Companion Voucher changes?

[byronlewis]

Hi all,

After the recent changes to the Flying Club arrangements, can someone tell me what the new options are re the Companion Vouchers :

I’ve been looking at a return upper class from LHR to Washington in September next year. The points are showing as 103000 & £955 taxes return.

What does the companion voucher now entitle me to? I would be travelling alone. Does the amount of points required reduce? I have 60,000 points already.

Or is there an option now to book return seats in Premium and then upgrade with the voucher (presumably with the additional taxes required).

Can’t find much on this on the virgin website.

Cheers

[NorthernLass]

Have you somehow missed this:

https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/10/30/virgin-25-of-flights-will-not-have-a-single-saver-seat/

The voucher is discussed here but briefly the voucher is now worth 75k points if you’re a Red member, 150k if you’re Silver or Gold. It still works as a companion or upgrade voucher, but you’d need to add extra points if the value of your voucher doesn’t cover the pricing on your travel date.

[marks7389]

As a single traveler you’d have to use the voucher for upgrade, i.e. the points required in UC would be the amount needed for Premium on those flights, but still with the same £955 cash element.

If you’re basic Red status the voucher value is capped at 75,000 points though the difference is unlikely to be more than that for the flights you’ve quoted above.

You don’t actually book the seats in Premium first – just call to make the booking using the voucher to reduce the points required.

[byronlewis]

Thanks for your replies – the article makes no mention of the companion voucher, although there is a brief mention of it in the comments.

So if I understand this correctly, the flights I quoted in the example above are at 103k points. The voucher as a Red member (which I am) is worth 75000 so I need to use 28k of the miles I already have, added to the voucher value & the £ taxes and that’s it?

I’m annoyed I can’t find the email I had from Virgin a few weeks back, outlook isn’t finding it anywhere!!

Could they have made it a bit more difficult?!

[marks7389]

Not quite. You need to look at the miles requirement for your selected flights in Premium which is what you will pay in UC with the voucher.

If that is less than 28K (unlikely, but possible) you will have to pay 28K points as the voucher has a maximum value of 75K points.

[byronlewis]

Right ok, so i’ve put in the same flights in Premium, it comes back as 37000 points plus £510 in taxes. So you’re saying that to get to upper class return, I just need to cash in the voucher, add my 37000 points to it, and presumably pay the Upper Class taxes?

Sorry to be a bit thick, it’s been a long weekend!

Cheers

[marks7389]

Yes, it would be 37K points + £955 + voucher in that case.

[byronlewis]

ok great – final one…does the UC ticket bought in this manner still include the Clubhouse?

[marks7389]

Yes, it does.

[NorthernLass]

Apologies, it was this article which covered the voucher!

https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/09/30/virgin-atlantic-flying-club-changes/

[anuj]

How does this work for a cash ticket that was upgraded to premium with points before the changes kicked in. Would I be able to upgrade that to upper class as a red member (BOM-LHR)

[marks7389]

anuj wrote:

How does this work for a cash ticket that was upgraded to premium with points before the changes kicked in. Would I be able to upgrade that to upper class as a red member (BOM-LHR)

Goodness knows… there’s another thread suggesting they’re still applying the old reward chart rates for points upgrades on cash fares, in which case I’d imagine you’d be fine in most cases (though may still get caught by the 75K limit if the difference is greater).