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Redeem your Virgin Points at the AO Arena in Manchester

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One of the most interesting Virgin Red redemptions, at least from our point of view, is the ability to books seats in the Virgin Red Room at the AO Arena in Manchester.

If you have a stash of Virgin Points and live in the Manchester area, there may be something for you here.

The Virgin Red Room – pictured below – is a private suite of 16 seats, plus a socialising area. You can order drinks for delivery to your seat or take advantage of a private bar, although you need to pay for refreshments.

Redeem your Virgin Points at the AO Arena in Manchester

As of yesterday, the following concerts were available for booking:

  • 18 September – Blossoms – 20,000 Virgin Points for two tickets
  • 11 November – Steps – 20,000 Virgin Points for two tickets
  • 29 November – The Offspring – 20,000 Virgin Points for two tickets
  • 5 October – The Four Tops & The Temptations – 25,000 Virgin Points for two tickets
  • 20 November – AJ Tracey – 25,000 Virgin Points for two tickets
  • 23 November – JLS – 30,000 Virgin Points for two tickets
  • 11 December – Madness – 30,000 Virgin Points for two tickets
  • 23 September – McFly – 40,000 Virgin Points for two tickets
  • 9 November – Blondie – 40,000 Virgin Points for two tickets
  • 9 December – Gary Barlow – 40,000 Virgin Points for two tickets
  • 21 November – Alanis Morissette – 60,000 Virgin Points for two tickets
  • 25 September – Genesis – 70,000 Virgin Points for two tickets

If you are not already a Virgin Red member, you can sign up via this link. Once you have registered you can download the app and link your Virgin Flying Club account so that you can spend your Virgin Points via Virgin Red.

As an incentive to register, you will receive 500 Virgin Points with your first ‘earn’ transaction via the app. You can register here.


How to earn Virgin Points from UK credit cards

How to earn Virgin Points from UK credit cards (April 2024)

As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Virgin Points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

You can choose from two official Virgin Atlantic credit cards (apply here, the Reward+ card has a bonus of 15,000 Virgin Points):

Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Mastercard

15,000 bonus points and 1.5 points for every £1 you spend Read our full review

Virgin Atlantic Reward Mastercard

A generous earning rate for a free card at 0.75 points per £1 Read our full review

You can also earn Virgin Points from various American Express cards – and these have sign-up bonuses too.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold is FREE for a year and comes with 20,000 Membership Rewards points, which convert into 20,000 Virgin Points.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express comes with 40,000 Membership Rewards points, which convert into 40,000 Virgin Points.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Small business owners should consider the two American Express Business cards. Points convert at 1:1 into Virgin Points.

American Express Business Platinum

40,000 points sign-up bonus and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

American Express Business Gold

20,000 points sign-up bonus and FREE for a year Read our full review

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Virgin Points

(Want to earn more Virgin Points?  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.)

Comments (22)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Andrew says:

    60,000 Virgin points to see Alanis Morissette with no hospitality seems very steep compared to the Marriott lounge at the o2 which costs about the same amount of points for top acts but with full hospitality. Isn’t Rob’s estimate 1p per Virgin point and 0.5p per Marriott point? That makes it double the price for no hospitality 😕

    • Memesweeper says:

      “ That makes it double the price for no hospitality ”

      But no Marriott Moments availability now, at a time when many are struggling to travel. Isn’t that ironic?

      • Rob says:

        Depends too on the cost of two top price cash tickets, plus a small premium for the suite.

        The Marriott suite is also about a mile from the stage – you literally couldn’t be further away. The Virgin one seems closer to the action.

      • FFoxSake says:

        Agreed. A jagged little pill to swallow.

    • ken says:

      woeful value.
      £300 a pop for side on seats, no hospitality.
      Never sure who these are aimed at, plus its a truly terrible giant souless venue.

      • Rob says:

        £97 is the cheapest seat currently for sale, it seems, with plenty at £150. Admittedly there are resales of cheaper seats available for less but these are sold out in the primary market.

        I am guessing Virgin based its pricing on this at the equivalent of £150 per seat.

        I am a fan of suites in general, due to the ability to get up and walk around or sit at the bar if a boring bit comes up, and the ability to nip out to the loo without any issues 🙂 They are not for hardcore fans though. It’s like the Emirates Box at Arsenal, where no-one actually bothers going out for the start of the 2nd half because they are still eating and drinking inside.

  • Jenny Collins says:

    Any idea how disabled accessible the Red Room is?

  • Stuart says:

    Don’t forget the IHG spend £200 get £50 back via Amex too for stays by the end of the month!

  • Zara says:

    Hi- does anyone have any feedback on crowns plaza gerrards cross for spire? We have booked and not sure to cancel or not depending on feedback. One night is using the free night cert (40k cap one) other night is paid. TIA

  • ALISON P says:

    booked an IHG offer a week ago and it was brilliant value – thanks for the tip. Tried again this morning as you mentioned the deal had been extended. But the rates seem to have been hiked! So 2 nts Hotel Indigo Bath booked last week for £279.36 now comes out at £386.27. Have compared other searches eg Intercontinental Park Lane was coming out at £283 pn last week, now £303…. ?? Or have I missed something?

  • Lady London says:

    I badly, badly want that chair in the picture. Any ideas if it’s even available for less than a king’s ransom?

  • Brian Smith says:

    IHG also on 10% rewards on some Halifax and Santander 123 current accounts so for those of you without the AMEX offer this might be an option.

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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