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  4. Virgin Red set to boost Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club
  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club members in the UK can join Virgin Red from today, with the option to link accounts to unlock even more ways to earn and spend Virgin Points
  • Virgin Red is Virgin's new rewards club where members can earn on the everyday and save on the extraordinary from right across the Virgin family and beyond  
  • Each new Virgin Red member will receive 500 bonus Virgin Points when they complete their first earn in the app*

In a boost for Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club, from today, members in the UK can sign up to Virgin Red, Virgin’s new rewards club. Through the Virgin Red app and website, which celebrates its members for living a life more Virgin, Flying Club members will unlock a wealth of new earning and spending options overnight, across a wide range of products and services from the Virgin family and beyond.

New and existing Flying Club members in the UK can now enrol in Virgin Red and seamlessly link their Flying Club account, creating a shared Virgin Points balance that they can use across either programme. At the heart of the bolstered earning and spending opportunities are Virgin Points – the universal Virgin currency that unlike many other loyalty currencies, have no expiry date.

Whilst spending opportunities on travel benefits may be temporarily restricted, by opening its doors to Flying Club members, Virgin Red introduces many new partners for the first time, enabling Flying Club members to access everyday treats and even more extraordinary experiences, some available from as little as 200 points.

To welcome the new members, everyone enrolling in Virgin Red will receive a bonus 500 points upon their first earn completed via the app – as long as the points earned are credited before 31 July 2021 – boosting their points balance and expanding spending capabilities even more.

From purchasing a Greggs Sausage Roll or treating a loved one to theatre tickets through London Theatre Direct, Flying Club members will be able to use points earned through the likes of Virgin Atlantic flights, switching their energy to Octopus Energy, Shops Away or the Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card in new and exciting ways. They’ll also be able to use points gathered from their Marks & Spencer shop or a present bought through Etsy towards that lucrative seat upgrade on their next flight or a case of Prosecco from Virgin Wines for that special occasion.

For the first time, members will also be able to use their points for a selection of small businesses, as well as being able to support charitable causes through Virgin Money Giving. Through Virgin Red’s Points for Good category, members can choose to support eight national and regional charities and will soon be able to vote for local community groups. Additionally, Virgin Red’s partnership with Carbon Engineering will allow members to support the development of Direct Air Capture technology, that removes carbon dioxide from the air – a powerful new tool to help the world address climate change. Finally, a range of Virgin StartUp companies will also feature on the app, allowing members to support new businesses by purchasing their products.

Familiar partners will continue to provide both earning and spending opportunities, such as Virgin Limited Edition and Virgin Wines and of course Flying Club members will continue to be able to use points towards reward flights, Clubhouse access and upgrades courtesy of Virgin Atlantic. There’s even a selection of ‘lockdown friendly rewards’ for those who have the urge to spend their points on a well-deserved treat, including stay at home chocolate truffle making masterclasses or lessons with a Photoshop pro, both available through Virgin Experience Days.

Over the next couple of weeks, Flying Club members in the UK will be contacted with more information about Virgin Red, allowing them to seamlessly unlock a wealth of new rewards at the click of a button. Any new members joining Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club from today will also be automatically enrolled into the Virgin Red rewards club, once they have linked and activated their account so that they can immediately start to maximise their rewards. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club will also continue to offer the much-loved rewards and benefits that its members of all tiers enjoy today.

 

Siobhan Fitzpatrick, Chief Digital & Marketing Officer at Virgin Atlantic says: ​

“We’re committed to rewarding those who choose to fly with Virgin Atlantic and we know how important Flying Club is to members old and new, so I’m thrilled to launch such an exciting proposition by adding extra benefits through Virgin Red for our loyal members.  

“If you’re a frequent flyer or simply looking to join Flying Club, Virgin Red makes it easier to spend on the everyday, whether that’s using points from a family holiday for your daily Greggs coffee or collecting points by switching your energy account towards that lucrative cabin upgrade, our new partnership provides even more opportunities for our members to enjoy their hard earned rewards.”  

 

Kelly Best, Chief Marketing Officer for Virgin Red, says:

​“As the UK continues to be under a  third national lockdown, we want to give Flying Club members the opportunity to enjoy rewards on the ground whilst there are (temporarily) fewer opportunities to earn and spend Virgin Points  in the sky.

“Flying Club members can earn Virgin Points with more Virgin brands and carefully selected  partners with Virgin Red and of course spend them on a range of rewards from everyday treats to extraordinary experiences or donations to good causes – as well as flights and holidays of course from Virgin Atlantic.”