Virgin Atlantic Baggage Fees Guide (Carry-on, Checked, Economy Light) [2021]

Virgin Atlantic is known for its Virgin feel with onboard bars, brilliant advertising, and trendsetting premium economy. Nonetheless, Virgin Atlantic is not trendy when it comes to Economy Light baggage allowance and fees.

In this article, I go over Virgin Atlantic Economy Light, Economy Classic, Economy Delight, Premium Economy, and Upper Class baggage allowance and fees. Then I explain other goodies that you might want to bring onboard like musical instruments, sports equipment, and pets.

What are Virgin Atlantic baggage fees?

Virgin Atlantic primarily has long-haul flights making Virgin Atlantic one of the few airlines that offer free baggage in most fares, except Economy Light. Economy Light checked baggage fee goes for $60/£45. Luckily, Economy Classic and above fares offer free baggage. I go into more details down below.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

How can I avoid Virgin Atlantic baggage fees?

Virgin Atlantic makes it pretty easy to avoid their baggage fees.

Fare options

There is only one Virgin Atlantic fare, called Economy Light, that requires you to pay for one checked bag. Economy Classic, Economy Delight, Premium Economy, and Upper Class allow at least one checked bag for free weighing up to 50 lbs/23 kg.

  • Economy Classic: 1 bag
    • US/UK to India/Lagos: 2 bags
    • US to Johannesburg: 2 bags
  • Economy Delight: 1 bag
    • US/UK to India/Lagos: 2 bags
    • US to Johannesburg: 2 bags
  • Premium Economy: 2 bags
    • US/UK to India: 3 bags
  • Upper Class: 2 bags (70 lbs/32 kg)

As you can see, the fares above come with a decent baggage allowance, especially for Premium Economy and Upper Class passengers.

For your reference, it’s $60/£45 when you want to check a bag flying Economy Light. If you pay $60 each way for checking one bag, that would be $120 roundtrip. So, keep that in mind when booking Economy Light and knowing you have to check a bag.

Elite status

For the most loyal Virgin Atlantic fliers, you are given special benefits each time you fly Virgin Atlantic and select partners. 

No matter what class you are flying, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Gold members are allowed one extra carry-on bag and one extra checked bag. The extra bag can be up to 50lbs/23kg.

For example, if you are flying Economy Light, Gold members are entitled to a free checked bag plus an extra carry-on bag. Plus, Gold members can select their seat at booking, which isn’t allowed if you aren’t a Gold member booking Economy Light.

Other Gold benefits include Clubhouse access when flying Virgin Atlantic or Delta Airlines, arrivals lounge at Heathrow, priority boarding, priority check-in, and extra miles when you fly Virgin Atlantic.

Partner elite status

If you are a Delta SkyMiles Silver Medallion or higher, you’re entitled an extra checked bag in any class whenever you fly Virgin Atlantic. The extra bag can be up to 50lbs/23kg.

You will also get other benefits like priority boarding and check-in. If you’re a Delta SkyMiles Gold Medallion or higher, you are also entitled to priority baggage, Clubhouse access, and priority security.

Credit Cards

You can utilize certain credit cards to reduce or eliminate your baggage fees on Virgin Atlantic.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of the hottest travel rewards credit cards. It earns 3X the points on dining and travel and comes with a host of valuable benefits. One of these perks is a $300 travel credit that can be used on anything that codes as travel, including your baggage fees. You also have travel insurance built into the card, which includes delayed baggage insurance.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

CAPITAL ONE VENTURE benefits

One of my favorite cards to use to cover miscellaneous travel purchases is the Capital One Venture card. It’s a popular credit card that comes with a bonus of 50,000 miles after you spend $3,000 in the first three months.

It earns 2% cashback on all purchases toward travel, and the points can be used to cover virtually any travel purchase. The cashback you earn can be used to erase any travel purchases you made, including baggage fees.

Virgin Atlantic personal item and carry-on restrictions

When flying Virgin Atlantic, you are allowed to bring on one personal item and one carry-on in Economy and Premium Economy. For Upper Class passengers, you are allowed to bring one personal item and two carry-on bags.

