns, Virgin Atlantic has doubled down on genuine inclusivity.

It's not rainbow logos in June. It's crew culture that feels real from boarding to landing. You can tell the difference between a corporate Pride tick-box and a company where LGBTQ+ staff and passengers actually feel comfortable being themselves. Virgin is the latter.

We stack Virgin Points through Virgin Red and the Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Credit Card (Mastercard). We choose Virgin Hotels when available. We book Virgin Voyages cruises. It's a deliberate loyalty choice based on values, not just miles.

The London to Cape Town Route: What to Expect

We flew Virgin Atlantic from London Heathrow (LHR) Terminal 3 to Cape Town International (CPT) on the 787-9 Dreamliner in February 2025 for our week's holiday in South Africa which we absolutely LOVED and starting the adventure in the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse is always a fantastic start to any holiday.

Flight VS461/VS462:

• Outbound: LHR departs 21:00, arrives CPT 09:45+1 (11h 45m)
• Return: CPT departs 19:45, arrives LHR 07:00+1 (11h 15m)
• Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 (31 Upper Class seats, 1-2-1 angled herringbone)
• Frequency: Daily year-round
• Time difference: GMT+2 (summer), GMT (winter Cape Town time)

The evening departure from London works perfectly. Board after dinner, meal service, sleep 6-7 hours, breakfast, land refreshed at 10am Cape Town time. You're in your hotel by 11am and coming from the UK, jet lag is minimal which is a huge plus.

The Upper Class Wing & Heathrow Clubhouse

Terminal 3's Upper Class Wing is Virgin's dedicated check-in and security area for Upper Class passengers and Flying Club Gold members. It's signposted clearly at the terminal entrance (you can't miss the Virgin branding).

What you get:

• Dedicated check-in desks (never queued more than 2 minutes)
• Private security lane accessed via lift
• Fast Track immigration (when departing UK)
• Staff who actually chat rather than process you

💡 JOE'S TIP: Arrive 2.5-3 hours early for evening departures. The Clubhouse isn't a holding pen; for us it's a massive part of the experience.

We checked in at 18:30 for the 21:00 departure. Bags tagged, security cleared, in the Clubhouse by 18:45. That gave us 2 hours 15 minutes for what became a proper sit-down dinner with cocktails, champagne, and a few more cocktails.

Don't rush to the gate when boarding appears on screens. Virgin boards Upper Class smoothly (no scrum), and you'll spend 30 minutes standing at the gate. Finish your drink.

The Clubhouse operates from 05:30-22:00 daily, we've never struggled for seating even at peak times.

The Infamous Coffin Seats: Privacy vs Comfort

Virgin's 787-9 Upper Class cabin features 31 angled herringbone seats in 1-2-1 configuration. They're called "coffins" online because they angle toward the aisle rather than the window, with low privacy dividers and no doors.

The reality:

• Dimensions: 22 inches wide, 79 inches flat bed length
• Recline: Full 180-degree flat (not angled like some "lie-flat" seats)
• Storage: Large side console, overhead bin, under-seat stowage
• Entertainment: 18-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth audio, USB-A, USB-C, AC power
• Privacy: Low dividers, no doors, angled toward aisle

Are they private? No. Can strangers see you sleeping? Technically yes, if they walk past and look down. Does it matter once you're reclined with the duvet? Not really.

The padding is excellent. The bedding (more on that below) is genuinely cosy. The entertainment system works smoothly. The recline mechanism is simple (one button, not five like some airlines). We had a great time on our flight, despite the seat not being the newest design they're perfectly comfortable for an overnight flight.

vs BA Club World (2024 seat): BA's new Club Suite has doors and more privacy. It's also £600-800 more expensive cash, and 30,000 more Avios for reward bookings. Virgin's seat is older but comfortable enough for overnight flights. It's not really fair to compare them to the new BA seat, a faierer comparison is BA's older Club World seat which is more cramped and less comfortable than Virgin's.

Which Seats to Book: Couples vs Solo

On the 787-9 and the 330-300 (not the Neo, they have the brand new design) we prefer row A seats on the left side of the aircraft when you enter. This is because you look onto the back of the middle row of seats rather than onto the passangers sitting on the opposite side of the aisle. This gives you a bit more privacy. It's not the middle and right and side seats are bad they're just not as private as the left side.

Service & Crew: The Real Differentiator

This is where Virgin leaves most airlines behind.

The crew on both outbound (LHR-CPT) and return (CPT-LHR) flights were genuinely warm, not in that over-trained, scripted way you get on some carriers. They chatted with us at the onboard bar (yes, Virgin has a bar onboard), laughed, remembered drink orders, asked follow-up questions about Cape Town plans.

You can't fake that kind of interaction. It comes from crew who actually enjoy their jobs and aren't told to stick to a script.

The inclusivity piece isn't performative either. We never second-guessed holding hands, mentioning "my fiancé", or being visibly a couple. Not once.

