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The AvGeeks that found true love at TPG UK and Virgin Atlantic’s blind date event

Feb. 14, 2021
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5 min read
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The AvGeeks that found true love at TPG UK and Virgin Atlantic’s blind date event
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Exactly one year ago on Valentine's Day 2020, when the true impact of COVID-19 was yet to be understood, The Points Guy U.K. along with Virgin Atlantic co-hosted an AvGeek blind dating event at Quo Vadis in Soho, London.

Photo by Nicky Kelvin / The Points Guy
Photo by Nicky Kelvin / The Points Guy

We paired up 24 single AvGeeks, plied them with cocktails served by Virgin's gorgeous cabin crew and left cupid to work his magic.

Each couple was asked after their date to tell the rest of the group why they thought they were best suited and deserved to win a rather romantic prize. Craig and Lyndsey, who had traveled to London from Wales, were voted the winners and the following weekend, they jetted off to New York, courtesy of Virgin Atlantic.

It was not meant to be, however.

"Sadly love didn’t blossom between Craig and I," Lyndsey told us. "It was a great opportunity, I loved every minute and really enjoyed meeting everyone both in the TPG U.K. and NY office plus all the other daters. The Virgin team at Heathrow and onboard were lovely as always and treated us amazingly, lots of extra desserts, plenty of Champagne and upgrades."

Photo by Nicky Kelvin / The Points Guy

Whilst our winning couple didn't last the test of time, another unexpected love story unfurled. We reached out to all of our daters and it seems that whilst all of the matches that we paired together were nonstarters, two participants took it upon themselves to find love. Enter Jev Orgen and Kane Huxley.

They were not paired by us, but they gravitated towards each other at the event and left together for dinner. The rest, as they say, is history. The love grew and not only are they still together today but they have some amazing adventures planned for the future and even live together now.

(Photo courtesy of Jev and Kane/The Points Guy)

Here's what Kane told us:



"Wow, a whole year — odd how it seems not that long ago but also a lot has happened since then.
As you know, Jev and I both attended the TPG and Virgin Atlantic's Valentine event last year but we weren’t actually paired as each other's blind dates. Jev’s date had to leave early to go to the gym, while mine was seemingly unaware of what an A350 was. Jev and I noticed each other, spoke and immediately clicked. Just the two of us went to dinner after the event and the rest is history! Embarking on a new relationship at the same time as the onset of a global pandemic is quite the ask, but we've seen it through and now live happily together in London.
Two weeks after we first met, we booked a business-class error fare to South America for six months later. (Only two weeks in, that was optimistic!) Although the trip was cancelled and postponed many times, we have managed to getaway a number of times. In summer, we took a trip to Cyprus with friends, I took Jev to Athens for his birthday, we also had a family trip together before Christmas to Mexico. We are extremely grateful for the amazing holidays we had during 2020 but we really did miss the ’normal service' that wasn't possible due to coronavirus restrictions.
We booked two trips as part of the incredible Virgin Atlantic Black Friday sale to fly in the new Upper Class Suite on the A350: one to South Africa and one to the USA. South Africa didn’t materialise for obvious reasons, but we are still remaining hopeful for America in the Summer.
As we met purely out of our shared love for aviation, it was disappointing to not be able to fulfil our planned year of flying. But booking flights, even if they get cancelled, is what has kept us going in the multiple lockdowns of the past year. Although I’ve always had a love for aviation, Jev has helped me develop my passion for points, alongside TPG’s amazing resources. I somehow have managed to gain Gold status on both BA and Virgin, a Companion Voucher and 100,000 Avios all within one year and during the pandemic. So at least now, we both can select 1A and 1K! I would like to use my Companion Voucher and our Avios for me and Jev to go to Japan together when we can.
We have also booked Bali for the end of the year with Turkish Airlines on its 787 to experience Jev’s favourite destination and his homeland’s airline. I’m looking forward to the onboard chef and the Baklava.
It has been an amazing, yet odd year for us. We never thought it would have played out the way it did, but we have definitely made the most of it. Thank you TPG and Virgin, we will forever be grateful to you all for putting on this event — otherwise our paths would have never crossed. We’ll let you know when you need to buy your hats.
We look forward to continuing to travel together when it is safe to do so and will always be looking at TPG for inspiration and to learn new tips and tricks."

In true TPG and Virgin style, it would only be right to treat Jev and Kane to something special. A goodie box landed at their shared home this week.

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(Photo courtesy of Jev and Kane/The Points Guy)

While the pandemic has forbidden us from doing another dating event this Valentine's Day, we hope to team up in the name of love and AvGeekery in 2022.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.