Personal item

Each passenger in any class can bring one personal item on any Virgin Atlantic flight. Virgin Atlantic doesn’t disclose the max dimensions and weight for personal items.

So, if you bring a personal item, you must make sure it can fit under the seat in front of you. If not, you can put your personal item in the overhead bin, but do note that space can be limited. Some examples of personal items would be a briefcase, purse, laptop, and small backpack.

Carry-on

Economy (Economy Light, Economy Classic, and Economy Delight) and Premium Economy passengers can bring one carry-on bag. The max weight and dimensions are as followed:

  • 22lbs/10kg max weight
  • 9in/23cm length 
  • 14in/36cm width 
  • 22in/56cm height 

Upper Class can bring two carry-on bags. The max weights and dimensions are as followed:

  • 26lbs/12kg for one bag weight
  • 35lbs/16kg combined weight
  • 9in/23cm length 
  • 14in/36cm width 
  • 22in/56cm height 

Most of the time, Virgin Atlantic is flexible with weight, but you must be able to put your own baggage in the overhead bins without any help.

For your carry-on item, you can bring a suitcase, bag, garment bag, carrycot, pushchair or child seat for infants, and any required mobility aids, such as a wheelchair. Some items will be gate checked for free. As long as it doesn’t exceed the dimensions above, you will be fine.

Children’s carry-on baggage

Babies and toddlers under the age of 2 years old (aka lap infants flying on the lap infant fare) are only allowed to bring a bag that is 13lbs/6kg or less. They are entitled to the same amount of baggage as what is shown above.

Liquids

The same TSA standards apply to Virgin Atlantic flights arriving or departing from the US. You can review a list provided by the TSA of permitted and prohibited items which may be included in carry-on baggage including the 3-1-1 Liquids Rule.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Virgin Atlantic checked baggage fees

Virgin Atlantic fees structure is actually straightforward and not route-specific. So, all the fees, no matter the route, will be the same.

 Economy LightEconomy Classic and DelightPremium EconomyUpper Class
1st bag$60/£45IncludedIncludedIncluded
2nd bag$100/£65$100/£65
(US/UK to India/Lagos and
US to Johannesburg have 2nd bag included)		IncludedIncluded
3rd bag$200/£140$200/£140$200/£140$200/£140
4th bag$200/£140$200/£140$200/£140$200/£140

Economy and Premium Economy bags can weigh up to 50lbs/23kg. If the checked bag is weighing more than 50lbs/23kg, then it will be charged as an overweight bag, too. Upper Class bags can weigh up to 70lbs/32kg. Bags over 70lbs/32kg won’t be accepted. Bag dimensions can be up to 35.5 x 29.5 x 16in (90 x 75 x 43cm).

Lap infants receive one free checked bag for Economy Class, Economy Delight, Premium Economy, and Upper Class.

Remember, with Virgin Atlantic or Delta status, you will get one extra checked bag on top of your original allowance.

As you can see, it’s very different for some of these destinations. It’s best to check before you pack your suitcase.

In comparison to other international airlines, United charges the following rates:

  • $35 for the first checked bag
  • $45 for the second checked bag
  • $150 to $200 for the third checked bag
Get extra baggage allowance when flying Upper Class.

Virgin Atlantic checked baggage allowance

Checked bags flying Virgin Atlantic in any seat must not exceed 35.5 x 29.5 x 16in (90 x 75 x 43cm). In Economy and Premium economy, bags must not exceed 50lbs/23kg each. For Upper Class checked bags, they must not exceed 70lbs/32kg each.

For elite status members, bags can be up to 50lbs/23kg.

Virgin Atlantic excess baggage fee

Overweight and/or oversized bags are a thing. Sometimes we might pack too much and have to pay an overweight fee. So, being aware of the fees that are associated with overweight and oversized bags will help us out.

Overweight and/or oversized bag for Virgin Atlantic

If your bag exceeds the baggage allowance max weight or the dimensions quoted above, your bag will be subject to excess baggage fees.

Virgin Atlantic will apply fees for each way.

  • Overweight: $100/£65
  • Oversized: $300/£200

If your bag is both overweight and oversized, you will be charged both of the fees.

