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Virgin Atlantic is offering 30% off redemptions from most US destinations in all cabins

Feb. 16, 2023
3 min read
Virgin Atlantic A330-900 Neo
Virgin Atlantic is offering 30% off redemptions from most US destinations in all cabins
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Virgin Atlantic has a great new offer to save thousands of points on your next redemption.

Following the lead of Air France-KLM's Flying Blue Promo Rewards and Singapore Airlines' Spontaneous Escapes, Virgin has discounted the cost of some redemptions by 30% for travel from now until May 31.

The offer isn’t quite as generous as the “redemption deal of the year” we saw in 2022, which offered a 50% reduction in the Virgin points required for redemptions to almost all destinations. This new offer is only 30% off the cost of a standard redemption, and the destinations are more limited.

The 30% off applies to Virgin Atlantic flights between London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) and:

  • Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).
  • Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS).
  • Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).
  • Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
  • Miami International Airport (MIA).
  • John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
  • San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
  • Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).
  • Tampa International Airport (TPA).
  • Dulles International Airport (IAD).
  • V.C. Bird International Airport (ANU).
  • Islamabad International Airport (ISB).
  • Allama Iqbal International Airport (LHE) (departures until April 30; the route is then suspended).
  • Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM).
  • Ben Gurion Airport (TLV).

Additionally, Virgin Atlantic's route from JFK to Manchester Airport (MAN) is also included.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC

The discounts apply to flights in either direction, in any cabin with award availability. This offer is available for redemptions, upgrades and companion tickets. Flights must be operated by Virgin Atlantic to qualify for the promotion.

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Related: Video alert! TPG UK reviews all cabins on Virgin Atlantic’s brand-new Airbus A330-900neo

One improvement over last year's offer is that the 30% points discount is automatically applied upfront when you book. Last year's promotion required paying full price for the redemption, and a rebate was issued after completing a flight. This means redemptions start from just 7,000 Virgin points from the U.S. East Coast on standard dates each way.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC

Unfortunately, the full fees, taxes and substantial surcharges are payable on all routes in all cabins. Unlike British Airways, there is no way to reduce the carrier-imposed surcharges by paying more points. Even in economy, you can expect to pay hundreds of dollars extra. These surcharges remain a big frustration with the Flying Club program.

To take advantage of this great offer, you must book by Feb. 28 and complete travel by May 31. The discount does not apply to existing bookings, so if your existing booking qualifies for the new offer, you may consider canceling and rebooking, though availability is not guaranteed.

If you need to earn Virgin points for one of these awards, you can transfer them from American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou. All of these transfers process at a 1:1 ratio. Additionally, Citi ThankYou will run a 30% transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic from Feb. 19 to March 18.

This is a great initiative from Flying Club to discount certain destinations for off-peak travel periods when flights may not be full anyway. I hope this becomes a regular offer as seen with Air France-KLM's and Singapore Airlines' monthly discounts.

Featured image by NICKY KELVIN/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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Why We Chose It

Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.

Pros

  • Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
  • Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
  • Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
  • First checked bag free

Cons

  • Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
  • SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
  • Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
  • Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
  • Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
  • New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
  • Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
  • Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
  • Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
  • Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
  • Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
  • Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $250 Annual Fee.
  • Terms Apply.
  • See Rates & Fees