Virgin America To Launch New Flights To Newark Liberty International Airport

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin America, the airline that is reinventing domestic travel, announces it will bring its low-fare, upscale service to New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) as of April 2, 2013, with tickets on sale today for three daily nonstop roundtrip flights from both San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to EWR.  Virgin America will bring some healthy competition to the market, with low fares and service that has taken top honors as "Best U.S. Airline" in both Conde Nast Traveler's annual Readers' Choice Awards and Travel + Leisure's annual World's Best Awards every year since the airline's 2007 launch.  With fleetwide WiFi, custom-designed leather seating, power outlets, personal touch-screen entertainment platforms and new aircraft with three classes of service, Virgin America's business-friendly flights will offer a fresh new option for travelers to the region.  EWR tickets are available for purchase now at www.virginamerica.com and at 1.877.FLY.VIRGIN* with EWR-SFO and EWR-LAX fares from $149** (taxes and fees included and restrictions applying).  To mark the expansion to its 20^th airport destination, the carrier is launching a fare sale across its network with flights from $49** (taxes and fees included and restrictions applying).  Tickets are available for purchase now at www.virginamerica.com.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090123/VIRGINAMERICALOGO)

"As a low-fare carrier with new planes that look like nothing else in the skies, we hope our flights can offer some healthy competition and a better choice for travelers," said Virgin America President and CEO David Cush.  "Just like in any industry, when more companies compete – consumers win.  This is a hugely important market and one that deserves more flight options.  We are thankful to the Port Authority and the local leaders who were instrumental in making this happen and who had the vision to increase air service options at Newark Liberty."

Headquartered in California, Virgin America has already built a strong following of bi-coastal flyers with its popular nonstop flights from both LAX and SFO to New York's JFK.  As one of the few U.S. airlines adding jobs in the past five years, Virgin America has created more than 2,600 new American jobs since its launch. It is estimated that for every one new airline job created, there is a 5:1 job multiplier.[1] 

The addition of Newark to its network means Virgin America will now serve eight of the top ten business markets from both SFO and LAX. 

"We couldn't be more pleased to welcome more new flight options to Newark Airport,'' said Susan Baer, the Port Authority's aviation director. "More air service is a strong driver of regional economic development and jobs."  

With top-notch guest service, beautifully-designed cabins and inventive in-flight amenities, Virgin America has taken top honors as "Best U.S. Airline" in both Conde Nast Traveler's annual Readers' Choice Awards and Travel + Leisure's annual World's Best Awards every year since its 2007 launch.  In addition to a Main Cabin that offers leather seating with a deeper, more comfortable pitch, the airline's First Class offers plush white leather seats with 55 inches of pitch, 165 degrees of recline and lumbar massagers.  The carrier's Main Cabin Select offers 38 inches of pitch, free food and cocktails, an all-access pass to media, priority check-in/boarding and more.  All guests enjoy their own personal entertainment via a nine-inch seatback touch-screen with: 

• More than 25 on-demand movies, including independent, foreign language and latest release blockbusters
• 18 channels of live TV and 6 channels of cached TV, including MSNBC, CNN, CNBC, Bravo, ABC, CBS and more
• 4,000 song music library and the ability to create a custom play-list in-flight
• A videogame library and interactive Google Maps, so guests can track their journey at eight levels of zoom
• Onboard seat-to-seat chat messaging
• World's first on-demand food and drink ordering system with a menu named best in the U.S. by Travel + Leisure
• A charitable giving platform, which includes carbon offsets available via partner Carbonfund.org and causes like the official Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund, a nonprofit charitable organization chaired by First Lady Mary Pat Christie to help New Jersey communities rebuild.  Virgin America flyers nationwide can also help contribute to causes at 35,000 feet right from their seatback via the airline's in-flight entertainment platform. 

The airline's daily nonstop schedule from the West Coast to EWR is as follows:

Connecting flights will also be available from EWR to and from the airline's Las Vegas, Portland, Seattle, Palm Springs, San Diego and Los Cabos destinations. 

