Air travel from Philadelphia to California is getting a new boost of style.
Beginning Wednesday, California-based Virgin America has started their nonstop service from Philly to both Los Angeles and San Francisco. Philadelphia is the 17th market in the carrier’s rapidly growing network.
To coincide with the new service, Virgin is hosting a “Tailgate on the Tarmac” as the first flight from Los Angeles arrives. The tailgate will include selected winners of the company’s “Ultimate Tailgate” contest that ran on Facebook, along with Sir Richard Branson, Mayor Michael Nutter, rapper Wiz Khalifa, the Green Man from the hit FX series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and more. (Visit NBC10.com later Wednesday for photos from the tailgate along with an interview featuring Branson.)
Since its debut four years ago, Virgin America has won multiple awards for their custom-designed cabins, wireless internet and entertainment options (known as RED). Among the included amenities, each seat includes a nine-inch-wide touchscreen that offers 18 Dish Network channels, along with 25 on-demand movies that you can control just like your DVR (pause, rewind, etc.). Also included are interactive games, seat-to-seat chats and premium food options.
To celebrate the new route, Virgin has launched a sale with flights from Philly to Los Angeles starting at $159 and Philly to San Francisco at $179.
"This is a great day for Philadelphia and our Airport," Mayor Nutter said in release. "We are thrilled that travelers in our region now have convenient access to Virgin America's award-winning service. This new service to the West Coast will stimulate our regional economy and give travelers more choices.”
