Update: Thrilled to confirm that GSTP has spoken with Virgin Atlantic, and Virgin Money call center reps were misinformed. You are 100% eligible for the voucher as a new card signup, and absolutely will get one after qualifying activity in your account, without any need to do anything. Apparently Virgin Money will clarify this on social media as well.
Just last month, Virgin Atlantic became the first ever airline to award points needed to move up the ‘elite status’ tiers of their loyalty program, from Red to Silver to Gold, even when you use points to book the flight.
At the same time, they simplified perks earned from flying or the Virgin Atlantic Credit Cards, including being able to use upgrades or companion vouchers on any ticket, not just some fares. Basically, it doesn’t matter whether you pay miles or cash, or have no miles – if you have a ticket, you can use the perks you earn.
Now, the airline is offering Virgin Atlantic Reward and Reward+ Credit Card holders in the UK a chance to earn major rewards, including upgrades and double points.
Virgin Atlantic Rewards+ Card: £500 For An Upgrade
Both the basic, no annual fee Virgin Atlantic Mastercard and the Rewards+ Premium Virgin Atlantic Mastercard are offering increased spending bonuses with double points, but the real fun is for Virgin Atlantic Rewards+ customers, or anyone who signs up to a new card and becomes one.
With Virgin Atlantic’s latest offer, UK cardmembers can earn a one cabin flight upgrade voucher good for 24 months, from just £500 in spending. How? You need to spend at least £500 on a new Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Holidays bookings on your Virgin Atlantic Rewards+ Mastercard by October 31st, 2020.
The trip must be purchased directly with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Atlantic Holidays.
The voucher could be used to upgrade a round trip, or two one way tickets, it’s your choice, and it’s not capped to Premium. In other words, you could enjoy a bargain on a great Premium Economy flight deal, and then cash in your upgrade voucher once earned to make it an A350 Upper Class trip.
On that note, Virgin Atlantic did bring Champagne and what’s basically full meal service back a couple weeks ago.
2X Points For Both Virgin Atlantic UK Rewards Cards
The Virgin Atlantic Reward Card and the Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Card became almost no brainers for UK travelers last week with the announcement of easy to redeem perks like upgrades or companion vouchers which don’t require you to earn major miles to enjoy them.
Now, the cards will offer double points on Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays spend, for a limited time. For all purchases through October 31st ,2020, the Virgin Atlantic Reward Card will earn 3X points on Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Atlantic Holidays purchases, while the Rewards+ Card will offer 6X points. Yep, if you spend £1000 you’ll earn either 3,000 or 6,000 miles, depending on which card you have.
Someone with zero miles could sign up to the Virgin Atlantic Rewards+ Mastercard today, spend £10,000 this year to trigger their annual companion voucher, or upgrade and benefit anywhere Virgin flies, whether they use cash or points. Take a friend, or maybe upgrade yourself. With potentially two upgrade vouchers to spend thanks to this offer, why not both?
The only catch with the upgrade voucher? There must be a seat using miles available to cash it in, even though you don’t need to use your Flying Club Miles to book. Just search for flights as if you were going to use miles, and if a seat is available using miles, you can use your new upgrade voucher for it.
At 6X miles on direct Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Atlantic Holidays purchases, a heavy spender could earn some serious Flying Club Miles. Earning 3X miles from a no annual fee card ain’t too shabby either.
Upgrading Or Applying For A New Virgin Atlantic Mastercard
GSTP confirmed with Virgin Atlantic that all new applicants will be able to take advantage of this offer, so long as they complete their required spending by October 31st, 2020. Those with the basic version of the Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card can upgrade and also enjoy the enhanced offer, but this typically requires a fresh credit card application.
However you slice it, £500 in spending for something to look forward to – aka a future trip – is a small price to pay for a serious upgrade. This is absolutely a scenario where it can make sense for both people in a household to grab the card, since you could each earn a round trip upgrade and enjoy together!
