international · 8h 30m · 6,710 km

London to Delhi

3 airlines · 3 aircraft ranked

In business class, Air India's Business Class (A350-900) leads the field with a 8.1/10.In premium economy, Virgin Atlantic's Premium (787-9) edges out the field with a 5.7/10.

How we score → Last updated June 2026

Quick pick

Best business class:strong pick

Fly Air India. It has 7 more inches of legroom and a wider seat (21" vs 18.5").

If fares are comparable, this is the better cabin.

Best premium economy:close call

Fly Virgin Atlantic. It has a wider seat (21" vs 18.5").

If fares are comparable, this is the better cabin.

Best economy:close call

Fly Air India. It has free Wi-Fi (paid on Virgin Atlantic) and a bigger screen (12" vs 9").

If prices are similar, go with this one.

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1
Business ClassAir India · Airbus A350-900 · 2024 cabinBest on route
Suite with door · 1-2-1 · 45" pitchAvg. reliabilityValue fare
Free Wi-Fi + Suite with door + Wider seat
8.1
Excellent
Seat 8.3·Amenity 7.9
2
Club SuiteBritish Airways · Airbus A350-1000 · 2019 cabin
Lie-flat with door · 1-2-1 · 38" pitch · Paid Wi-FiAvg. reliabilityPoints: Chase UR, Amex MR, Capital One, Bilt
7.2
Very good
Seat 7.2·Amenity 7.3
3
Upper ClassVirgin Atlantic · Boeing 787-9 · 2014 cabin
Lie-flat · 1-1-1 · 44" pitch · Paid Wi-FiReliablePoints: Chase UR, Amex MR, Capital One, Citi TYP, Bilt
Mattress pad
6.7
Good
Seat 5.9·Amenity 7.8

Select two airlines to compare head-to-head

Data verified June 2026

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Route insights

  • In business class, Air India's Business Class (A350-900) leads the field with a 8.1/10.
  • In premium economy, Virgin Atlantic's Premium (787-9) edges out the field with a 5.7/10.
  • In economy, Air India's Economy (A350-900) edges out the field with a 4.7/10.

Frequently asked

Which is better in business: British Airways or Air India on LHR-DEL?

Business Class (Air India, A350-900) edges out Club Suite (British Airways, A350-1000) in business, scoring 8.1/10 vs 7.2. The deciding factor: Free Wi-Fi vs Paid Wi-Fi.

Which is better in premium economy: British Airways or Air India on LHR-DEL?

World Traveller Plus (British Airways, A350-1000) and Premium Economy (Air India, A350-900) score virtually the same in premium economy: 5.2 vs 5.3/10. The biggest gap is wi-fi — Free Wi-Fi vs Paid Wi-Fi — but neither carrier pulls ahead overall.

Which is better in economy: British Airways or Air India on LHR-DEL?

Economy (Air India, A350-900) edges out World Traveller (British Airways, A350-1000) in economy, scoring 4.7/10 vs 4.1. The deciding factor: Free Wi-Fi vs Paid Wi-Fi.

Which is better in business: British Airways or Virgin Atlantic on LHR-DEL?

Club Suite (British Airways, A350-1000) edges out Upper Class (Virgin Atlantic, 787-9) in business, scoring 7.2/10 vs 6.7. The deciding factor: a closed suite door vs an open cabin. Virgin Atlantic fights back on seat width and bedding.

Which is better in premium economy: British Airways or Virgin Atlantic on LHR-DEL?

Premium (Virgin Atlantic, 787-9) edges out World Traveller Plus (British Airways, A350-1000) in premium economy, scoring 5.7/10 vs 5.2. The deciding factor: 21"-wide seats vs 18.5".

Which is better in economy: British Airways or Virgin Atlantic on LHR-DEL?

Economy Classic (Virgin Atlantic, 787-9) edges out World Traveller (British Airways, A350-1000) in economy, scoring 4.6/10 vs 4.1. The deciding factor: AC + USB-C vs USB-A only. British Airways fights back on entertainment.

Which is better in business: Air India or Virgin Atlantic on LHR-DEL?

Business Class (Air India, A350-900) beats Upper Class (Virgin Atlantic, 787-9) in business, scoring 8.1/10 vs 6.7. The deciding factor: a closed suite door vs an open cabin. Virgin Atlantic fights back on bedding.

Which is better in premium economy: Air India or Virgin Atlantic on LHR-DEL?

Premium (Virgin Atlantic, 787-9) edges out Premium Economy (Air India, A350-900) in premium economy, scoring 5.7/10 vs 5.3. The deciding factor: 21"-wide seats vs 18.5". Air India fights back on wi-fi.

Which is better in economy: Air India or Virgin Atlantic on LHR-DEL?

Economy (Air India, A350-900) and Economy Classic (Virgin Atlantic, 787-9) score virtually the same in economy: 4.7 vs 4.6/10. The biggest gap is power — AC + USB-C vs USB-A only — but neither carrier pulls ahead overall.

What are the best seats in British Airways Club Suite on LHR-DEL?

