LAST CHANCE: Book Virgin Atlantic redemptions before dynamic pricing starts
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You are running out of time to book Virgin Atlantic flight redemptions with Virgin Points before the new pricing structure launches on Wednesday.
If you need more convincing to move quickly, I should point out Virgin Atlantic has not provided examples of the new pricing to us despite offering to do so.
Meanwhile, according to our forum but 100% unverified, the Virgin Atlantic call centre is apparently briefing that Upper Class flights to the US will be priced at 350,000 points each way on super-peak dates. This is up from the current maximum of 57,500 Virgin Points.
350,000 Virgin Points each-way (700,000 points return) would not be out of line, unfortunately.
Delta Air Lines, Virgin’s joint owner, charges 375,000 miles for a one-way transatlantic flight in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class at peak times:
Now, to be fair to Virgin Atlantic, it will be releasing all seats on all flights for points redemption from Wednesday.
The majority of those New York seats at 350,000 Virgin Points each way would never have been released for redemption in the first place. You can argue that you’re not really losing anything.
However, SOME of them would have been.
At present, Virgin Atlantic guarantees to release 12 seats per flight (two Upper, two Premium, eight Economy) for redemption.
This guarantee is scrapped from Wednesday.
If Virgin Atlantic had retained the 12 seat guarantee, dynamic pricing would have been a storm in a tea cup.
Members would genuinely have been no worse off. The previous 12 seats would have been bookable at standard rates and other seats, previously unbookable, would have been available at a crazy price you wouldn’t want to book anyway.
The real issue here is removing the guaranteed seat availability under the cover of moving to dynamic pricing.
There will be ‘Saver seats’
The 12 guaranteed seats will be replaced by ‘Saver seats’.
Whilst these will also be dynamically priced, they will be offered “at or below today’s prices.”
It’s hard to know how this compares to the current offering without a pricing chart but Virgin Atlantic says flights to New York will be available from as few as 6,000 points. One-way standard season economy tickets are currently 10,000 points although there are regular seat sales.
Saver pricing will be available in all classes, but there is no guaranteed minimum number of Saver seats per flight.
What this means is that on popular flights, such as during school holidays, you should expect to pay very high points prices and see no Saver seats. Quieter flights will be correspondingly cheaper for points, should you wish to visit New York in January.
Virgin Atlantic could theoretically never release Saver seats on its most popular routes, forcing you to redeem (if you have a seven figure balance) for higher-cost, dynamically priced seats.
Changes to credit card vouchers
It’s worth a reminder of what will happen to your existing Virgin Atlantic credit card vouchers on Wednesday.
You can continue to use a voucher for a companion or to upgrade but it will now be redeemable on any seat in any cabin, in line with the move to universal redemptions.
A new fixed points cap will apply to vouchers to accommodate the new dynamic pricing being introduced:
- Flying Club Red members can redeem their voucher up to a maximum of 75,000 points
- Flying Club Silver or Gold members can redeem their voucher up to a maximum of 150,000 points
The value of your voucher will be calculated by your status at the time of redemption, not when you fly.
Here’s an example. A standard Upper Class redemption to New York is currently 95,000 points, return. If you are Flying Club Silver or Gold, you have no problem using your voucher to unlock a ‘free’ Saver companion ticket, as it’s below the maximum 150,000 points threshold.
A Flying Club Red member would be 20,000 points short, as the voucher only covers a maximum of 75,000 points. However ….
You will still be able to use your voucher even if it doesn’t cover the full amount of the companion ticket or upgrade, as Virgin Atlantic will let you top it up. In other words:
- Flying Club Silver/Gold members would pay 95,000 points + taxes for two Upper Class tickets to New York
- Flying Club Red members would pay 115,000 points + taxes for two: 95,000 points for the first ticket, plus the voucher (worth 75,000 points) and the difference of 20,000 points
This is not hugely different from the old system where Flying Club Red members could only redeem 50% of the points required for the second Upper Class ticket, although it does make cheaper Upper Class redemptions more attractive.
You cannot use a credit card voucher for a straight 75,000 or 150,000 points discount on a ticket for yourself. It must be for a companion with your ticket purchased at the full points or cash price. It will be possibe for a solo traveller to upgrade a cash ticket with their voucher by one cabin.
Conclusion
Virgin Atlantic has, despite previous commitments, failed to provide us with indicative pricing for reward flights from Wednesday, even though it appears to have been provided to call centre staff.
Given that you can cancel a Virgin Atlantic redemption for £30 per person, you would be crazy not to lock in a planned redemption now.
There is still time, as transfers are immediate, to move American Express Membership Rewards points over with the current 30% bonus.
You can also buy Virgin Points with a bonus of up to 70% – click here to buy.
If your flight turns out to be cheaper from Wednesday, you can cancel and rebook.
Indeed, I suspect there will be a lot of cancelling and rebooking after Wednesday. In theory, once a flight becomes 3,000 points cheaper due to dynamic pricing, it makes sense to call up and rebook it …. (EDIT: It appears that cancellation fees are rising to £70 per person to reduce the number of people who do this.)
What I still don’t understand from this whole process is who Virgin Atlantic is aiming at.
There are tens of thousands of people in the US with a seven figure Delta SkyMiles balance – you can earn 1 million miles in a month if you go on a credit card application spree – so crazy redemption prices will have some takers. If you think this is an exaggeration, remember that a keen points collector in the US will have around 30 airline and hotel credit cards. (Google ‘I have 30 credit cards’ and read the US articles that appear if you don’t believe me.)
Realistically, how many people in the UK are sitting on 1m+ Virgin Points?
Even if you fly to New York every two months as a Gold member on a £10,000 fully flexible ticket, you have only been earning 250,000 Virgin Points per year.
You have to assume that UK members are taking the fall for US members who have racked up seven figure balances in a matter of months, virtually for free, via credit card bonuses.
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How to earn Virgin Points from UK credit cards (April 2025)
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 18,000 Virgin Points and the free card has a bonus of 3,000 Virgin Points):
Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Mastercard
18,000 bonus points and 1.5 points for every £1 you spend Read our full review
Virgin Atlantic Reward Mastercard
3,000 bonus points, no fee and 1 point for every £1 you spend 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.
SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.
American Express Preferred Rewards Gold
Your best beginner’s card – 30,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review
The Platinum Card from American Express comes with 50,000 Membership Rewards points, which convert into 50,000 Virgin Points.
SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.
The Platinum Card from American Express
80,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large 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
50,000 points when you sign-up 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.
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