Could you get the upgrade voucher with rewards+ and then cancel, receiving a pro rata refund?
I don’t know and wouldn’t suggest it anyway. Other benefits help justify the annual fee, including the earn rate.
No pro rata refunds on the Rewards+ card
Hey Gib, I had a Virgin Atlantic + card which I cancelled last November to avoid paying the fee for another year. Do you know how long to have to wait again to sign up to a new card and qualify for a the benefits?
Hey, unsure. I think that’d be best over phone with them to confirm. Any benefits like vouchers, etc, you should be able to earn again instantly.
Thanks Gib, do you know how long it takes for the upgrade voucher to hit your account when you spend £500?
Also do you know if Virgin are still doing status match if your gold with BA?
I have an upper class flight booked to LA next April which helps! Thanks.
Don’t know re: voucher added time, but yes to the latter bits!
How does this work for a couple flying together? If I buy two £500+ return flights in one transaction, do they issue two upgrade vouchers? If not, would splitting the transaction and buying each flight separately get an upgrade voucher for each? Maybe it is a one-off offer rather than being used as often as you like.
It’s absolutely a one off. If you however spend £10k in the year like normal, the + card would earn an additional voucher or upgrade. The only way to earn two during this offer would be to have two people take out the card and each spend £500 during the promotional period.
Does anyone know how cancellations on VS flight upgrade vouchers work? Do you get the upgrade voucher back, in addition to getting a credit voucher on the original flight?
Hello John, Yes you do get the voucher back. I was booked on Upper to BOM in June on route to the Maldives and I got my voucher back when they canceled the flight in June 2020. I have since used two vouchers for Upper-class flights to Antigua in November 2020, so fingers we get to go. Initial it did say the voucher was used but when the agent did a simple check, he could see the trip didn’t take place so it was straight forward. If you speak to Virgin flying club ask for Reece, he is very very switched on, we paid £1044 tax & 70,000 in total for 2 upper-class return tickets to Antigua which I just checked are selling for £5949.74 cash right now
sorry I forgot to say all my trips start from LHR
Thanks that’s very helpful
I currently have the free Reward card that I’m using for all my daily spending to earn miles. Do you know if I’d be able to “upgrade” to the Rewards plus card to take advantage of this. Planning on booking premium economy flights to South Africa before the end of October so would be worth the £160 fee.
I have the reward+ card and have already hit the 10k spend for the 2for1 voucher. If I spend an additional £500 with Virgin Atlantic direct I’ll also get the extra upgrade voucher? So say I make a reward booking in G and pay the taxes / fees on my reward+ card this will count and trigger the voucher?
In theory, all sounds correct, yes!
I applied for the reward + on the 16th September and received the card yesterday. After a few calls with customer services, they confirmed this offer applies to existing cardholder @14th September only. In another word, any new applicant after 14th September is not eligible for this offer. I think it is still a great card, but this point is worth clarifying to avoid being disappointed.
Hey Jacques, I am pretty sure the agent misinformed you. Let me confirm with Virgin directly.
Virgin Money have also told me that it’s for existing card holders only, really disappointing as its the main reason I signed up!
Thrilled to confirm that I’ve spoken with Virgin, and the Virgin Money call center reps were misinformed. You are eligible for the voucher, and absolutely will get one after qualifying activity in your account, without any need to do anything. Apparently Virgin Money will clarify this on social media as well.
Do you know if this will work if you book over the phone with Virgin?
I looked at my email and it says via virgin atlantic website or virgin hols website but we are planning to book via phone to use up some existing vouchers, will try and work out paying over the website if we have to though.
Should definitely work as long as its direct and using your Reward+ card.
It looks like the only condition is £500 spend, and the ticket doesn’t need to be in the cardholder’s name. Is this correct?
No sign of the 2x points or the voucher in my account yet – qualifying spend credited a few weeks ago. Anyone seen it appear?
statements cut yet? And the spend was on Virgin Atlantic itself?