Take a seat!
Virgin Atlantic has today announced that Flying Club members will be able to pay for any seat onboard with Virgin Points. This is in addition to the launch of new Saver reward seats and increased points earn rates in Premium and Upper Class. From 30 October these enhancements will revolutionise the world of redemptions for Virgin Atlantic customers, continuing a long history of innovation in Flying Club, alongside our rewards club partner Virgin Red.
Flying Club members will be able to use Virgin Points to pay for any seat on the plane on any date, offering absolute choice and flexibility for our loyal customers. The price of seats will vary in line with demand, in a similar way to standard tickets.
To make flying with points even more accessible, Virgin Atlantic is launching new Saver reward seats at our lowest possible prices. Flying Club members will benefit from the best value we’ve ever offered, with Saver reward seats available across thousands of flights. And they will start from prices even lower than reward seats today, with flights to New York from as little as 6,000 Virgin Points.
We know that everyone loves an upgrade, and so members will be able to use their points to upgrade to any available Premium or Upper Class seat from standard or reward tickets. In addition, members will be able to use their Companion or Upgrade vouchers on any seat, removing constraints of availability from even more products within Flying Club.
And in a further boost to Flying Club members, the number of Virgin Points earned on Upper Class and Premium tickets will also be increased at the same time.
Improvements announced to reward seats today
In 2022 Virgin Atlantic launched Guaranteed Availability making 12 seats available on every flight for Flying Club members. We are now going further.
From 30 October, every seat on a Virgin Atlantic operated flight will be made available for Flying Club members to purchase using their Virgin Points, including for upgrades.
A new Saver reward seat product will be launched for seats priced at or below today’s prices. These will include some of our lowest ever prices in points.
Saver reward seats will be available across thousands of flights, at the same price or lower than they are right now.
All vouchers issued today to credit card holders and to Gold tier members will be moving to a new Flying Club reward voucher.
The new voucher will remain redeemable for a Companion Seat or upgrade, and will be redeemable on any seat in any cabin for any customer.
The voucher will be valid up to a maximum of 75k points for Flying Club Red tier members, or 150k points for Flying Club Silver or Gold tier members based on status at the time of voucher redemption.
Above these maximum amounts, customers can use their Virgin Points balances to top up the amount required, giving even more flexibility.
Virgin Red members will continue to be able to spend their points on Virgin Atlantic by joining Flying Club and linking their account, just as today.
The amount of Virgin Points earned on Upper Class tickets will increase by up to 50% and Premium tickets will increase by up to 75%, allowing customers to earn even more on Virgin Atlantic.
Between now and launch, customers will be able to book reward seats without any changes to pricing or availability.
Shai Weiss, CEO, Virgin Atlantic, commented: “Our customers mean the world to us. We are flying because of them and for forty years we have existed to make their journeys safe and special. Our aim is always to do right by them and to make them smile. In our special Ruby anniversary year, we are making every single seat available for purchase with points, becoming even more rewarding for our millions of loyal Flying Club members.”
Siobhan Fitzpatrick, CXO, Virgin Atlantic, commented: “Our promise to our customers is to deliver a brilliantly different experience, providing thoughtful touches across their journey. Our loyal Flying Club members are so important to us, and today’s announcement is not only a first for the UK, but a significant step further in offering them as much choice, value and flexibility as possible.”
Andrea Burchett, Chief Loyalty Officer and Managing Director, Virgin Red, commented: ''Today's announcement reaffirms Virgin's commitment to recognising and rewarding customers’ loyalty to Virgin companies. We are thrilled to partner with Virgin Atlantic to give Virgin Red and Flying Club members the opportunity to earn and spend Virgin Points on every Virgin Atlantic flight, empowering customers with the choice and flexibility they deserve. Virgin Red members just need to join Flying Club to use their Virgin Points on Virgin Atlantic. "
ENDS
For more information, please email the Virgin Atlantic press office at press.office@fly.virgin.com
About Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic was founded by entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson in 1984, with innovation and amazing customer service at its core. In 2023, Virgin Atlantic was voted Britain’s only Global Five Star Airline by APEX for the seventh year running in the Official Airline Ratings. Headquartered in London, it employs more than 8,500 people worldwide, flying customers to 30 destinations across four continents throughout the year.
Alongside shareholder and Joint Venture partner Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic operates a leading transatlantic network, with onward connections to over 200 cities around the world. In February 2020, Air France-KLM, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic launched an expanded Joint Venture, offering a comprehensive route network, convenient flight schedules, competitive fares and reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, including the ability to earn and redeem miles across all carriers. Virgin Atlantic joined SkyTeam in March 2023 as the global airline alliance’s first and only UK member airline, enhancing the alliance’s transatlantic network and services to and from Heathrow and Manchester Airport.
Virgin Atlantic has been pioneering sustainability leadership for more than 15 years, committing to Net Zero by 2050 and continuous action that reduces environmental impact. The airline operates one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets in the skies, with an average age under seven years. In October 2022, Virgin Atlantic welcomed its first A330-900’s to the fleet, continuing its transformation towards 100% next generation aircraft by 2028. In November 2023, the airline led a consortium to deliver the world’s first flight across the Atlantic on 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), demonstrating that 100% SAF can be used safely as a drop in fuel in existing infrastructure, engines and airframes. The need to scale production is an industry imperative and Virgin Atlantic is committed to radical collaboration across the energy chain to support commercialisation ahead of 2030.
For more information visit www.virginatlantic.com or via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @virginatlantic.
About Virgin Red
Virgin Red is Virgin's rewards club, connecting the Virgin family, where members can earn on the everyday to save for the extraordinary. Virgin Red also makes it easy to support local communities, charities and the environment.
Virgin Red celebrates its members for living a life more Virgin – giving them exclusive access to rewards from the Virgin family and beyond. It makes it really easy for members to earn and spend Virgin Points – Virgin's universal currency which never expires.
Whether it’s spending points on an everyday treat like a coffee or cinema ticket, saving for a bigger extraordinary experience like a holiday or watching a concert, there is something for everyone. Top up your points balance by earning on your everyday online shopping with some of the UK’s biggest retailers or earning points as you travel by train across Great Britain with Virgin Trains Ticketing.