Tip: Get all the tips and pointers you need for your checked bags in our ultimate guide to checked luggage!

Sports bags on Virgin Atlantic

If you have sports baggage that you want to bring on your Virgin Atlantic flight, you might need to register your sports bag no later than 24 hours before departure.

To learn more about the fees associated, packing instructions, and if you need to register sports baggage, click here.

  • Archery equipment – bows and arrows
  • Avalanche rescue equipment
  • Bat and balls
  • Bicycles
  • Boating/Fishing equipment
  • Boogie boards, skim-, speed- and skateboards
  • Broomball/curling equipment
  • Climbing gear
  • Equestrian equipment
  • Fencing equipment
  • Firearms used for sporting activities
  • Golf Clubs
  • Hammer (Athletic)
  • Hockey/lacrosse/ringette/cricket equipment
  • Ice Skates
  • Inline Skates (Roller Blades)
  • Kayaking equipment
  • Parachutes and parachuting equipment
  • Pole Vaults and javelin
  • Racquets (badminton, squash, tennis, table tennis)
  • Scuba diving equipment
  • Skeleton Sleds
  • Skis and snowboards
  • Sports balls (inflatable) and bowling balls
  • Surfboards, paddleboards, kiteboards, wakeboards, and wave skis

Remember, you must confirm your sports baggage; otherwise, the check-in staff will refuse it if you need to register the bag.

Musical instruments as carry-on or checked baggage flying Virgin Atlantic

Musical instruments can accompany you in the cabin as a carry-on when flying Virgin Atlantic. The musical instrument must fit in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you.

Some examples of musical instruments as a carry-on would be a flute, trumpet, violin, etc. I strongly recommend having a hard carrying case to protect your instrument.

If you wish to buy a seat for your musical instrument, you can do so by calling Virgin Atlantic. Each instrument cannot exceed 165lbs/75kg and no more than 12in/30cm above the top of the seat cushion.

You may also check your musical instrument as a checked bag. If you do so, it will be subject to standard baggage allowanced based on the ticket you bought. 

Again, I strongly recommend you having your instrument in a hard carrying case or shipping case that can protect it.

Virgin Atlantic military baggage policy

Since Virgin Atlantic is an international airline, they don’t give US military personnel or veterans any benefits for flying their metal. Therefore, Virgin Atlantic won’t allow US military personnel to check bags for free. Only US airlines will give benefits to US military personnel and veterans.

If you want to learn more about military benefits for airlines, I suggest reading our article.

When can I check-in bags for Virgin Atlantic?

Check-in typically opens up to three hours before departure, some counters will be open before three hours, and it all depends on the airport. Virgin Atlantic recommends checking in your bag two hours before departure.

Some airports, like Tel Aviv airport, recommend arriving three hours before departure as security takes time. 

Virgin Atlantic pet policy

Virgin Atlantic doesn’t allow any pets into the cabin on any of their flights. If you wish to transport pets as cargo, you may do so with limited availability and select days available.

For example, Virgin Atlantic won’t transport pets leaving or arriving on Saturday or Sunday.

The crate cannot be any larger than 27.9 x 20 x 21in (71 x 52 x 54cm). Crates must not be damaged and must have a leak-proof base, ventilated, absorbent material on the bottom, and rigid. You can learn more about the rules here.

What if my bags are lost or damaged by Virgin Atlantic?

If your bags are lost or damaged, make sure you report it to Virgin Atlantic immediately. It is imperative to make a claim in person or online after the flight.

Making a claim with any representative is alright, but make sure you get a copy of the Property Irregularity Report (PIR) because having a copy is best for you. Refer to this link.

Virgin Atlantic lost and found

Losing or forgetting something on the aircraft happens to the best of us. Virgin Atlantic suggests speaking to someone at the airport before you leave the airport. A staff member might be able to grab it for you if you spoke up soon enough.

However, if you need to contact lost and found, you can call +1-800-880-6253 for the lost baggage team.

Items are usually held up to 30 days, but perishable items like food will be destroyed immediately.

For more information, click here.

