GeekSugar

Virgin America Brings a Breath of Fresh Airline to Philadelphia

Sponsor — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 03:00:00 PST

Heading to Philly? This Spring is a great time to check out the city - especially with Virgin America launching its low-fare, high-frills daily nonstop flights from LAX and SFO to PHL as of April 2012. Known for its tricked-out new planes, touch-screen entertainment, and amenities like fleet-wide WiFi, the airline has created a cult-like following on the coasts. And the airline's in-flight entertainment does credit to its California roots - with an iPad-like seatback touchscreen for flyers with 35 films, live TV, Google Maps, video games, seat-to-seat chat, music videos, a 3,000-song library, an on-demand menu, and more.

To mark the quickly growing airline's Philly launch, Virgin America first shared the news with its social media fans via a video that spotted the beloved and mysterious "Greenman" from the hit FX television show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia near a Virgin America aircraft. In addition to grabbing those super-low fares to Philly, visitors to the airline's Facebook page can enter for a chance to win round-trip flights and the ultimate It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia fan pack, consisting of seasons 1-6 DVDs, a Paddy's Pub t-shirt, the official board game, and a guide to the characters' favorite haunts. Oh, and of course, you can check out It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia en route at 35,000 feet on Virgin America.

High-Tech Navigation Soars on Virgin America Planes

Kelly Schwarze — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 04:30:49 PST

The FAA's announcement that American Airlines pilots can use iPads in the cockpit at all times in flight, including takeoff and landing, is just one example of how airlines are evolving with technology. Virgin America, an airline known for tech partnerships like gate-side Chromebook rentals, also makes sure the people flying the planes have the latest gear as well.

During a recent press trip on the airline's inaugural flight to Puerto Vallarta, the staff showed off the geeky details of the Airbus A320 that make it one of the industry's most state-of-the-art birds. The A320 planes all lack the steering wheel, or "yoke" as it's actually called, that most people have come to expect to see when imagining how planes work, with Airbus instead opting to design a joystick steering mechanism reflective of the video games popular in the '80s at the time it was first created. Geek factor aside, the side-stick control is a practical option, as it gives pilots a more comfortable in-flight experience and the option for a pull-out tray just like cabin passengers.

It may not be an iPad, but the gadget of choice for Virgin America pilots is the NavAero tPad, which serves as an Electronic Flight Bag, replacing the heavy and cumbersome paperwork and maps that pilots once carried constantly. The EFBs are the navigation tools for a crew of the 21st Century.

Peep another angle of Virgin America's side-stick and tablet-powered cabin after the break.

Virgin America to Level Up In-Flight Entertainment System in 2012

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 11:55:27 PDT

Staying entertained and connected on Virgin America flights will soon be even easier than before. Starting in late 2012, Virgin America will be rolling out a new in-flight entertainment and technology system called BoardConnect, which will feature larger, HD touchscreen seat-back monitors with full WiFi connectivity and the ability for passengers to connect their personal gadgets to the system before takeoff, while in the air, and even postflight.

This means that passengers can get their curated content, games, and connectivity via the seat-back screen, or connect and use their smartphones and tablets instead. Additional details are scarce, but these new features and benefits could soon make other airlines, who are still jumping on the in-flight WiFi trend, much less desirable.

Get Ready to Jet Set to Cabo San Lucas!

PopSugar — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 13:23:36 PDT

We launched our new PopSugar iPad app, so now you can experience PopSugar Network in HD and enjoy amazing full-screen galleries, flip the pages just like a magazine, and easily share stories with friends on Facebook and Twitter. And to celebrate, we want to send you, a guest, and a new PopSugar-loaded iPad 2 all the way to Mexico!

That's right - thanks to our friends at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Resort and Spa and Virgin America, you could experience the ultimate Cabo getaway! After you jet away on Virgin America, you will have the amazing experience of the Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Resort and Spa, which offers an all-inclusive vacation experience with private beaches, gourmet dining, tequila tastings, and more - it's truly the ultimate vacation destination. Just think, you and your guest could be relaxing on a private beach in Cabo reading PopSugar using the PopSugar iPad app in no time. To enter for your chance to win, just:

Use a Free Chromebook on Virgin Flights and in NYC's Ace Hotel

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 10:03:30 PDT

If you're heading into the friendly skies this Summer, there's another reason besides awesome mood lighting to fly with Virgin America - you could get the extra added bonus of surfing the web at 35,000 feet with a new Chromebook. Starting today, and running through Sept. 30, Virgin America and Google are loaning free Chromebooks to passengers for use on select flights out of San Francisco, Dallas-Fort Worth, Boston, and Chicago. To get one, all you have to do is find the ChromeZone kiosk nearest your departure gate for check out, enjoy during your flight, and then return it to your arrival crew before you leave the airport.

