Virgin redemptions using a 2-4-1 voucher – how?

[GaryO]

Hi all,
Some advice please.
I’ve been trying to find out how to make a Virgin booking using the 2-4-1 voucher earned earlier this year with my Virgin Credit Card. I know I’ve got a 2-4-1 Voucher but, unlike with BA, I can’t see it anywhere in either my Virgin Flying Club Account or on my Virgin Credit Card statements.
So, if I search and find some flights that I’d like to book on the Virgin Website, it “prices” them with double the number of Virgin points that I think I should need, presumably because it doesn’t know about the voucher?
Do I have to get through on the phone to make any redemption bookings using my voucher? Is that where I’m going wrong or have I missed a trick somewhere? I spent 45 mins on hold to Virgin earlier but then had to give up.
Any advice much appreciated for a Virgin redemption/voucher virgin!! I’ve used BA Amex vouchers lots of times and they are really easy to use, if you can find the seats!

[PaulB]

Yep, I’m afraid you’ll need to phone to book. Check the availability first online, as you say, and expect to pay the full amount of £ charges quoted, but only half the miles. I’ve done a couple bookings recently, both times super friendly sales agents able to book exactly what I wanted, but long wait times to get through unfortunately. Great shame there’s no way to use the voucher online.

[GaryO]

Thanks PaulB. I’ll sit down with a cup of coffee and get on the phone then! It’s a shame that you can’t “see” the voucher, and its expiry date, online and use it online.
BA’s system is much better in this regard.

[NorthernLass]

There are a couple of good articles on here by Rob about the vouchers. Worth knowing that if you’re only a Red member you have to pay extra points for UC redemptions.

[BlueHorizonUK]

Can we only call the UK call centre to book these or can we call the US one?

Also, does anyone know if seats get released at a certain time?

Have 4 vouchers on my account and want to use 3 of them for upgrades.

Thanks

[Gary]

Can call USA if one wishes. For UK, call at 7am and usually through in less than 5.

If using 3 vouchers & all passengers in the household account, check if CSA would permit a 4 for 1 redemption (it has happened but not sure just by luck, so worth a try).

[Paul B]

I’ve found Virgin Atlantic flexible with these vouchers, I think they will allow you to do a 4-4-1, and if not it may be worth calling back.

I recently redeemed an upgrade voucher on a one way, and I was surprised to learn I still have ‘half’ the voucher carried over for use on a future leg. This was the upgrade vouchers offered via their credit card promo in Nov 2020

[BlueHorizonUK]

Isn’t using 3 to upgrade cheaper than using 4-4-1 if I don’t have a fourth person to use it on?

Sorry if I am being dim here and misunderstood.

Also if I make a speculative booking (I really need the flights for December 2023 and want to use them while they are being flexible) would it be ok to change it later to the dates I actually want?

• This reply was modified 55 years, 5 months ago by .

[Bob]

Yes its cheaper to use them to upgrade than to use them as companion voucher.

[buchanan101]

GaryO wrote:

Thanks PaulB. I’ll sit down with a cup of coffee and get on the phone then! It’s a shame that you can’t “see” the voucher, and its expiry date, online and use it online.
BA’s system is much better in this regard.

The Virgin Red app shows the exact date the voucher was earned. Two years from then…

[_aDifferentSimon_]

buchanan101 wrote:

GaryO wrote:

Thanks PaulB. I’ll sit down with a cup of coffee and get on the phone then! It’s a shame that you can’t “see” the voucher, and its expiry date, online and use it online.
BA’s system is much better in this regard.

The Virgin Red app shows the exact date the voucher was earned. Two years from then…

Unless the vouch was earned in 2019- early 21. In which case there was a 1-2 year extension.

[BA-Flyer]

Can these vouchers be used to upgrade an existing booking, made by a travel agent?

[mrcrsearle]

BA-Flyer wrote:

Can these vouchers be used to upgrade an existing booking, made by a travel agent?

No they cant. You have to phone Virgin to book using a voucher. Ive just booked HK & was on hold for around 95 min wait. I rang 5pm.

[FREEFLIGHTS]

What number did you use? The number that I have just keeps on ringing and ringing. Help appreciated.

[FREEFLIGHTS]

Could you please let me know which number you rang? The number I have used for many years just keeps ringing and ringing. Help appreciated. At this rate my vouchers will have expired.