Final word

Virgin Atlantic, to my surprise, isn’t overly too complicated with their baggage fees. While the prices are a little steep, the pricing structure is instead uniformed for every route they fly. This is a breath of fresh air compared to the complicated baggage fees that Lufthansa have.

Cover photo by Colin Brown Photography via Flickr

The Best Bars & Lounges on Airplanes (A380s, 777s, & More) [2020]

There’s a handful of aircraft out there that take the flying experience to the next level by offering bar and lounge areas for passengers to relax in. There are six different commercial airlines to date that offer true bar experiences on board: Emirates, Etihad, Korean Air, Qatar, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia.

There is a seventh is on its way as well with ANA (other airlines might have mini-bar areas but I’m not counting those.)

Brad and I were able to try out each of these six bars recently as part of one mega, round the world trip that lasted an entire moth. Each of the bars had something special to offer but some of the bars stood out more than others. Here’s my list of the best bars on airplanes and why I thought each bar earned its spot on the list.

Interested in finding out the top travel credit cards for this month? Click here to check them out! 

Things to know about the bars

Before I get into the list of the top bars, I wanted to point out a few things that I noticed about visiting these bars that you should be aware of. Knowing these will hopefully help you have a better day/night/14 hours at the bar.

The bars are usually in the back of business class

If you’re flying first class, chances are that the bar is going to be near the opposite side of the plane from where you’re sitting.

This means it’s going to be a little bit of a hike to get back to the first class cabin as you make your way through a dimly lit, narrow aisle with endless rows of passengers sound asleep. If you get a little wobbly after a couple of drinks, this is something to consider.

Only first class and business class passengers get access

These bars are only available to business class and/or first class passengers. Some bars may allow economy passengers access in the future *gasp* but for now unless you’re flying in business class or first class, chances are you won’t have access to the bar.

There are exclusive first class bars

Some of these aircraft have special areas reserved just for first class. This might be where they store the more premium drinks so if you go to those bars you can self serve yourself some of the most premium alcohol at your own mini (open) bar for hours on end.

Be easy on the self-service

On Virgin Australia, a crew member told us tales of people finding their way behind the bar and bar tending themselves. In most cases, you’re not allowed behind the bar and so you shouldn’t take that as your chance to show off why you should have been a mixologist. Just flag down a crew member for help.

The exception to this would be those exclusive first class bars where self service is encourages. Also, you usually can get a photo-op behind the bar so long as you ask the crew first.

Bring your premium drinks to the bar

If you’re flying first class and have special access to super-premium drinks like Dom Perignon you might want to request for them to be brought to the bar so that you can partake with it at the bar. Just try not to make everybody too jealous.

A little turbulence is okay

If you’re at the bar and turbulence hits, they’ll probably just ask you to sit down (and possibly strap in to the seat belt). If it’s really bad they might clear off the bar and then possibly ask you to return to your seat. But if it’s just a few bumps for a little while, you’ll probably be okay just hanging out at the bar.

The bars can re-up anytime

If you’re at the bar and notice your preferred drink of choice is getting low or empty, you can request for that drink to be taken from the galley and they’ll probably bring it out to the bar for you or at least pour you a glass.

The bars can get crowded

The bars on planes can get very crowded so you might want to try to time your visit.

The bars take a little while to get set-up. Chances are they won’t have the bar set up until about 15 minutes after reaching altitude. If you really want to check out these bars (and get photos) you might want to get there as soon as they open because they can get quite crowded.

You’ll likely want to return to the bar later because they usually adjust the lighting at the bar throughout the flight and I always found the lighting to be better and more interesting later on in the flight.

Don’t be one of those people

A lot of people underestimate how much easier it is to get hungover on a plane. A lot of people are also d-bags when they drink. Don’t be one of those people.

Emirates first class champagne.

So that’s it for the tips and below is the list of the best bars. If you want to find more about how I used miles to book these flights you can follow the links found below.

6. Virgin Atlantic 787

Virgin Atlantic gets some points because they have their bars fitted on multiple aircraft. Whether you’re flying the 747, 787, A330, A340, you’ll find a bar on board (except for the new A330-200s). The design and layout of the bar is a bit different for some of these but we flew on the 787 Dreamliner so that’s what I’m going to focus on.