But there's another way for NYC travelers to get their hands on a Chromebook. Find out how after the break.

What Other Airlines Can Learn From Virgin America's New Tech-Savvy SFO Terminal

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 13:54:13 PDT

Sir Richard Branson unveiled the brand new Virgin America T2 terminal at SFO yesterday, after a first-of-its-kind simultaneous flight of the Airbus A320, WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo over the San Francisco coastline. The new eco-friendly terminal is LEED Gold-certified and sustainable, which is a first in the US. Not only earth conscious, the terminal looks pretty sexy, too. Check out images of the new terminal, find out why tech-savvy travelers will love it, and what other airlines can learn from the new addition.

Virgin America Wants You to Win a VIP Getaway to Cancun

Sponsor — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 03:00:00 PST

Virgin America warmed up in December with flights to Cabo, and now they're taking Spring break a few months early with new service to Cancun. To spice up their first flight, they're teaming up with VH1 to tape a mile-high episode of the Top 20 Video Countdown. You can tune in on Jan. 29 at 9 a.m. EST for a glimpse at the action, but you don't need to be on board to get your time in the sun.

They're giving out three VIP getaways to Cancun, good for any time in 2011. Enter here for a chance to fly free from any Virgin America port of call to the hottest spot in the Mexican Caribbean. Once you land, you'll get a three-day fiesta for two at the all-inclusive Live Aqua Cancun, where you can dine at hot signature restaurants, lounge at the wine and mezcal bar, hit the beach, plunge into one of eight infinity pools, and play like a pop star - with no limits.

Be sure to join the fiesta and enter here for a shot at the winnings, or grab a seat now with spicy fares from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Cancun starting from $139 each way. Book by Feb. 14; fly from Feb. 2 through May 4. Restrictions, taxes, and fees apply.

Earn Extra Elevate Points by Checking in at Virgin America

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 01:47:42 PST

Remember when I told you about the hospitality-focused location service TopGuest? At the time, it was just picking up steam, but now the service, which is used in conjunction with Facebook Places and Foursquare, has teamed up with Virgin America to introduce a perfectly-timed holiday promotion.

Earn 25 extra Elevate frequent flier points just by checking in on TopGuest at any Virgin America airport terminal or baggage claim. You can rack up 50 extra points per trip, which can then be used toward future flights. Easy enough, right?

Google Chrome Offers Free In-Flight WiFi This Holiday

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 11:00:10 PST

Last year, Google stepped up to offer some sweet holiday travel perks by sponsoring free WiFi in airports across the country, and this year, Google Chrome is taking its holiday cheer to the clouds by offering free Gogo in-flight WiFi for Virgin America, Delta, and AirTrans passengers.

Starting on Nov. 20, travelers can log in during flights on all Virgin America and AirTrans aircrafts, and over 540 planes in Delta's fleet, to check emails, browse their favorite websites, and of course, send the obligatory "wheels up" tweet from 30,000 feet. The promotion ends on Jan. 2, 2011, but thankfully you still have some on-the-ground web-browsing options to choose from all year-round.

Check In For 2-For-1 Virgin America Tickets, Today Only!

GeekSugar — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:30:36 PDT

If you've got an itch to get out of town, now is the time for SF and LA residents to head on down to the airport or grab a taco lunch - when you check in to either SFO or LAX airports or one of two designated taco trucks with Loopt Star, you'll get an email offer for two-for-one tickets to Mexico via Virgin America's newest flight routes to Cabo and Cancun.

All you have to do is download Loopt Star (free) (one of my favorite rewards check-in apps) and check in! All the money raised from the two taco trucks will be donated to charity, and you'll get a sweet deal on flights that start at $129 each way. The check-in rewards started at 11 a.m. this morning and will go until 3 p.m. PDT, so get a move on! Find out where the taco trucks are located (in SF and LA only) after the break.