Forums › Frequent flyer programs › Virgin Flying Club › The new rewards program is really crazy!
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I’ve been monitoring flights as they get released daily in December 2025.
For economy flights, each ticket ranges from about 14,000 to about 70,000 points each for a given week in mid December. But the cash fare for these same economy flights are almost identical
Any explanations? What are VS really trying to achieve here?
To add, there are also instances where cash prices for an economy flight are exceptionally high on a particular day, but the points needed that day is a saver fare.
There just appears to be no pattern, rhyme or reason that I can see!
Are you saying reward flights/saver flights get released daily?
Are you saying reward flights/saver flights get released daily?
They get released at random dates just like they always did. Just set yourself an alert to check every morning if you want a particular route.
Are you saying reward flights/saver flights get released daily?
As the OP is referring to December 25 I think they mean they are looking at the far end of the booking window which moves forward each day.
I have a BA holiday booked to the US in July. I booked through BA, despite it costing more than I could put together myself, because of the double Tier points offer.
Can anyone tell me if the withdrawl of the Tier points is being accepted by BA as requiring them to issue a full refund if I cancel.
I’ve been monitoring flights as they get released daily in December 2025.
For economy flights, each ticket ranges from about 14,000 to about 70,000 points each for a given week in mid December. But the cash fare for these same economy flights are almost identical
Any explanations? What are VS really trying to achieve here?
There was a lot of belief in discussions on here about the change to dynamic pricing that Virgin wanted to maximise income from popular flights/times by raising reward prices for those and offering cheaper redemptions for flights which wouldn’t be full, Such differentials as you describe do seem to suggest that this could at least partly be the case.
I’ve booked a VS flight to NYC for the summer and was similarly struck by the 20k+ difference in the points price between economy flights in the morning and those departing in late afternoon and evening, despite there being little or no difference in the cash price.I think part of it might be a desire to shunt redemptions onto the late flights, which Virgin think are likely not to sell out and thus they raised the point prices of the early ones that they think will.
I’ve seen several instances where points required for premium is less than for economy. And where upper is less than premium
Surely not intentional?
Also, in some instances the taxes payable differ between dates. How is that possible? Is there a dynamic element to the taxes/ fees payable on a reward flight?
Only a portion of the cash element is actual taxes – airlines can charge what they want on top of this (aka “carrier-imposed surcharge). It makes sense when you think about it to encourage bums on the seats of emptier flights to have dynamic pricing on both elements.
Both my kids flew to NYC with Virgin last year on the late flight – one in September and one in November – on Friday night. They were surprised how empty the planes were down the back and enjoyed having no one sitting next to them. On my daughter’s flight in September, there were around 20 passengers transferring to the Latam overnight flight to Lima. The flight was late and the terminal dead. Eventually someone from Virgin came to help speed things along.
Their return flights back to UK in October and November were also fairly empty on a Saturday and Sunday night. Both travelled off peak.
Only a portion of the cash element is actual taxes – airlines can charge what they want on top of this (aka “carrier-imposed surcharge). It makes sense when you think about it to encourage bums on the seats of emptier flights to have dynamic pricing on both elements.
Thanks. Yes aware the fees include several components (including the taxes), but surprised it can / should change day to day. Any other programmes do this?
“standard” reward saver seats are set to be the same as before the change in terms of points and charges eg LHR-LAX 135k + £1k UC return
There are (or were) a few saver seats at lower amounts of points and cash eg 81k points and £670 UC return but it now seems to be very very difficult to get such seats both waysI was monitoring some flights to tampa in May and the PE prices were jumping up or down every day by factor of 5 or 10: 1st it was 60k, went down to 30 (which I missed), day after 250k (much more than UC), then back to 50k before jumping back up and down… the algo clearly has some issues
@ChasP, well, you win on that one by flying VS on the cheap leg and (for now) using avios on the other!
Tell me about it!
I have just book 4xUC one-way LHR-DEL 31/12/25 for 124k and £1666 (t&f). These were ‘Saver’ fares.
PE – 66k and £1379 (t&f)
EC – 160k & £800The previous (30/12) was 500k & £2200 and the 29/12 was 420k & £2200.