The bar on the Virgin Atlantic 787 is located at the end of the Upper Class cabin and it’s very open — there are no curtains acting as a divider to the rest of the cabin. This means that bar-goers can create a lot of noise in a hurry and might need to be shushed, which puts a bit of a damper on the experience.

Virgin Atlantic 787 bar.

If you’re taking a day-flight from the East Coast to the UK, the odds are probably higher that more people will be visiting the bar and noise might be an issue. Since we departed LAX on a late flight, most people were snoozing away for most of the flight and noise wasn’t an ongoing problem.

While the bar area is quite small, it’s extremely sleek once the flight gets underway and the cabin crew turns the mood lighting on. There are only a couple of stools to relax on on the 787, so you might be standing if you want to check out the bar.

Snacks are offered at the bar but they were among my least favorite out of all of the bars we tried. So while the Virgin Atlantic bar is pretty striking, it’s my least favorite due to the small size and lack of food and drink options.

Virgin Atlantic 787 bar.
Virgin Atlantic 787 bar.

5. Etihad A380 — “The Lobby”

The Etihad A380 is a magnificent aircraft. While only flown on six routes, it’s a thing of beauty especially its first class cabin which is home to the Apartment (and the Residence) not to mention a shower as well. The bar on the Etihad A380 is known as “The Lobby” and it’s open to both first class and business class customers.

The Lobby reminds me of a booth you’d reserve at a nice lounge or wine bar where you’re there just to relax and chat with colleagues. It’s not a large area, but there’s room for about six people to relax on some comfortable seating and take advantage of power outlets if needed.

There’s no bartender present in the room for the most part so it’s a good place to have a private conversation/business meeting. The crew will come by to serve you up some drinks and/or serve you up some light snacks but you kind of feel like you are on your own at The Lobby and the snacks aren’t very extensive.

The Lobby on the Etihad on the A380.

Overall, The Lobby is a cool place worth checking out but it’s not the most memorable in-flight bar out there. It’s also a bar that’s one of the tougher to find since Etihad only flies the A380 to six cities:

  • New York
  • Mumbai
  • London
  • Paris
  • Melbourne
  • Sydney

4. Korean Air A380 — “The Celestial Bar”

The Korean Air A380 houses the aptly-named Celestial Bar which is one of the most interesting bars in the sky. This cosmo-inspired bar is a pretty spacious area with comfy benches to relax on and a bartender who remains on-duty at all times.

Korean Air A380 Celestial Bar.

The Celestial serves up a whole roster of vodka drinks, which you can order from their special menus. Many of the drinks, served in martini glasses, are pretty satisfying but if you’re not a vodka person, you may want to bring your own wine, champagne, or beer with you from your seat.

They’ll also have a good mix of savory snacks and desserts on a rotation, some of which consisted of tasty items I’d never tried before.

Korean Air A380 Celestial Bar.

The Korean Air A380 actually has two other smaller bar/lounge areas, including one on the bottom deck of the A380 that’s exclusive to first class passengers. In this area, you can have more snacks all to yourself and also fix up your own drink, making it as potent as you’d like.

The first class bar on the A380.

Oh yeah, and I realize it’s not a bar but I felt the need to point out that there’s also a duty-free shop on the Korean A380 as well.

Duty-free shop on the Korean Air A380.

3. Virgin Australia 777 — “The Bar”

The Virgin Australia 777 is home to a beautiful bar area located between the two business class cabins on the 777. This is one of the toughest bars to fly on because LAX is pretty much the only place that these 777s fly to from Australia.

On our visit, the bar tender/flight attendant got the party started for us and the bar ended up being the funnest experience out of all of these in-flight bars during our flight from SYD to LAX. The nice vibe I got at the bar is why I’ve put this bar at number 3 — it was truly an enjoyable bar visit.

There’s a decent selection of beverages to choose from, including a selection of whiskies like Maker’s Mark and Aussie wines, though no truly premium drink is served.

Virgin Australia bar on the 777.

You can snack on chips, chocolates, and some other light bites and check out a nice selection of magazines as well. If you ever find yourself in need of a refill with no bartender in sight, there’s a call button located at the bar you can use to get service as soon as you can.

