Years after diving into the issues and miles international, you won’t understand {that a} loyalty program you had lost sight of can have been one in every of your maximum tough equipment.

I did not glance intently at Virgin Atlantic‘s loyalty program for a very long time as a result of I did not straight away see it taking part in into my commute rewards technique, however Virgin Atlantic provides one thing attractive: horny spouse award charts, a rarity amongst different airline techniques in this day and age.

In spite of adjustments to Virgin Atlantic’s spouse award charts, Virgin issues recently stand out for providing improbable price with many makes use of.

Let’s cross over the fundamentals of Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership and display you the candy spots that make Virgin issues so treasured.

The best way to earn Virgin issues

There are 4 number one tactics to earn Virgin issues immediately.

Flying

You’ll be able to without a doubt nonetheless earn issues the old fashioned method by means of flying.

If you are flying on Virgin Atlantic, you’ll use the airline’s incomes calculator to resolve what number of issues you can earn on your flight. If you are flying some of the provider’s companions, reminiscent of Delta Air Traces, Air France or Hawaiian Airways, you’ll choose to earn Virgin issues by means of including your Flying Membership club quantity for your reservation. Virgin Atlantic is now a member of the SkyTeam alliance.

You’ll be able to take a look at your working provider and fare category on The place to Credit score for the most suitable option on your flight.

Bank card rewards

You’ll be able to earn Virgin Issues immediately in the course of the Virgin Atlantic International Elite Mastercard®.

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The tips for the Virgin Atlantic Mastercard has been accumulated independently by means of The Issues Man. The cardboard main points in this web page have no longer been reviewed or supplied by means of the cardboard issuer.

Then again, it is simple to spice up your Virgin issues stability with the appropriate bank card, as Flying Membership is a switch spouse of each main transferable level foreign money, together with:

One of the most above techniques be offering common switch bonuses to Flying Membership, which means you may want even fewer issues than you first concept.

Many of those techniques be offering playing cards that function terrific welcome bonuses. Here is only a pattern of the commute rewards bank cards that earn those transferable issues that may be transformed to Virgin issues:

Issues Booster

If you happen to’ve flown a Virgin Atlantic-operated flight — whether or not you paid money or issues for it — you’ll use Flying Membership’s Issues Booster to attain further issues for inexpensive. You’ll be able to in most cases pay 0.01 British kilos (or $0.013) in keeping with level, however this system periodically provides bonus promotions.

You’ll be able to even use the Issues Booster for flights you’ve got already taken as much as six months again.

Different incomes companions

There are a number of companions by which you’ll earn Virgin issues by means of buying groceries or touring:

• Automotive condominium companions: Virgin Atlantic companions with Avis, Alamo, Endeavor, Hertz, Nationwide and Sixt to let contributors earn Virgin issues.
• Heathrow Rewards: You’ll be able to earn issues for buying groceries or parking at London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) and switch them to Flying Membership.
• Rocketmiles: You’ll be able to earn between 500 and 10,000 Virgin issues in keeping with evening for reserving motels via Rocketmiles.
• Retail outlets Away: Earn Virgin issues by means of making purchases at over 1,000 outlets via Virgin Atlantic’s buying groceries portal.
• The Virgin Team: From Virgin Lodges to luxurious Virgin homes, you’ll earn Virgin issues via a number of Virgin Team companions.

Similar: The rookies information to airline buying groceries portals

Virgin Atlantic award chart

The award costs Virgin Atlantic fees are cheap. Listed below are the round-trip costs you’ll be expecting all over the usual (i.e., off-peak) season.

If you wish to stretch your issues additional, imagine reserving commute all over the next (off-peak) same old season dates:

Same old season dates	Caribbean and Indian Ocean same old season dates
Jan. 4 to March 21, 2024	March 4 to 21, 2024
April 16 to June 15, 2024	April 19 to Would possibly 26, 2024
Sept. 5 to Oct. 24, 2024	June 3 to July 19, 2024
Nov. 6 to Dec. 6, 2024	Sept. 3 to Oct. 24, 2024
	Nov. 6 to Dec. 6, 2024

Spherical-trip costs build up all over the height season.

