Recent Virgin experience – tier points

[HXWalker]

The recent review of the Virgin Redemption University has been very helpful (subject to Virgin’s announcement of proposed changes in November). I thought it might be useful to share my recent experience given that booking holidays through British Airways can be a quick route to tier progression.
In November last year I purchased a Virgin Holidays package with premium economy flights (out to JFK and return from IAD) together with hotel accommodation for my wife and I. This totalled £5k+ so eligible for 200 tier points. Virgin Holidays were unable to process an upgrade using our VA Reward+credit card voucher so I later contacted Virgin Atlantic to upgrade to upper class paying with my voucher and points (as a red tier member) together with the Upper Class surcharge/tax. Just returned from the holiday to find the 200 ‘holiday’ tier points have been added to my account, but my wife and I have only received ‘flight’ tier points (50 each way) comparable to premium economy. I have questioned this with VA and been told tier points are only earnt for the class of travel that was initially ticketed. This seems a little unfair given that Virgin Holidays were unable to process my upgrade and a subsequent call to VA was required.
Has anyone else experienced a similar issue and achieved a successful resolution?

Please keep up the good work. I very much enjoy the articles and I am amazed how much knowledge the community holds.

[AL]

VHols has no ability to ticket reward flights, meaning the best you get is a chance to use the store phone to call VAA to do it, once VHols has been given a ticket number by VAA.

It used to be the case that you would usually earn the higher cabin’s TPs, not the booked one – although this wasn’t an advertised feature. It meant that vouchers were particularly useful! Of course, when this didn’t happen, you couldn’t really complain. It is now listed in the terms that you only earn the booked cabin’s TPs: https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/upgrades-and-extras/upgrade-cabin-seat/bid-for-an-upgrade/fixed-priced-upgrades-terms-and-conditions.html. Situation 14a applies to you.

VAA may give you full TPs, but I doubt it, I’m afraid. If they do, they set a precedent for that again.

[HXWalker]

Hello AL
Thank you for your helpful comments explaining the current situation. This is helpful and will guide my future strategy, which looks like using the voucher and buying cheap points when available, but not pursuing tier points, especially given limited options when travelling east.
Thank you for your help.

[AL]

Yes – if you’re travelling east and are open to any airline, I’d be picking BAEC and earning on QR, personally (as much as I have a pathological hatred of BA!). You do have options on VS for travelling east, but really your only interaction with VS would be Flying Club and you’d be on services operated by either by KL via AMS, AF via CDG or Korean via LHR.

Bon voyage!