The back side of the bar has an iconic Virgin Australia logo and makes the bar look pretty epic with the right lighting.

2. Emirates A380

The Emirates A380 is another pretty magnificent aircraft. It’s got an amazing first class complete with tricked-out suites and even showers. But it also has one of the best onboard bars that’s open to both business class and first class passengers.

There’s also a lot of tasty desserts and snacks to choose from like olives, fruits, and even some sandwiches. I really liked this bar because the cabin crew was great, the snacks were on-point, and the crowds never got that bad. It’s also a pretty cool looking bar.

Emirates A380 bar.

The bar area is pretty spacious and I thought it was great for socializing. If you have a middle seat in business or first class, you can come out to the bar and enjoy the views for a while, too.

Emirates A380 bar.

Emirates also has a special bar only available to first class passengers which is found at the front of the plane. This is where they store the high-end stuff like Dom Perignon and Hennessy Paradis, which is a Henny that goes for close to $800 per bottle.

The Emirates first class bar on the A380.

There’s also new version of the bar being rolled out which steps up the elegance game but we really enjoyed this version.

1. Qatar Airways A380

Qatar also has a beautiful A380, including an awesome first class cabin. While there’s no shower on board the Qatar A380, I think Qatar has to win for the best bar. The bar area is just immaculate with beautiful lighting and decor that exudes elegance.

The design of the bar is also seamless and it’s put together in a way that’s perfect for socializing and relaxing. The only problem with the bar is that it’s very popular with passengers and can start to fill up pretty quickly.

The Qatar A380 onboard bar.

Qatar serves Krug in first class but not in business class. However, you can still get served Krug at the bar even as a business class passenger, which is a major plus for this bar.

The snacks, desserts, and canapé offered at the bar are gourmet and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a bar at the Ritz-Carlton. Even the glassware and silverware has an elegant feel to it. For all of the reasons above, I have to give Qatar the nod as the best airplane bar experience.

Qatar doesn’t operate its A380 on many true long-haul flights but you can find it on the following routes:

  • Bangkok
  • Guangzhou
  • London
  • Melbourne
  • Paris
  • Sydney

Final word

Getting out and stretching your legs in a bar is a fantastic way to refresh on a long-haul flight. Some of these bars will amaze you with great drinks and atmospheres so much that you’ll forget your on a plane.

Virgin Atlantic 90K Offer Is Back

Bank of America issues Virgin Atlantic’s credit card and every so often they release what seems like a very generous sign-up bonus of 90,000 miles. It’s actually a decent bonus (for a pretty decent loyalty program) but it’s not truly 90K once you break down how it all works.

Update: Some offers are no longer available — click here for the latest deals!

The offer

  • 20,000 Flying Club bonus miles after your first retail purchase
  • 50,000 Flying Club bonus miles after you spend at least $12,000 in purchases within 6 months
  • Earn up to 5,000 Flying Club bonus miles when you add an authorized user
  • Earn up to 15,000 additional bonus miles each anniversary after qualifying purchases (7,500 anniversary miles after you spend a minimum of $15,000 and an additional 7,500 anniversary miles after you spend a total of $25,000 within the anniversary year with your card).
  • Earn 3 miles per $1 spent directly on Virgin Atlantic purchases
  • 1.5 miles per $1 on all other purchases
  • 25 tier points per $2,500 in purchases (maximum 50 per month) to elevate your Flying Club status
  • If you spend at least $25,000 on your card within a year, the primary cardholder will also qualify for an economy companion reward ticket for half the standard miles of a reward economy seat, maximum one reward companion ticket per year.
  • $90 annual fee (not waived)
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Subject to Bank of America’s new credit card application rules

Sign-up bonus

As seen above, the sign-up bonus has four components to it:

  • 20,000 Flying Club bonus miles after your first retail purchase
  • 50,000 additional Flying Club bonus miles after you spend at least $12,000 in purchases within 6 months of your account open date
  • Earn up to 15,000 additional bonus miles each anniversary after qualifying purchases
  • Earn up to 5,000 Flying Club bonus miles when you add additional authorized users to your card

The easy part of the sign-up bonus is earning 25,000 miles, since you only have to make a single purchase and add an authorized user to earn that. The additional 50,000 miles is only earned after you spend $12,000 in 6 months. That’s a lot of spending for some people, so it may not be very practical, especially considering that you could hit multiple sign-up bonuses with that level of spend. But they do give you 6 months, so that’s only $2,000 worth of spend per month.

