There’s a fundamental flaw many travellers make with airline loyalty programs, albeit a logical one. When they think of a loyalty program, they immediately focus on redeeming points with that specific airline, and if they can’t think of a good reason to – they don’t bother. Like, why bother with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club if you don’t have big plans to become a Virgin frequent flyer.
That’s a huge mistake.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is offering one of the most unique promotions in points and miles at the moment, and it’s so tempting, I actually bought miles with it. Here’s why you might want to as well.This 40% boost works for both US and UK accounts.
First, WTF Is Virgin Atlantic Miles Booster
Miles Booster is a really unique program which allows you to treat your airline miles like a shot. You can have a single, double, or even triple – and right now there’s a 40% bonus tacked on. This applies to flight reservations, including ones you’ve already taken in the last six months and even those you booked using points!
It doesn’t apply to your credit card points transfers or points earned from anything other than actual flying. But yeah, if you’ve flown with Virgin in the last six months using points or cash, and or have one coming up, you can proactively or retroactively double, or triple the points you earn, for a fee.
Virgin Atlantic 40% Miles Booster Bonus
Through the current promotion, Virgin Atlantic Miles Booster allows you to pay 1p per point, not even including the bonus. Bonus included: the price is .71p per point! That’s an extremely low figure to pay for a large chunk of miles, and if you’re are saving for an upgrade or a flight redemption, this is one of the easiest ways to earn more miles than a credit card sign up bonus, for a very reasonable fee!
This promotion expires March 8th, 2020 and returns to standard rates. You simply need to order the boost, not actually fly before then. Flights later in the year are totally fine.
For a round trip to New York in economy, you’d currently earn 6,916 miles from taking your flight. If you pay for the 3x boost, you’d earn an additional 20,748 miles plus the 40% bonus, for a total of 29,047 all in. The grand total for your nearly 30,000 miles? £207.48 all in.
I personally took advantage of this recently for a trip I took from London to New York in Premium Economy.
I had already earned quite a bit of miles thanks to Virgin Gold and the Premium cabin bonus, but I couldn’t turn down topping off nearly 30,000 more miles for £207.48. I had already earned 11,000 miles from the trip just for actually flying, so top top off another 29,047 for 40,000 on a round trip to New York is just staggeringly good.
That’s nearly enough for a new one way in Upper Class.
Side note: you can pay for Mileage Boost on future flights online by logging into your booking. For any bookings you’ve already flown, you need to call Flying Club. You can actually also just text them too! Here’s a link to the US and UK text numbers. They work better than I ever imagined.
Why Virgin Atlantic Miles Are Actually Great
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Miles have been slept on for far too long. If you need inspiration, here’s 11 brilliant ways to redeem them. For starters, there’s great options all around the world, like 62,500 points for fully flat business class between the US and New Zealand, or 120,000 miles for First Class, not even business class between the UK or US and Tokyo on ANA. Business class is even fewer points.
The gist of this is: Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles are brilliant for use from Asia, from the USA, from the UK and Europe. Delta One flights, even those including suites with doors don’t charge surcharges from the US to cities like Paris, so you’d pay just $5.60 in surcharges and between 50,000-60,000 points one way. Read up on the best ways, then how to actually book them.
I put my money where my mouth is on this deal, and it may definitely be worth considering for you too. How many times can you accrue significant amounts of miles at such a low cost, without major spending on a credit card. I may book another trip just to boost another set!
I would like to subscribe to boost miles on Virgin Atlantic.
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I’ve just done this for our NY booking, suprised I could as it’s is booked with flying club miles.
Its brilliant! Even partner awards work! Nice way to get some miles back 😎
Does it work when I fly a partner airline but credit to Virgin Atlantic?
I’m based in the USA and have an upcoming VS flight to LHR and US accounts are eligible for the 40% extra bonus points for 3x boost as well (expires Oct 31st, 2019.) Only thing is VS is charging us in USD and for JFK-LHR roundtrip in economy delight, it is 29081 miles for $332 (roughly 1.14 cents per mile). When compared with the current exchange rate between USD-GBP, you guys in the UK are getting the better deal.
Much better, otherwise I’d promote it in the USA too : ) With the VS Mastercard offering 80K bonus, I’d rather get miles for free in the US that way!
https://www.godsavethepoints.com/miles-points-goals-best-credit-cards/
Hi Gib, how far back can you go on a previous booking to earn the 40% bonus?
Hey Mal, I believe it’s 6 month max, even award flights on other airlines are eligible!
So if I booked delta one via Virgin Atlantic to fly USA to Japan for 50,000 miles, how can I utilize this program to take advantage of the 40% boost?
If you haven’t flown, by logging into your account and choosing mileage boost under ways to earn miles.
The t&c says I can only boost VS operated flights. I booked ANA using flying club miles, and the booking is in my account. It allows me to do miles boost in the booking, but is it safe to do so?.. I’m just worried I won’t get the miles in the end.
Hi – bit confused. So I buy a cash ticket, or points redemption, and then I can purchase points for effectively ~0.8p if I want on top of what I will earn anyway?
I am looking to book redemption tickets to Johannesburg for Nov-19.
Exactly right. Obviously you don’t earn on redemption tickets typically, so this allows you to earn a cheap rebate. If your original ticket is a cash ticket, you can basically boost or 3X your earning.
“Virgin Atlantic Flying Club in the UK is offering one of the most unique promotions in points and miles at the moment, and it’s so tempting, I actually bought miles with it. Here’s why you might want to as well. And yes, this 40% boost is for UK Flying Club Accounts only at the moment.”
What does this actually mean? Only accounts with a UK address or what?
Ignore the last post from me about where your address needs to be.
I called Virgin in London and took a triple boost buying 34008 miles. I was offered the choice of paying in Sterling or US$. The Sterling rate was UKP340.08 which converted on my Citi Prestige card into US$441.21. The US$ amount I was asked for if I had chosen to pay in US$ was $544. Who is operating that rip-off, Virgin or points.com who run this for Virgin? Even if I had to pay a 2.99% foreign currency surcharge [which I don’t] that would still only be about an extra US$30, not the rip-off of $102 that I was quoted.
Sorry, my mistake, a 2.99% currency surcharge would have been about US$13, not $30. Just make the rip-off worse!
I have a US based account, and have a Virgin Atlantic award flight on ANA in Sept. Website is allowing me to purchase 45k points for $510. So I guess this works for US accounts and award flights on partners as well!
Fantastic, thanks Norman!
Anyone ever consider booking a reservation and then cancelling it either within 24 hours or on a refundable ticket to buy miles? Seems abusive and I don’t want to get on their bad side but curious if there are any successful data points?
BTW, there is £15 handling fee for mile booster programme.
Even with handling fee you’re well under 1 cent per point.
Gilbert, I flew 2 trips Nov/Dec us to jnb all on VS. I credited the miles to my Delta Skymiles account. Can I use this promo to buy miles to go in my VS acct? If so how, please? Thanks, Poppa
You’d have to call either way, so I’d say worth trying and seeing if those can used! Appreciate it Lou 🙏.