If you have ever had a British Airways American Express card, you will know that it is NOT possible to have both the free BA Amex and the paid BA Premium Plus version. You need to choose.
Virgin Atlantic also offers two different credit cards – the free White cards and the £140 annual fee Black cards.
You may assume that the same rules applied as with the British Airways card – ie that you had to choose between White or Black. However, this is not the case.
MBNA is perfectly happy, subject to credit etc, to let you have both the Virgin White and Virgin Black credit cards.
The current sign-up offers on the cards are:
The free White card offers 3,000 Flying Club miles
The £140 Black card offers 18,500 Flying Club miles
We have seen better deals on these cards in the past but those days may be numbered given the EU caps on interchange fees which will slash credit card profitability.
I know people who managed to apply for both cards at once although this is pushing your luck. If you already have one of the Virgin cards, however, you should think about whether you should get the other one.
If you currently have Virgin Black, you have nothing to lose – and 3,000 miles to gain – by taking out Virgin White. You can always cancel it as soon as the free miles have hit.
If you currently have Virgin White, applying for Virgin Black means you are effectively paying £140 for 18,500 miles, which is a decent deal. Once you have triggered the sign-up bonus you need to decide whether to keep spending on Black – with the higher earnings rate – or go back to White if you are close to hitting the upgrade voucher.
My full reviews of the two Virgin cards are here and here. Refer a friend bonuses are also available as the reviews explain.
(Want to earn more Virgin Flying Club miles? Click here to see our recent articles on Virgin Atlantic and Flying Club and click here for our home page with the latest news on earning and spending other airline and hotel points.)
Disclaimer: Head for Points is a journalistic website. Nothing here should be construed as financial advice, and it is your own responsibility to ensure that any product is right for your circumstances. Recommendations are based primarily on the ability to earn miles and points and do not consider interest rates, service levels or any impact on your credit history. By recommending credit cards on this site, I am – technically – acting as a credit broker. Robert Burgess, trading as Head for Points, is regulated and authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a credit broker.
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Has anyone been successful in asking for the 2nd year fee to be waived? Or would they just downgrade you to the White card? Also can you apply for another MBNA card eg the AAdvantage card while holding the Virgin card.
I’d love to know this too as I’m planning to ask for the second year fee to be waived when my card renewal comes up in June; or if I could have the introductory bonus miles again, otherwise I’ll cancel and my other half will get the card.
I have both – but I only use the white one for Amex promos I hit with every card, like Shop Small and really goods ones like Argos £25 off £50 spend.
I applied for both at once last year. MBNA phoned me to confirm I didn’t do it by mistake and why I wanted them. I told the truth and said I wanted the sign-up bonuses and they proceeded with the application. I got the bonus and cancelled them both a few weeks later.
Could anyone confirm know how long it takes from the point of getting the card and doing the first purchase to points hitting your virgin flying club account?
Good question. I’ve opened the account, had my first months bill and paid in full and my Flying Club balance hadn’t updated yet with the extra miles. It’s isn’t as seamless as the BA Amex!
Thanks, good to know this!
Do the vouchers show up anywhere like the BA 2-4-1
I can see my Virgin vouchers in my recent transactions on the Virgin Atlantic website.
It’s not as clear as the BA 241 voucher though.
Does the same apply for the MBNA Emirates card? I currently have the free one can i apply for the better one and still get the sign up bonus? thanks
Yes, you can get both.
OT:
Do you earn clubcard points when buying foreign currency from tesco using a Tesco MC credit card as payment?
Not sure but is it not counted as a cash advance if use Tesco MC?