Virgin Atlantic upgrade voucher expiring

[Lendo]

I have 2 VA vouchers, one expiring in two weeks time. I just assumed as long as I booked by the expiry date all is fine, however I’ve just read online you have to fly by the expiry date.

Is this still the case? Are VA strict on this?

Was hoping to book next week for flights in January 2024, but looks as though one voucher will go to waste.

[Blair Waldorf Salad]

You’re going to get different answers from different people. Based on actual experience and also what phone agents said in passing (as in, not actual experience of priceeding with a booking).

On my last call, the agent insisted the date was book by, not fly by.

The only answer that matters is what the T&Cs say. Anything else is mere bonus.

[AL]

Assuming we’re talking about the terms at https://uk.virginmoney.com/virgin/credit-cards/vaa-cards/terms/reward-plus.jsp, then Section 6 makes it clear that it’s book by:

You can spend your reward for up to 24 months from the date it’s issued. That means you have to have booked your flights and taken the outbound flight within those 24 months. You can take the return journey afterwards.

VS has always given its staff flexibility with policy, which is where I think a lot of the difference in opinion arises from.

[avstar]

did you have any luck in booking flights for after voucher expiry?
if not what did you do with the voucher? clubhouse pass? if so, what the expiry on the pass?

thanks in advance

[Greg]

A virgin representative at their call centre in Swansea said you just need to BOOK before the expiry date.Yo can travel any time after. Even so, there is still some flexibility for them to accept the voucher even after the expiry date.

[laughingplace]

Thanks Greg. I think you’re right and there is a lot of flexibility there depending on the agent. I’m pretty sure they just manually adjust fares etc rather than some automated process on their side which would prevent them doing this. A win for their crap IT systems 🙂

[Roberto]

My last voucher was burnt before it expired but the flight was 8 months after it expired.

Back from Barbados in PE flying next year. The outbound is on BA in club using a barclaycard voucher. An excellent use of these two vouchers. Would have preferred them the other way around but needs must and all that.