Food & Drink: Restaurant Quality at 40,000ft

Virgin's Upper Class meal service is good. It's not michelin star and but for airline food it's actually really good. The servie is relaxed, not rushed. Portions are generous without being excessive. Presentation is careful. You start with the evening meal after takeoff, sleep, then breakfast before landing.

Outbound LHR-CPT dinner service (departed 21:00):

We both started with champagne on boarding (served in proper glassware) and made great use of the good wine list throughout, we were off to South Africa and so of course it had to be South African wine!

Breakfast is served about 90 minutes before landing. We both had the full English breakfast which was cooked perfectly. The coffee was strong and hot, a great way to wake up before landing and to make the most of the first day in Cape Town.

Worth it? Absolutely. This is restaurant-level food at 40,000ft. We've paid £150+ for worse meals in London.

The Onboard Bar: Worth the Walk

Virgin's 787 Upper Class cabin has a small bar area at the rear (between Upper Class and Premium). It's not large (3-4 people max comfortably), but it's genuinely nice for stretching legs, chatting with crew, or meeting other passengers. Having a bar you can actually sit at makes a huge difference to the social atmosphere onboard and is very much a novelty.

The crew (like us) genuinely seem to enjoy the bar interaction more than seat service. It's less formal, more social.

Amenity Kits, Pyjamas & Bedding Breakdown

OK, the amenity kit on Virgin isn't the most luxurious out there (the pouch itself is recyclable fabric, not the faux-leather some airlines use. Looks a bit sad honestly, but it's eco-conscious.), but it's perfectly functional and has all the essentials. The pyjamas are actually comfortable cotton (not scratchy polyester) we use them at home now too! and the bedding is genuinely cosy.

Amenity kit (REN-branded pouch):

• Face cream (15ml)
• Lip balm
• Eye mask
• Earplugs (foam, decent quality)
• Bamboo toothbrush + toothpaste
• Socks (grey, comfortable)
• Pen (Virgin branded, we kept both)

Pyjamas: (they're super comfy)

• Navy cotton set (top + bottoms)
• Actually comfortable (not scratchy polyester)

Bedding:

• Large pillow (not those tiny airline neck pillows)
• Plush duvet (proper weight, not thin blanket)
• Mattress topper (foam pad, makes a huge difference on flat seat)

The crew offered to make the bed while we brushed teeth post-dinner. Small touch, but it's lovely coming back to a made bed rather than wrestling with a duvet at 30,000ft.

Cape Town Arrival: Smooth But Windy

We landed at Cape Town International at 09:45 local time (on schedule despite 35-knot winds on approach).

Immigration:

• Queue time: Around 20 minutes which isn't too bad. Traveling in Upper Class does aford you the priority disembarkation so we were off the plane quickly and got stratight into the queue.

Baggage:

• Bags appeared within 12 minutes
• Priority tags worked (ours were first off in Upper Class batch)

Transport to city centre:

• Uber is super cheap and highly recommended. The journey was only around 20ish minutes to the hotel R180 (£8). We've done a review of the hotel here, it was a lovely hotel in a great location for Cape Town.

The Return Flight: Cape Town Lounge & Landing

Cape Town Virgin Atlantic Lounge (technically SLOW lounge):

Virgin doesn't operate its own lounge at Cape Town. Upper Class passengers use the SLOW Lounge in the international departures area.

What it offers:

• Hot food buffet (curry, pasta, salads, decent quality)
• Bar (wine, beer, spirits, cocktails)
• Showers (clean, towels provided)
• Seating (lounge chairs, not restaurant-style)

It's fine. Not Heathrow Clubhouse level (that would be unfair comparison), but perfectly adequate for 90 minutes pre-flight. We had food, wine, shower, felt refreshed.

Final Verdict: Who This Flight Works For

WORTH IT if you:

• Value genuine service over newest seats
• Have Virgin Points (we managed to score these for 115k + £850 is excellent value vs £4,200 cash). This is how we booked both our flights but with the new demand pricing for reward seats booking at a resonable points level is now pretty much impossible, unfortinatyl. We've checked multiple dates in 2026 and 2027 and the points required are now astronomical with no 'Saver' availability. Use Seat Spy to monitor reward availability.
• Appreciate LGBTQ+ inclusive airlines that actually mean it
• Enjoy the full experience (Clubhouse is half the reason to fly Virgin)
• Can sleep on planes (flat bed + bedding works well)

SKIP if you:

• Need full privacy with doors (wait for new Upper Class Suites or book BA/Qatar)
• Hate being visible (the coffin angle means people see you)
• Don't value soft product (if seat privacy is non-negotiable, this isn't for you)

The seat isn't revolutionary. The taxes are painful. But the people, the service, the food, the culture, the genuine inclusivity? That's Virgin Atlantic. That's why we keep booking.

Travel with us, always with love and a little luxe 🌈✈️

Have questions about booking Virgin Upper Class on points, or want to know which seats to choose? Drop us a message on Instagram @boyfriendswhotravel or email hello@boyfriendswhotravel.com.

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