Years after diving into the points and miles world, you may not realize that a loyalty program you had overlooked could have been one of your most powerful tools. This is certainly the case for many travelers who didn’t closely examine Virgin Atlantic’s loyalty program. While it may not have been an obvious choice for many, Virgin Atlantic offers something enticing: attractive partner award charts, a rarity among other airline programs nowadays. Despite changes to Virgin Atlantic’s partner award charts, Virgin points currently stand out for offering incredible value with many uses. In this article, we will go over the basics of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and show you the sweet spots that make Virgin points so valuable.
To start, let’s take a look at how you can earn Virgin points. There are four primary ways to earn Virgin points directly. The first is by flying. If you’re flying on Virgin Atlantic, you can use the airline’s earning calculator to determine how many points you’ll earn for your flight. If you’re flying one of the carrier’s partners, such as Delta Air Lines, Air France, or Hawaiian Airlines, you can opt to earn Virgin points by adding your Flying Club membership number to your reservation. Virgin Atlantic is now a member of the SkyTeam alliance, so you can check your operating carrier and fare class on Where to Credit for the best option for your flight.
Another way to earn Virgin points is through credit card rewards. You can earn Virgin Points directly through the Virgin Atlantic World Elite Mastercard®. Additionally, Flying Club is a transfer partner of every major transferable point currency, including Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Points, and Marriott Bonvoy points. Many of these programs offer cards that feature terrific welcome bonuses. For example, Chase Ultimate Rewards has cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® that earn transferable points that can be converted to Virgin points.
If you’ve flown a Virgin Atlantic-operated flight, you can also use Flying Club’s Points Booster to score extra points for cheap. You can usually pay 0.01 British pounds (or $0.013) per point, but the program periodically offers bonus promotions. Additionally, there are several partners through which you can earn Virgin points by shopping or traveling. These partners include car rental partners like Avis, Alamo, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and Sixt, Heathrow Rewards, Rocketmiles, Shops Away, and various partners within the Virgin Group.
Now let’s take a look at Virgin Atlantic’s award chart. The award prices Virgin Atlantic charges are reasonable, and there are both standard and peak season dates that affect the redemption rates. If you want to stretch your points further, consider booking travel during the standard (off-peak) season dates. The prices for round-trip flights increase during the peak season. However, it’s important to note that Virgin Atlantic tacks on carrier surcharges to award flights, which can be quite high. This is something to consider when booking with your points.
The real magic of Virgin points lies in partner award charts. Virgin Atlantic is a member of the SkyTeam alliance, which means you can redeem Virgin points on all SkyTeam airlines, including recently added ITA Airways. Redemptions on SkyTeam airlines are distance-based. Additionally, you can also book award flights with other partner airlines such as Virgin Australia, Virgin America, Singapore Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, South African Airways, and more. Each partner has its own award chart, so it’s important to check the terms and conditions for each airline.
In terms of the best uses of Virgin points, there are plenty of sweet spots to take advantage of. For example, redeeming Virgin points for flights on Delta Air Lines within the U.S. can offer great value. Additionally, redeeming Virgin points for flights on Singapore Airlines or ANA can be a fantastic way to experience luxury and premium cabins. It’s also worth noting that Virgin regularly discounts the number of points required for Virgin-operated flights during its Promo Awards offers, so keep an eye out for those.
In conclusion, Virgin Atlantic’s loyalty program offers incredible value with many uses. From earning points through flying and credit card rewards to redeeming points for flights on partner airlines, there are plenty of opportunities to maximize the value of your Virgin points. By understanding the basics of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and exploring the sweet spots, you can unlock the full potential of this loyalty program and make the most of your travel rewards strategy.