Last April, Virgin America kicked off three daily non-stop flights between Philadelphia (PHL) and Los Angeles (LAX). Photos of swanky cabins and sunny Los Angeles landscapes adorned billboards throughout the city. I don’t know how anyone, even the non-frequent travelers, would not be curious to try this flight. 

At last, I got my chance this past December on my flight out to Global Traveler’s GT Tested Awards event in Beverly Hills. I boarded the A320 around 7 a.m. and was instantly put at ease by Virgin’s mood lighting. It was a stark contrast to the florescent lighting of the airport, as morning passengers who have been up since 4 a.m. avoid eye contact with red-eye arrivals who have likely not slept at all.

The seats, though statistically similar in size and pitch to alternative airlines with routes at this time, felt far more comfortable and spacious. Each seat offered personal televisions and power outlets. Food was available through the TV ordering system, as well as inflight WiFi, both for an added but reasonable cost (features not available on the alternative). We did experience some technical difficulties with the ordering system during the flight.

Overall, I had a very pleasant experience on Virgin, and for an equivalent cost to the alternative, this will be my preferred airline for this route. I encourage anyone who hasn’t to experience Virgin America for themselves. 

— Danielle Hudena, executive vice president