Here is your complete checklist of top commute dates to concentrate on:

Height season dates	Caribbean and Indian Ocean top season dates
Jan. 1 to a few, 2024	Jan. 1 to March 3, 2024
March 22 to April 15, 2024	March 22 to April 15, 2024
June 16 to Sept. 2, 2024	Would possibly 27 to June 2, 2024
Oct. 25 to Nov. 5, 2024	July 20 to Sept. 2, 2024
Dec. 7, 2024, to Jan. 5, 2025	Oct. 25 to Nov. 5, 2024
	Dec. 7, 2024, to March 2, 2025

The price you could save by means of spending somewhat few issues (i.e., 20,000 round-trip itineraries between the East Coast and the UK) you’ll lose at the outrageous provider surcharges Virgin Atlantic tacks onto award flights. Spherical-trip flights between the U.S. and the U.Okay. in most cases price $450 for economic system flights. In the meantime, Higher Magnificence seats (Virgin Atlantic’s enterprise category) can have neatly over $2,000 in charges around day trip.

Similar: The best way to steer clear of gas surcharges on award commute

Virgin frequently reductions the selection of issues required for Virgin-operated flights by means of 20% to 50% all over its Promo Awards provides, although, sadly, the costs, taxes and provider surcharges aren’t discounted.

There are many events the place you could in finding paid tickets for not up to those gas surcharges, particularly in case you don’t seem to be fussy concerning the working provider. Your issues may not prevent cash in those situations. Even nonstop money fares in Virgin Atlantic Higher Magnificence are readily to be had for only $3,000 around day trip, so all the time take a look at tickets earlier than committing to these top surcharges.

Reserving one-way award flights as an alternative of around journeys will frequently scale back the taxes and costs on award flights, doubtlessly by means of loads of bucks. You might also get pleasure from reserving Virgin Atlantic flights to London however no longer from London. Charges have a tendency to be upper for flights departing London because of government-imposed surcharges, so if you have got some other award foreign money you’ll use on your go back flight, cross with that.

Similar: Lower your expenses on Virgin Atlantic award tickets by means of reserving one-way flights

Flying Membership airline companions

The actual magic of Virgin issues lies in spouse award charts thank you to almost two dozen further airways to ebook together with your rewards.

Virgin Atlantic joined the SkyTeam alliance previous this 12 months. With the present exceptions of China Japanese (coming later in 2024, consistent with Virgin Atlantic), you’ll now redeem Virgin issues on all SkyTeam airways, together with lately added ITA Airlines.

Redemptions on SkyTeam airways are distance-based. Apart from flights operated by means of Air France-KLM and Delta Air Traces, you’ll want the next Virgin issues every method in keeping with individual on all dates (no top/off-peak pricing):

You’ll be able to best redeem Air France-KLM, Delta Air Traces, China Airways, Korean Air, Heart East Airways, ITA Airlines and Xiamen Air on-line.

Virgin makes use of 3 other Delta award charts on its website online:

• U.S. to U.Okay. nonstop flights (observe availability in top rate cabins could be very uncommon)
• U.S. to Europe (with the exception of the U.Okay.) nonstop flights (observe availability in top rate cabins could be very uncommon)
• All different Delta award flights

Whilst there are some sharp will increase for redemption costs in 2024, Flying Membership will nonetheless fee fewer issues than Delta’s SkyMiles program would possibly fee for a similar flights because of SkyMiles’ dynamic pricing. Due to this fact, it’s value checking the costs of each techniques the place you’ve got transferable bank card issues, as there may be nonetheless price available.

Spouse redemption charts don’t come with top notch. This implies you’ll’t redeem your Virgin issues for SkyTeam airways that supply top notch, together with Garuda Indonesia, Korean Air, Saudia and Xiamen.

Air France additionally provides top notch however restricts redemptions to elite contributors of its personal Flying Blue program.

Along with the 16 SkyTeam airways you’ll redeem your Virgin issues with, you’ll additionally ebook award flights with the next airways the usage of Virgin issues:

You’ll be able to additionally earn Virgin issues — however no longer redeem them — with companions Scandinavian Airways, IndiGo and LATAM.