[Guernsey Globetrotter]

Try these depending on your needs / status or brass neck 😉

Gold: 0800 072 1234
Upper: 0344 742 4385

[FREEFLIGHTS]

Cheers Guernsey Globetrotter

I have always got through on the 1234 number, but not these last few days. It just kept on ringing and ringing.

I will give the UC a call as I want to book UC seats.

[FREEFLIGHTS]

No joy with the 0344 number

Back to the 0800 072 1234 number, it rang once at 6:00pm and I was talking to a wonderful lady. She checked every possible route on virtually every day. Alas no reward seats available, but least the number is working again. Many thanks.

[Guernsey Globetrotter]

@FREEFLIGHTS where were you trying to get to and when? This is where a Seatspy subscription can be really handy! Pays for itself IMHO

[FREEFLIGHTS]

@Guernsey Globetrotter

I am trying to get from MAN to LAS. Late April 2023, anything between Mid April (16th) returning early May (12th) for at least 14 days.
UC with miles and ideally my 2-4-1 voucher.

Got a flight out via ATL (unable to use voucher as on Delta metal for 2nd leg). Nothing coming back other than economy for 1 person.

Have tried:-
MAN-ATL-LAS
MAN-JFK-LAS
MAN-AMS-LAS
MAN-LHR-LAS, very loathed to use this route if BA keep cancelling flights from MAN-LHR and return.

I have a subscription to Seatspy, MAN-LAS is not covered on their options sadly

[Alexthenotsogreat]

Is it possible to use the 2-4-1 voucher for a one way flight returning to the UK, or does it have to be a UK departure? Apologies if this is answered somewhere obvious but I couldn’t find it stated anywhere and wanted to save myself a phone call/ long wait!

[Guernsey Globetrotter]

FREEFLIGHTS wrote:

@Guernsey Globetrotter

I am trying to get from MAN to LAS. Late April 2023, anything between Mid April (16th) returning early May (12th) for at least 14 days.
UC with miles and ideally my 2-4-1 voucher.

Got a flight out via ATL (unable to use voucher as on Delta metal for 2nd leg). Nothing coming back other than economy for 1 person.

Have tried:-
MAN-ATL-LAS
MAN-JFK-LAS
MAN-AMS-LAS
MAN-LHR-LAS, very loathed to use this route if BA keep cancelling flights from MAN-LHR and return.

I have a subscription to Seatspy, MAN-LAS is not covered on their options sadly

Sorry for slow reply but why not just drive or get a train to LHR & fly from there? I can see 2x UC out Apr 15 & back Apr 30. Sometimes you have to be a bit flexible with reward flights…

Otherwise it’s try the call centre & see what they can offer 🤞

[cin3]

buchanan101 wrote:

GaryO wrote:

Thanks PaulB. I’ll sit down with a cup of coffee and get on the phone then! It’s a shame that you can’t “see” the voucher, and its expiry date, online and use it online.
BA’s system is much better in this regard.

The Virgin Red app shows the exact date the voucher was earned. Two years from then…

Where exactly do you see the voucher? I can’t seem to find mine any more.

[can2]

I must say it is a big hit and miss with Virgin — at least it was for me.
My voucher didn’t show anywhere. I didn’t even know I earned it.
When I rang Virgin for something else I just happened to think of asking and they confirmed. I was happy. I called again few days later to confirm because I couldn’t find the voucher anywhere. This time they said I haven’t got a voucher. Annoyed. Called again, this time confirmed.

The whole thing annoyed me so much.

[_Scott_]

can2 wrote:

I must say it is a big hit and miss with Virgin — at least it was for me.
My voucher didn’t show anywhere. I didn’t even know I earned it.
When I rang Virgin for something else I just happened to think of asking and they confirmed. I was happy. I called again few days later to confirm because I couldn’t find the voucher anywhere. This time they said I haven’t got a voucher. Annoyed. Called again, this time confirmed.

The whole thing annoyed me so much.

Anecdotally, same for me after I called up to make a redemption recently. I thought I had 2 vouchers but turned out I had 3 three. I did think I should have triggered 3 but never contacted them to check as I wasn’t planning on travelling further afield anyway at the time. It was voucher 2 that went AWOL, no email and didn’t post on my statement.