And finally, you don’t get the additional 15,000 bonus miles until you reach an anniversary and hit up to $25,000 worth of spend which again is a pretty big commitment. So really this only a 75K sign-up bonus, which isn’t bad considering what you can do with Virgin Atlantic miles.

The economy companion reward ticket for half the standard miles of a reward economy seat is kind of a joke for $25K worth of spend. It can only be used once a year and only gives you half off economy awards (which are generally pretty cheap) while you still have to pay taxes and fees (which can be quite high). I would definitely not go chasing that companion ticket.

What can you do with Virgin Atlantic miles?

Virgin Atlantic is a 1:1 transfer partner of American Express, Chase, and Citi, making it very easy to accrue miles for its program.

The biggest knock against Virgin Atlantic is that using points for flights on their own metal can result in some pretty high fuel surcharges. The plus side is that some of the rewards are pretty cheap so it’s like getting a big discount when paying cash in some cases.

There’s also some good value on partner airlines. While Virgin Atlantic is not a member of an alliance, they partner with several airlines, such as Delta, Singapore, ANA, Hawaiian, and a few others. On several of these partners, fees can be pretty minimal. The drawback is that one way awards typically cost the same as roundtrip awards so you pretty much want to just stick to booking roundtrips.

If you do enough research, you’ll find some pretty good sweet spots for some of these partner awards. For example, one very popular sweet spot is using 120,000 Virgin Atlantic miles for a roundtrip first class ticket to Japan with ANA and only about $180 in fees. That’s around 100,000 miles cheaper than what Star Alliance partners United and Aeroplan would require.

Final word

This offer comes and goes so I wouldn’t feel a lot of pressure to jump on it. Also, getting a lot of value from Virgin Atlantic on partners requires a fair amount of research and hustle since they don’t publish all award charts and you’ll have to call in to check on certain bookings. If you’re willing to do a little bit of work, though, you can find some great deals and since Virgin Atlantic points can be transferred from Amex, Citi, and Chase, you shouldn’t have trouble earning enough miles for your redemptions.

H/T: The Frequent Miler

Amex Offering 30% Transfer Bonus to Virgin Atlantic

Offers contained within this article maybe expired.

American Express is offering a 30% transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic through November 30, 2017. This is a great opportunity to get acquainted with the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, which is the frequent flyer club for Virgin Atlantic.

What can you do with Virgin Atlantic miles?

Virgin Atlantic is a 1:1 transfer partner of American Express, Chase, and Citi, making it very easy to accrue miles for its program.

The biggest knock against Virgin Atlantic is that using points for flights on their own metal can result in some pretty high fuel surcharges. The plus side is that some of the rewards are pretty cheap so it’s like getting a big discount when paying cash in some cases. For example, a roundtrip Upper Class (business class) ticket on Virgin Atlantic from the East Coast to London is only 95,000 for a standard rate but comes with ~$1,200 in fees.

There’s also some very good value on partner airlines. While Virgin Atlantic is not a member of a major alliance, they partner with several airlines, such as Delta, Singapore, ANA, Hawaiian, and a few others. On several of these partners, fees can be pretty minimal. The drawback is that one way awards for some partners cost the same as roundtrip awards so you often want to just stick to booking roundtrips.

The big sweet spot

If you do enough research, you’ll find some pretty good sweet spots for some of these partner awards. For example, one very popular sweet spot is using 120,000 Virgin Atlantic miles for a roundtrip first class ticket to Japan with ANA and only about $180 in fees. That’s around 100,000 miles cheaper than what Star Alliance partners United and Aeroplan would require!