Each and every non-SkyTeam spouse has a unique award chart. Some are distance-based, and others are zone-based, so every airline will have other phrases and stipulations. You will have to name Virgin Atlantic at 800-365-9500 to ebook award tickets for carriers that don’t seem on-line.

Then again, you’ll nonetheless seek for availability on different internet sites. For instance, the United Airways website online is very good for locating to be had seats on Famous person Alliance carriers. If you in finding what you need, observe the commute dates and flight numbers. Then, name Virgin Atlantic and feed that data to the client carrier consultant.

Similar: The best way to ebook Delta award flights with Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership issues

Absolute best makes use of of Virgin issues

With 23 other airline companions, those are the most productive tactics to make use of your Virgin issues.

SkyTeam airways

If you wish to fly from North The usa to Europe, take a look at discovering Air France-KLM availability. It’s because you’ll want fewer Virgin issues than different SkyTeam airways require.

SkyTeam is powerful in Asia, with contributors like Korean Air, China Airways, Vietnam Airways and Xiamen Air flying nonstop between the U.S. and Asia. You’ll be able to fly from the West Coast to Korea with Korean Air in enterprise category for 85,000 Virgin issues every method, plus charges, taxes and surcharges. It is a respectable redemption, although see underneath for the improbable ANA candy spot to Japan.

Consider, Virgin fees in keeping with phase, no longer in keeping with adventure, so if you’re connecting on, say, China Airways from New York’s John F. Kennedy World Airport (JFK) via to Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) in Bangkok by way of Taiwan Taoyuan World Airport (TPE) in Taipei, you could be charged a whopping 160,000 issues every method in enterprise category, which isn’t an excellent redemption.

So, when redeeming on SkyTeam airways, intention for direct flights and decrease connections to avoid wasting issues.

All Nippon Airlines

Virgin Atlantic’s improbable redemption charges for ANA-operated flights must all the time be thought to be if you wish to get between the U.S. and Japan. This course is without doubt one of the very best award commute candy spots and most probably the one very best use of Virgin issues — even with this 12 months’s devaluation of top quality pricing.

Similar: The brand new gold same old: Evaluation of The Room, ANA’s new enterprise category at the Boeing 777-300ER

Check out Virgin Atlantic’s award chart for ANA flights. Those costs are for round-trip commute. Open-jaw bookings are allowed, so you’ll take a look at award availability on different routes in case your most popular course is not to be had. It is also value noting that you’ll ebook one-way awards for part the round-trip price tag price.

If you happen to have been to ebook a round-trip, top quality seat to Japan in one in every of ANA’s fancy suite seats, you’ll spend simply 170,000 issues for a seat costing $20,000 or extra. Trade category may be a very good deal at simply 95,000 issues.

It is also value noting that round-trip award flights are extremely reasonable for babies below 2 years previous who are not looking for a seat of their very own:

• Financial system seats price 2,000 issues.
• Trade-class seats price 10,000 issues.
• Top quality seats price 14,000 issues.

Air France-KLM

Virgin Atlantic has a number of award charts for each KLM and Air France. You’ll be able to discuss with this web page to peer all of them. It divides the arena into 10 zones and calculates your award worth according to your foundation and vacation spot zones. Listed below are some highlights from the U.S.:

• One-way economic system flight to Europe from the West Coast for 15,000 issues
• One-way economic system flight to the Heart East from the East Coast for 25,000 issues
• One-way business-class flight to Europe from the East Coast for 48,500 issues
• One-way business-class flight from the East Coast to North Africa for 66,500 issues

You can frequently incur gas surcharges on your flights, however they are no longer just about as top as for Virgin Atlantic awards. In my revel in, surcharges are just below $300 for a one-way business-class price tag from the U.S. to Europe, making Air France-KLM a inexpensive possibility for business-class redemptions to Europe.

Virgin Australia

The Virgin Atlantic award chart for Virgin Australia flights is most commonly distance-based, which means it can be a excellent price for brief and dear intra-Australia flights, as flights get started from simply 8,000 Virgin issues every method.

