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Hello all. We will be flying from Heathrow with Virgin soon and are planning to use the Upper Class Wing entrance. We tried to do this last time by ordering a taxi from the Heathrow long stay T3 car park but never got assigned a car and had to get the shuttle instead. We would like to try again this year just to experience it. What is the easiest way of doing this from the Purple Parking long stay T3 car park? Thanks in advance.
I’m also interested in this as I’m staying at HGI Hatton Cross and would like the enter the Upper wing via cab/uber rather than the tube option.
Is there a reliable firm for prebooking with?
I had assumed uber would be an easy option.
Uber used (a few years ago) to be absolutely useless for near-Heathrow pickups. Drivers would accept and then cancel. I’d have a plan B, or book with the taxi firm the hotel recommends.
We have used a taxi booked through the HGI Hatton Cross to the VS upper wing
Thanks. As a non-londoner, I will ask HGI Hatton cross to book me in with a local cab firm, and keep uber as the backup if they don’t show.
Most Uber drivers aren’t aware of the Upper Class Wing’s existence so they might drive straight past it if you don’t tell them specifically where to go (I think many don’t look at the exact location of the pin in the app, only what terminal to go to).
The wing is a specific destination in the Uber app so search for “virgin upper class wing” rather than the generic T3.
Also note it’s within the LHR drop off zone so incurs the £ 5.00 fee
Its set as a destination. Its Virgin Atlantic upper class wing Terminal 3. Its pretty easy to find. Its literally a left at the barrier before departures.
I’m just mentioning it because it’s happened several times to me that they’ve driven past it! Just something to watch out for if the op specifically takes an Uber to arrive at the Upper Class Wing entrance
The wing is a specific destination in the Uber app so search for “virgin upper class wing” rather than the generic T3.
Also note it’s within the LHR drop off zone so incurs the £ 5.00 fee
Correct it’s its own destination on the app
However I don’t think it is in the £5 zone, I dropped someone off last year and paid, then as I had to contact them for a subsequent visit found out I had a credit on my account
The Upper Wing isn’t in the terminal drop off zone but you can’t leave the UW without entering the TDZ unless you perform an illegal manoeuvre. You can set up an account such that you may or may not get charged but will definitely avoid any potential penalty.
We took an Uber from the T5 premier inn to the upper wing recently, it cost £16 which clearly included the £5 fee in the receipt.
As others have said, you can search for it on Google Maps. Just ask the driver to keep left to ensure they don’t miss it, as it’s easy to think it’s for authorised personnel only. It’s within the £5 zone, so that has to be paid too. You give your name at the intercom, and then they open the barrier for you. Only time I used it was in 2022, and it was extremely quiet, and they had a porter to take my luggage, and open the car door for me, etc; definitely felt like a premium experience. Not sure if that’s always the case, or just because it was quiet, I was pretty much the only person in the queue.
Can you have a queue with only one person?
Can you have a queue with only one person?
Ha, not quite the only person but it was very quiet! I know BA also have F, but the VS UC experience vs BA J are world’s apart in my opinion.
As a regular there, get a black cab from outside T3 or your hotel – T3 to Wing price in Uber is regularly in excess of £35, which I balk at, when it’s a third of that (minus the fiver fee) in a black cab.
As an aside, UC Wing has been updated – a bit more spacious and new scanners 🙂
A related question that has occurred to me for later in the year. If you are Virgin Gold flying in Premium, can you use the Upper Class Wing entrance? I know you can access the Clubhouse, details on the entrance bypassing the general check in & security areas are less clear.
Seems like a clear ‘Yes’ on their website: https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/upper-class-cabin-and-seats/clubhouse-airport-lounge/london-heathrow-clubhouse/upper-class-wing.html
Thanks, that’ll teach me not to check before I ask. Not sure if the wording has been changed at some point, but when I searched for it a while back I found two articles, one of which only mentioned Upper Class passengers. As you say that page is pretty clear.
You’ve long been unofficially able to do it – a quick word with the Gold line was usually all that was needed, but they did occasionally refuse if it was peak season or they had multiple VVIPs in.
I always use the electric Jaguar hotel shuttle service from weknowlondon never any problems, I would recommend without a doubt.
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