With this promotion, this sweet spot gets even sweeter. Factoring in the 30% bonus, you could book ANA first class roundtrip from the East Coast to Japan for only 93,000 Membership Rewards and you could book ANA business class from the East Coast to Japan for only 74,000 Membership Rewards. That’s a $22,000 ticket for roughly $180 in fees and 93,000 points for 23.4 cents per point — one of the most valuable redemptions you’ll ever come across.

These are both outstanding deals so if you’re interested in them you’ll probably have to book very far ahead. Also, don’t be surprised to see these awards devalued pretty soon because they’ve exploded in popularity over the past year.

If you’re interested in ANA flights, try using United, Aeroplan, or ANA’s website to search for open awards and then you’ll have to call in to book them with Virgin Atlantic.

H/T: Reddit

Virgin Atlantic 90K Sign-up Bonus Back

Bank of America issues Virgin Atlantic’s credit card and every so often they release what seems like a very generous sign-up bonus of 90,000 miles. It’s a decent bonus (for a pretty decent program) but it’s not truly 90K once you break down how it all works. Here’s a look at the offer:

Update: Some offers are no longer available — click here for the latest deals!

The offer

  • 20,000 Flying Club bonus miles after your first retail purchase
  • 50,000 additional Flying Club bonus miles after you spend at least $12,000 in purchases within 6 months of your account open date
  • Earn up to 15,000 additional bonus miles each anniversary after qualifying purchases
  • Earn up to 5,000 Flying Club bonus miles when you add additional authorized users to your card
  • Earn 3 miles per $1 spent directly on Virgin Atlantic purchases
  • 1.5 miles per $1 on all other purchases
  • 25 tier points per $2,500 in purchases (maximum 50 per month) to elevate your Flying Club status
  • $90 annual fee (not waived)
  • No foreign transaction fees

Sign-up bonus

As seen above, the sign-up bonus has four components to it:

  • 20,000 Flying Club bonus miles after your first retail purchase
  • 50,000 additional Flying Club bonus miles after you spend at least $12,000 in purchases within 6 months of your account open date
  • Earn up to 15,000 additional bonus miles each anniversary after qualifying purchases
  • Earn up to 5,000 Flying Club bonus miles when you add additional authorized users to your card

The easy part of the sign-up bonus is earning 25,000 miles, since you only have to make a single purchase and add an authorized user to earn that. The additional 50,000 miles is only earned after you spend $12,000 in 6 months. That’s a lot of spending for some people, so it may not be very practical, especially considering that you could hit multiple other sign-up bonuses with that level of spend.

And finally, you don’t get the additional 15,000 bonus miles until you reach an anniversary.

So really this only a 75K sign-up bonus, which isn’t bad considering what you can do with Virgin Atlantic miles.

What can you do with Virgin Atlantic miles?

Virgin Atlantic is a 1:1 transfer partner of American Express, Chase, and Citi, making it very easy to accrue miles for its program.

The biggest knock against Virgin Atlantic is that using points for flights on their own metal can result in some pretty high fuel surcharges. The plus side is that some of the rewards are pretty cheap so it’s like getting a big discount when paying cash in some cases.

There’s also some good value on partner airlines. While Virgin Atlantic is not a member of an alliance, they partner with several airlines, such as Delta, Singapore, ANA, Hawaiian, and a few others. On several of these partners, fees can be pretty minimal. The drawback is that one way awards cost the same as roundtrip awards so you pretty much want to just stick to booking roundtrips.

If you do enough research, you’ll find some pretty good sweet spots for some of these partner awards. For example, one very popular sweet spot is using 120,000 Virgin Atlantic miles for a roundtrip first class ticket to Japan with ANA and only about $180 in fees. That’s around 100,000 miles cheaper than what Star Alliance partners United and Aeroplan would require! You can read up more on the sweet spots for Virgin Atlantic partners here.

Final word

This offer comes and goes so I wouldn’t feel a lot of pressure to jump on it. Also, getting a lot of value from Virgin Atlantic on partners requires a fair amount of research and hustle since they don’t publish award charts and you’ll have to call in to check on bookings. If you’re willing to do a little bit of work, though, you can find some great deals and since Virgin Atlantic points can be transferred from Amex, Citi, and Chase, you shouldn’t have trouble earning enough miles for your redemptions.