The cash price was the same on each day (£6800), but there were variations of upto 380k points for flights on the same day!Just hope the schedule will hold and we get our booked A350!
Tampa flights I have been looking at – like others its chopping around big time – Tampa last year went twice UC at circa 90k points plus taxes – now in Feb/March 350k points plus taxes ? What T.x.x is going on ? Ok Feb is highish season but….wow!
If taking 4 or more a lear jet really is getting better value if paying cash !
Hope there will be a Reward Seat sale this year may be ? Have not seen one since dynamic started………..
My feeling is that Florida redemptions are going to be generally very high because of the sheer demand, especially for family holidays. To make the new system work with fewer points, I think people are going to have to consider connecting via somewhere less popular, like ATL, if the maths works.
It will be interesting to see, however, whether planes will be flying with smaller loads this summer due to families being priced out of the reward seats.
It also should be possible to drive from ATL to Orlando in a day, which is another option.
I’m not sure how a reward seat sale would work as surely if they want to reduce the price, they could just do that with dynamic pricing?
It will be interesting to see, however, whether planes will be flying with smaller loads this summer due to families being priced out of the reward seats.
If the planes aren’t 90%+ full in a school holiday to a leisure destination the new system has completely failed. If there is any danger of that happening the mileage price should dip precipitously towards the flight time… surely?
You’ve missed the point. The new scheme is designed to reward your loyalty by forcing you to take your kids out of school during term time in order to get the rewards you have rightfully earned ….
But that’s a PITA, because as well as getting fined you then don’t have your annual leave to take in the school holidays, when you actually need to look after your kids!
I assume that all the standard seats for this summer were snapped up prior to the changes, so there won’t be that many people missing out in July and August, but anyone who was planning a peak-time redemption from next October onwards is going to have to get very creative.
It will be interesting to see, however, whether planes will be flying with smaller loads this summer due to families being priced out of the reward seats.
If the planes aren’t 90%+ full in a school holiday to a leisure destination the new system has completely failed. If there is any danger of that happening the mileage price should dip precipitously towards the flight time… surely?
Well they arent that stupid. Look at the Dec 2025 dates – prices start at 200k-300k and fall slowly. Effectively its a question of who is desperate.
They’re not falling to affordable levels though. The lowest-priced UC seats, LHR-MCO in December are 105k points, one-way, once the Christmas holidays start it’s 170k.
Same in August – UC prices don’t drop below 100k until approaching the start of the autumn term> For the Easter break, which is only 2 months away, prices range from 150k to 350k, one way. How many families really have these numbers of points saved up?
They’re not falling to affordable levels though. The lowest=priced UC seats, LHR-MCO in December are 105k points, one-way, once the Christmas holidays start it’s 170k.
Same in August – prices don’t drop below 100k until approaching the start of the autumn term, how many families really have these numbers of points saved up?
Additionally I wonder who apart from geeks such as us will be monitoring prices on a daily/weekly basis? More likely that one look at the preposterous number of points being demanded and folk will be off to redeem at Greggs instead.. oh forgot, that’s out too!
But that’s a PITA, because as well as getting fined you then don’t have your annual leave to take in the school holidays, when you actually need to look after your kids!
I assume that all the standard seats for this summer were snapped up prior to the changes, so there won’t be that many people missing out in July and August, but anyone who was planning a peak-time redemption from next October onwards is going to have to get very creative.
I guess I was lucky to snap 3 upper class seats only last month travelling LAX to LHR for this July school holiday. Total cost was 95k + £600 + 1 voucher. Looked again today, single ticket would cost 275k + £350.
Regarding the Atlanta flights, they are ‘cheap’ as it’s the terrible coffin seats. I’ve checked flights for MCO, TPA, MIA and LAX and what I’ve found is that you can sometimes find very cheap saver flights outbound but inbound virtually nothing in UC, a few bargains in PE and often good deals in economy. Getting a good deal both outbound and inbound in UC is very difficult, in PE quite difficult and often quite easy in economy. I did get outbound from MAN and inbound from TPA for a reasonable 125k in UC.
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