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Award devaluation: What you need to know about Virgin Atlantic Flying Club’s fee changes

June 26, 2025
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3 min read
Virgin Atlantic Airbus A350
Award devaluation: What you need to know about Virgin Atlantic Flying Club’s fee changes
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Virgin Atlantic Flying Club’s pesky surcharges are back in the news — and not in a good way.

After introducing dynamic award pricing in late 2024, the program slashed prices and fees on some award tickets. This resulted in business-class fares to Europe for as low as 29,000 points and roughly $250 in fees. In fact, one TPG staffer and loyal Virgin Atlantic flyer thought most of the changes were for the better.

But those deals were short-lived, as the carrier’s fees have now spiked. Here's everything you need to know about Virgin Atlantic’s latest devaluation.

Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Delta
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY


Devaluation details

Since Virgin Atlantic's switch to dynamic pricing, award fees have varied by route, date and fare class. You could expect to pay roughly $250 on a business-class flight to Europe during low-demand dates — a steal compared to the $1,000-plus rates that used to be commonplace.

Now, Virgin Atlantic is charging up to $586 one-way for business-class redemptions from the U.S. to the U.K., including to Heathrow Airport (LHR) and Manchester Airport (MAN) — more than doubling those fees overnight. Thrifty Traveler first broke this news.

Virgin JFK-LHR points
VIRGIN ATLANTIC

Similarly, one-way fees from the U.S. to the U.K. have increased from around $75 to $111 for economy redemptions and from roughly $106 to $240 for premium economy. That might not seem unreasonable, but remember that you have to pay fees on the return journey as well.

Virgin LHR-JFK points
VIRGIN ATLANTIC

These return fees haven’t changed (yet), but they’re already steep, especially when you factor in the current exchange rate. For instance, the business-class fee is 672 British pounds, which currently amounts to $924. Yikes.

The bright side? Even after the recent spike, Virgin Atlantic’s transatlantic fees are still well below their pre-dynamic-pricing days. As for whether they’ll stay that way or continue to rise, only time will tell.

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For now, we’ll be watching this space closely to see if Flying Club implements any further changes.

Bottom line

Despite this negative change, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club still presents some great deals, especially if you can travel on off-peak dates. (You can't really beat 6,000 points for a transatlantic flight.)

And since Flying Club partners with most of the major rewards programs with transferable currencies — including American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards and Wells Fargo Rewards — Virgin points are extremely easy to earn.

However, it's always important to check the taxes and fees before you book an award ticket through any airline program, as these can quickly eat into your trip budget.

Featured image by ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
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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  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • 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.
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  • $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.
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