Virgin America has a new fleet that is up to 25 percent more fuel efficient than the average U.S. fleet.  The airline flies to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C. (Dulles and Reagan National), Seattle, Las Vegas, San Diego, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Cabos, Cancun, Chicago, Puerto Vallarta, Palm Springs, Philadelphia and Portland.

For broadcast-quality video and photos of the carrier's unique aircraft, visit:  http://www.virginamerica.com/press-release.do

About Virgin America:  Headquartered in California, Virgin America offers guests attractive fares and a host of innovative features aimed at reinventing air travel. Virgin America was named "Best Domestic Airline" in the Conde Nast Traveler 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 'Readers' Choice' Awards  and "Best Domestic Airline" in Travel + Leisure's 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 'World's Best' Awards.  The airline's base of operations is SFO's sleek new Terminal 2. The airline's new aircraft offer interactive in-flight entertainment systems and power outlets near every seat.  For more, visit: www.virginamerica.com

*Any guest calling within the United States has access to a complimentary telecommunication relay service by dialing 711. For more information, go to: http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/telecomm.asp.

** Fare Terms and Conditions: All Main Cabin fares are one-way. All Main Cabin fares require a 21-day advance purchase. For Main Cabin fares in EWR-LAX and EWR-SFO, travel must occur between April 2, 2013 and June 5, 2013. For Main Cabin fares in JFK-PSP, travel must occur between January 12, 2013 and March 20, 2013. For all other Main Cabin fares, travel must occur between January 7, 2013 and March 20, 2013. Tickets must be purchased by 11:59pm CST December 14, 2012. Lowest sale fares are available only on certain itineraries. Lowest sale fares for IAD-LAX, IAD-SFO, IAD-LAS, IAD-SAN, IAD-SEA, IAD-PDX, IAD-PSP, ORD-LAX, ORD-SFO, ORD-LAS, ORD-SAN, ORD-SEA, ORD-PDX, PHL-LAX, PHL-SFO, PHL-LAS, PHL-SAN, PHL-SEA, PHL-PDX, PHL-PSP, DFW-LAX, DFW-SFO, DFW-LAS, DFW-SAN, DFW-SEA, DFW-PDX, LAX-SFO, SAN-SFO, LAS-SFO, PSP-SFO, SEA-LAX, SEA-SFO, PDX-LAX and PDX-SFO are valid only for travel on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Lowest sale fares for JFK-PSP are valid only for non-stop travel on Saturdays. Lowest sale fares for all other routes are not valid for travel on Fridays and Sundays. 2012 blackout dates are: 12/26 and 12/30. 2013 blackout dates are: 1/18, 1/21, 2/15 and 2/18. Seats are limited, subject to availability, and may not be available on all flights. Flights may not operate daily. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. Changes or cancellations can be made for a $100 fee per guest through all channels, plus any increase in fare, if applicable. Any remaining balance will be placed in a guest's travel bank, good for travel on Virgin America for one year from date of issue. Changes or cancellations of a booking made with Elevate Points will be subject to a $100 redeposit fee per guest. Guests who no-show without a change or cancellation prior to the scheduled departure time will forfeit the amount of this fare. In addition, any future flights booked in the same reservation will also be canceled and the fare will be forfeited. Tickets purchased from Virgin America through our reservation call center will cost an additional $20 per guest per itinerary. Any added cost associated with purchasing tickets from Virgin America through our reservation call center will be non-refundable. Fares will not be honored retroactively or in exchange for any wholly or partially used ticket. Fares, routes, fees and schedules are subject to change without notice. Virgin America will accept up to ten pieces of checked baggage, up to 50 pounds each, per ticketed guest traveling within the U.S. The fee for each piece of checked baggage up to 50 pounds is $25. Additional fees apply to baggage exceeding these weight limitations, and other baggage restrictions may apply.

[1] In an independent economic analysis undertaken by Campbell Hill in 2006, it was estimated that for every one new airline job created there are an additional five associated new jobs created in the tourism, travel and supporting vendor sectors. 

SOURCE Virgin America