This present award chart signifies that you’ll now best ebook economic system seats. Then again, it does worth toddler rewards at 2,000 issues in economic system and 10,000 issues in enterprise category. You might have to achieve out to Virgin Atlantic when reserving your flight to be informed the business-class worth of your course.

Much less treasured Flying Membership companions

Whilst having an extended checklist of incomes and redemption companions is excellent, some key companions do not supply a lot redemption price for Flying Membership contributors.

• Air New Zealand: Releases just about no award house to companions like Virgin Atlantic.
• Delta Air Traces: Most often best releases economy-class house to Virgin Atlantic.
• Singapore Airways: Best permits a restricted selection of routes to redeem Virgin issues on, and you’ll best redeem in economic system.
• Hawaiian Airways: Calls for charges very similar to Hawaiian Airways and JetBlue, so there may be little reason why to ebook with Virgin issues.

If you end up with loads of 1000’s (or tens of millions) of Virgin issues, you’ll industry them in for an unusual degree of luxurious — or altitude:

• Virgin Voyages: Stay up for occasional discounted cruises the place you’ll sail as much as 12 nights for as low as 80,000 Virgin issues.
• Necker Island: Keep at Richard Branson’s personal island house for 4 nights for 540,000 Virgin issues, plus $5,400.
• Mont Rochelle: Keep at Branson’s Cape The city vineyard for 3 nights for between 120,000 and 200,000 Virgin issues.
• Kasbah Tamadot: Spend 3 nights in Branson’s Atlas Mountain retreat in Morocco for between 240,000 and 280,000 Virgin issues.
• The Resort: Keep 3 nights in a single bed room of Branson’s nine-bedroom Swiss Alpine hotel for 380,000 Virgin issues.
• Mahali Mzuri: Spend 3 nights in a luxurious tent at a Kenyan safari camp for 600,000 Virgin issues or 5 nights for 950,000 Virgin issues.
• Ulusaba Non-public Recreation Reserve: Use 600,000 Virgin issues for a three-night keep for 2 folks in a Safari Resort room or 950,000 Virgin issues for a five-night keep for 2 folks in a Safari Resort room.

Or, you’ll input a bet for an opportunity to fly in house on Virgin Galactic for a groovy 2,000,000 Virgin issues — however all of the ones issues will have to were earned from Virgin Atlantic flights.

Now that you understand why you must care about Virgin issues, let’s display you the way to redeem them for award flights. You’ll be able to simply seek for seats on Virgin Atlantic’s homepage. Simply click on “Complex Seek” and make a choice the “Issues” possibility.

You can then be proven availability at the date you decided on and 3 days on each side.

The place there may be a couple of flight to be had to your decided on day, you’ll select the agenda and provider that fits your wishes after which continue to ebook on-line, paying charges, taxes and surcharges concurrently.

There may be a to hand Praise seat availability checker by means of month for Virgin Atlantic- and Delta-operated flights.

Relating to spouse award searches, the Virgin Atlantic website online can fall quick. Virgin Atlantic best permits you to seek award flights to or from airports loaded into its gadget — and plenty of of its companions don’t seem to be bookable on-line.

If you’ll’t in finding what you might be on the lookout for, head to some other website online that does display availability for that airline. For instance, the United Airways web site presentations Singapore Airways and ANA flights. If you in finding what you might be after, reproduction the flight data and commute date and get in touch with Virgin Atlantic to ebook.

The details

Vacationers can exchange their commute date, routing and/or category of carrier earlier than commute for a carrier rate of simply $50 (plus mileage distinction, if acceptable) for flights originating within the U.S.

You’ll be able to cancel your price tag and obtain your whole issues again for a cancellation rate of $50 for flights originating within the U.S. so long as you cancel a minimum of 24 hours earlier than departure. As soon as you might be inside of 24 hours, issues grow to be nonrefundable.

Flying Membership costs one-way awards at part of the award chart worth for many companions. This contains ANA flights, which used to require round-trip bookings.

If you’ll’t in finding award availability each tactics at the course you need, you’ll ebook an open-jaw award — which means that you might be flying into or out of a unique airport to your go back leg. There is no penalty for doing this, and the mileage costs out as part of the round-trip price for every of the 2 legs booked.