Virgin Atlantic's loyalty program, Flying Club, uses "Virgin Points" as its currency. As a member of the SkyTeam alliance and with unique partnerships, understanding its points policy is valuable for travelers.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Points Expiration Policy
Virgin Atlantic offers a straightforward and highly beneficial policy: Virgin Points earned through the Flying Club program do not expire.
This means that as long as your Flying Club account remains open and in good standing, your Virgin Points balance is safe indefinitely. There is no requirement for earning or redeeming points within a specific timeframe to keep them active.
This policy provides excellent flexibility, allowing members to save points for significant redemptions like Upper Class flights or partner awards without the worry of losing them due to inactivity.
Account Considerations
While the points themselves don't expire, Virgin Atlantic, like other programs, may reserve the right to close accounts under certain conditions (e.g., fraud, program abuse). It's always wise to keep your account details up to date. However, normal inactivity will not cause your Virgin Points to expire.
Official Policy
Confirmation of this policy can be found in this press release:
- Virgin Points Update (The non-expiration of points is a key feature).
You can collect Virgin Points through flights, transfers from partners (like Amex, Chase, Citi, Capital One, Bilt), and various non-airline partners, knowing they won't expire!
How to Earn Virgin Points
Virgin Points are versatile and relatively easy to collect thanks to a wide range of earning opportunities. Whether you prefer flying, shopping, or everyday spending, there are plenty of ways to grow your balance.
Ways to Earn Virgin Points
- Flights
Earn points by flying with Virgin Atlantic or one of its airline partners. - Credit Cards
Spend on the Virgin Atlantic® World Elite Mastercard® to earn points on everyday purchases. - Hotels and Car Rentals
Earn points by staying with Virgin Atlantic’s hotel partners or renting a car with participating car rental companies. - Shopping
Shop through the Virgin Atlantic shopping portal to collect points on your purchases.- U.S. shoppers can earn with retailers like Macy’s, Walgreens, and Kohl’s.
- U.K. shoppers can earn points online at retailers such as M&S, Harrods, Wickes, and Screwfix.
- Hotel stays booked through Booking.com earn Virgin Points in both the U.S. and U.K.
- Virgin Family and Partners
Earn points with Virgin family brands in the U.K., including mobile services, train tickets, and more.
In the U.S., earn points with Virgin partners such as Unite, hotels, and Virgin Voyages cruises. - Other Options
- Purchase Virgin Points directly.
- Boost your earning when flying Virgin Atlantic by taking advantage of tier or bonus promotions.
Virgin Atlantic Transfer Partners
If you need to increase your Virgin Points balance quickly, you can transfer from a variety of flexible point currencies. Transfers are supported from several major programs.
| From Program | To Program | Transfer Ratio | Minimum Transfer | Average Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex (Membership Rewards) – U.S. | Virgin Atlantic (Flying Club) | 1,000:1,000 | – | Immediate |
| Amex (Membership Rewards) – U.K. | Virgin Atlantic (Flying Club) | 500:500 | 1,000 | Unknown |
| Capital One | Virgin Atlantic (Flying Club) | 100:100 | 1,000 | Immediate |
| Capital One | Virgin Red | 100:100 | 1,000 | Immediate |
| Chase (Ultimate Rewards) | Virgin Atlantic (Flying Club) | 1,000:1,000 | – | Immediate |
| Citibank (ThankYou Rewards) – U.S. | Virgin Atlantic (Flying Club) | 1,000:1,000 (reduced 1,000 → 700 for some cards) | – | Immediate |
| Marriott Bonvoy | Virgin Atlantic (Flying Club) | 3:1 | 3,000 | 15 hours |
| Bilt Rewards | Virgin Atlantic (Flying Club) | 1,000:1,000 | 2,000 | 15 hours |
| Heathrow (My Heathrow) | Virgin Atlantic (Flying Club) | 250:250 | – | Unknown |
| Hilton Honors | Virgin Atlantic (Flying Club) | 10,000:1,500 | – | 11 hours |
| Hyatt (World of Hyatt) | Virgin Atlantic (Flying Club) | 1,250:750 (bonus for 50,000+ transfers) | 5,000 | Unknown |
| IHG One Rewards | Virgin Atlantic (Flying Club) | 10,000:2,000 | – | 5 days |
| Tesco Clubcard | Virgin Atlantic (Flying Club) | 1:2 | – | Unknown |
| Wells Fargo (Go Far Rewards) | Virgin Atlantic (Flying Club) | 1:1 | – | Unknown |
| Wells Fargo (Go Far Rewards) | Virgin Red | 1:1 | – | Unknown |
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Elite Status
Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club loyalty program has three elite tiers: Red, Silver, and Gold. Members earn tier points when flying with Virgin Atlantic or its partners, unlocking higher levels of perks as they progress.
Red (Entry Level)
All new members start in the Red tier, which includes:
- Priority boarding for economy
- Ability to pool Virgin Points in a household account
- Dedicated phone support
- Free economy seat selection seven days before departure with Virgin Atlantic Holidays
- Discounted access to No1 Lounges (plus the ability to earn points there)
Silver (400 Tier Points Required)
Silver builds on Red’s benefits with several upgrades:
- Premium check-in and priority boarding
- 30% bonus points on flights
- Status extension for maternity, paternity, or adoption
- Companion and upgrade vouchers to gift to loved ones
- Member perks with Virgin Hotels
- One additional checked bag
- Advance seat assignment
Gold (1,000 Tier Points Required)
Gold is the top Flying Club tier and delivers premium perks:
- 60% bonus Virgin Points on flights
- Upper Class check-in
- Increased checked and cabin baggage allowance
- Free seat selection in Economy Light and Classic, plus complimentary Economy Delight seat selection
- Preferred seat selection in Premium (for the member only)
- Lounge access at Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses for you and one guest
- Access to Heathrow’s Revivals Lounge
- 2,000 bonus Virgin Points on your birthday
- Flying Club reward voucher upon renewing Gold status
- Ability to gift Silver status to a friend and Flying Club reward vouchers to family or friends
- Guaranteed economy seat on any Virgin Atlantic flight
- Two reward vouchers after reaching 2,000 tier points in a membership year
Summary
Virgin Points can be earned through a wide variety of channels — from flights and hotel stays to shopping and credit card spending. The program is also well supported by transfer partnerships with all major flexible point currencies, making it easy to top up your balance when you need to secure a redemption.
Disclaimer: Program terms and conditions can change, although Virgin Atlantic's policy of non-expiring points is a stated benefit. This guide is for informational purposes only.