Best: Rows 1 and 11 offer the best sleep experience due to distance from galleys. Rows 11 or 15 allow fastest deplaning via door 2. Seats 9A, 9K, 10A, 10K have extra windows. The mini-cabin (rows 15-17) is the most private with only 12 seats. Avoid: 6A and 6K have only a single window instead of the typical two. The mini-cabin (rows 15-17) gets meal service last and may not receive first-choice entree. Seats 15A and 15K are bassinet positions for infants. Rows near the mid-cabin galley experience crew traffic. The A350-1000 was the launch aircraft for BA's Club Suite product. Two business class zones: a main cabin of 44 seats (rows 1-14) and a mini-cabin of 12 seats (rows 15-17). Every seat has a door, direct aisle access, and 40% more storage than old Club World. Panasonic eX3 IFE gate-to-gate. The A350-1000 has NO First class cabin. BA Starlink WiFi rollout began March 2026; Panasonic Ku-band on non-Starlink aircraft.

What are the best seats in British Airways World Traveller Plus on LHR-DEL?

Best: Row 20 bulkhead has the most legroom. Window pairs (A-B, J-K) work well for couples. The 2-4-2 layout means window pairs are the most private. Avoid: Center seats in the 4-abreast middle section (D-E-F-G) are least private. Row 26 (last row) has limited recline and proximity to the economy cabin partition. 56-seat premium economy is one of the larger WTP cabins in the BA fleet. 8-abreast seating with adjustable headrests and footrests. Complimentary meal service with premium wine. Separate cabin service from economy.

What are the best seats in British Airways World Traveller on LHR-DEL?

Best: Rows 30-32 are at the front of economy, closest to the premium economy divider and lavatories. Exit row seats offer significantly more legroom. Avoid: Last 2-3 rows near the rear galley and lavatories are noisy. Middle seats in the 3-abreast sections (B, E, H) are least desirable on long-haul flights. Bassinet positions may mean infants nearby. 9-abreast economy on the A350-1000 is standard for the type. Panasonic eX3 IFE with USB charging. Complimentary meals and beverages on long-haul flights. The A350 cabin features lower cabin altitude and higher humidity than older aircraft types.

What are the best seats in Air India Business Class on LHR-DEL?

Best: Window suites in rows 1-2 for maximum privacy. 21-inch IFE is one of the largest in any business class. Avoid: Last row of business near galley partition. 28 Collins Horizon suites with sliding privacy doors and personal wardrobes. Ferragamo amenity kit. Complimentary WiFi for all passengers. 21-inch IFE screen. Deploying on JFK-DEL, EWR-DEL, LHR-DEL.

What are the best seats in Air India Premium Economy on LHR-DEL?

Best: Window pairs for privacy. 4-way adjustable headrest. Avoid: Center block seats in 2-4-2. 24-seat premium economy. Complimentary WiFi (all cabins). 13.3-inch IFE.

What are the best seats in Air India Economy on LHR-DEL?

Best: Front rows of economy. 12-inch IFE is larger than most competitors at this class level. Avoid: Last rows near lavatories. 264 economy seats. Complimentary WiFi for all passengers. 12-inch seatback IFE.

What are the best seats in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class on LHR-DEL?

Best: 2A and 4A are the most private seats — left-side A positions face the window wall with the most separation from the aisle. 6A and 8A are also good but closer to the mid-cabin galley. Solo travelers should always pick A seats. Avoid: All G and K positions (center and right) face each other across the aisle with low dividers — the worst privacy in any current business cabin. 11G and 11K are the most exposed, adjacent to the Premium cabin divider. Older herringbone Upper Class with no doors and low dividers — noticeably less private than the A350-1000 or A330neo suites. 1-1-1 layout means all-aisle access but the tradeoff is those low partition walls. 11.1-inch screens are half the size of the A330neo (17.3 inches). Sleep suit provided on overnight flights.

What are the best seats in Virgin Atlantic Premium on LHR-DEL?

Best: Window pairs in row 21 (21A/B and 21H/K) are bulkhead seats with extra legroom. Avoid: Center seats in the middle block (D, F, G) in any row. Last row is closest to economy. 35 Premium seats in a 2-3-2 layout with 38-inch pitch and 8-degree recline. 11.1-inch Panasonic eX3 screens. AC outlet and USB-A at every seat. Plated meals with upgraded menu. Small amenity kit with eye mask, socks, and toothbrush. Pillow and blanket at the seat.

What are the best seats in Virgin Atlantic Economy Classic on LHR-DEL?

Best: Economy Delight rows (around row 53) offer 34-inch pitch for an upcharge. Any window seat in 3-3-3 avoids the double-middle problem. Avoid: Center seats (B, E, H) in any row. Last rows near rear galley. Economy Delight (36 seats) has 34-inch pitch vs 31 inches in Classic. Same Recaro 3620 slimline seat throughout. 9-inch Panasonic eX3 screens — smaller than the A350 (11.6 inches) and A330neo (13.3 inches). AC outlet and USB-A at every seat. Complimentary hot meal and pre-landing snack with free alcohol.