Flexibility is vital: Why I (principally) just like the Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership adjustments

On Oct. 30, Virgin Atlantic rolled out the long-awaited adjustments to its Flying Membership program, and general, they weren’t as dangerous as I had feared.

For Flying Membership members, all seats on Virgin-operated flights at the moment are accessible to e book with Virgin factors, a dramatic shift from the strictly capacity-controlled system this system beforehand operated beneath. Moreover, the most important program change is that each one award seats at the moment are dynamically priced, with some fare prices decreasing and others rising.

The adjustments are a blended bag and really a lot depend upon which kind of traveler you might be. As a versatile traveler with out kids, I am pleasantly shocked with the brand new Flying Membership program and pricing — here is why.

The Flying Membership reinvention wasn’t fairly as anticipated

Although Virgin Atlantic launched some data concerning the changes to Flying Membership earlier than it went dwell on Oct. 30, as a frequent flyer on the airline, I printed a want listing of adjustments that I felt would maintain this system engaging to members and aggressive within the loyalty panorama.

This is a have a look at whether or not these needs have been granted.

• An affordable cap on dynamic pricing: I hoped the costliest peak-date fares can be not more than twice the earlier award-chart ranges. Sadly, charges at the moment are as excessive as 350,000 factors per flight, greater than 4 occasions the earlier quantities. Whereas that is undeniably a damaging change, many of those excessive award-fare seats would have by no means been supplied for redemptions beneath the previous capacity-controlled award system.
• The flexibility to pay surcharges with factors: Whereas this transformation has not but been carried out, surcharges have been considerably lowered, so I contemplate this a program enchancment.
• Reductions on surcharges throughout off-peak durations and no elevated surcharges on peak durations: Flying Membership has carried out lowered surcharges throughout all dates, together with dramatically decrease surcharges with the brand new Saver fares. This can be a main program plus in my e book.
• Factors-only upgrades: Sadly, it’s essential to nonetheless pay the surcharges on award upgrades.
• Continued network-wide reductions on award seats: I contemplate the brand new Saver seats, accessible on about 75% of all Virgin Atlantic-operated flights, equal to the earlier limited-time-only network-wide reductions.

New Virgin Atlantic Saver fares are a terrific deal

Whereas I hoped for lowered redemption charges on low-demand dates, the brand new Saver fares made my jaw drop, and now supply the bottom charges of any main airline loyalty program for flights to Europe in all lessons.

Whereas the supply of those flights is restricted (search for the pink “Saver” tag when reserving), costs begin from as little as 6,000 Virgin factors in financial system from John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK) to Heathrow Airport (LHR), 10,500 Virgin factors in premium financial system and simply 29,000 Virgin factors in enterprise class.

There isn’t a denying these charges significantly enhance the Flying Membership program and are market-leading costs. Nevertheless, since a broadcast award chart now not units the pricing commonplace for Flying Membership, being a versatile traveler is vital to snagging an important redemption deal now that the service has switched to a dynamic pricing mannequin.

Associated: Leisurely luxurious: A evaluation of Virgin Atlantic’s A350 leisure configuration in Higher Class from Manchester to Orlando

Lowered surcharges throughout the community

For years, I’ve complained about Flying Membership’s eye-watering carrier-imposed surcharges, which added greater than $2,000 to the price of a round-trip business-class redemption to Europe. Regardless of holding a wholesome steadiness of Virgin factors for years and being a fan of their premium merchandise, I could not deliver myself to pay that a lot money on high of the factors required for an award redemption.

Together with the brand new Saver fares, an actual program enchancment has been the discount of carrier-imposed surcharges. The surcharges are priced dynamically — which is an uncommon idea in itself — however for the most affordable Saver fares, because of this the whole charges, taxes and surcharges payable for a flight to London at the moment are as little as:

• $73 in financial system
• $105 in premium financial system
• $254 in enterprise class

Even on peak journey dates while you’ll pay the best variety of Virgin factors required, round-trip business-class charges, taxes and surcharges from the U.S. West Coast to London are about $1,350 (observe that this value could fluctuate, since it’s priced dynamically). Although you continue to could gasp on the value, it is a discount from earlier surcharges the service imposed.

Plus, this heftier tax is as a result of U.Okay. APD Tax that each one airways go onto customers. Subsequently, simply know that while you fly from the U.Okay. to the U.S., you’ll pay extra in surcharges.

Capitalize on Virgin Atlantic switch bonuses

Since Flying Membership is a switch accomplice of many fashionable bank card applications, switch bonuses are a good way to save lots of much more in your subsequent flight.

For instance, the next switch bonuses are at present being supplied:

In case you have transferable Chase and Citi bank card factors at your disposal, you’ll be able to e book a business-class flight to London beginning at 21,000 Chase Final Rewards factors or 23,000 ThankYou Rewards factors with the bottom Saver charges.

That is an astonishing value level as even fashionable applications like Air France-KLM’s Flying Blue begin from 50,000 miles when reserving a one-way business-class seat from the U.S. to Europe.

Flying Membership peak charges are tremendous costly

Although Flying Membership has carried out many optimistic adjustments to its program, there are some drawbacks if you wish to journey throughout fashionable durations. Throughout your award search, you could discover that many dates have priced business-class flights at 350,000 factors per flight.

In the identical means my jaw dropped at how low the brand new Saver charges are, it was the same shock to see how disappointingly excessive peak charges have turn into. Whereas I anticipated costs to rise on peak dates, I didn’t anticipate they’d be priced this excessive.

I’d not advocate anybody redeem their Flying Membership factors at these charges. If you wish to journey throughout peak season, you’ll be able to seemingly discover a a lot better deal via different applications or by reserving a money fare. This particularly holds true when you think about that TPG values 700,000 Virgin factors at $9,800 per our November 2024 valuation of Virgin factors.

Even if you wish to e book an financial system ticket for 150,000 factors every, that is unreasonable, and I’d not advocate redeeming your Virgin or bank card factors this manner.

Virgin Flying Membership award charge discrepancies

With the current program adjustments, I’ve observed that the brand new dynamic pricing generates odd charges. For instance, this one-way financial system ticket from Miami to London prices 161,000 factors, whereas the premium financial system ticket prices simply 43,500 factors. The price of the financial system ticket is sort of 4 occasions the price of a premium seat. Is that this a technical glitch?

Moreover, I’ve seen skewed pricing by which a Saver fare is obtainable for an financial system seat, whereas premium and Higher Class are priced dynamically. I believe it is unlikely anybody can be prepared to pay virtually 27 occasions the variety of factors to e book a premium financial system ticket over an financial system ticket on the identical plane.

I would not panic simply but over these award pricing discrepancies, as I count on Virgin remains to be determining how you can value its seats, and these charges will most probably alter and turn into extra smart over time.

Even with switch bonuses from bank cards, I might be shocked if many Flying Membership members are prepared to pay 250,000 factors for a premium financial system flight, particularly after they understand it is very a lot financial system plus and never a business-class seat.

Associated: Is Virgin Atlantic premium financial system value it on the A330-900neo?

If no one pays these steep costs and the flights aren’t full, I’d count on to see lowered charges. In spite of everything, it is hardly engaging to potential program members in the event that they solely see these most charges when deciding whether or not to switch bank card factors to Flying Membership.

Moreover, I am excited to see if last-minute Saver fares shall be launched to fill planes with loads of spare seats, even on peak dates. This might imply glorious offers for spontaneous vacationers like myself.

Even Delta’s SkyMiles program and its infamous dynamic pricing do low cost redemption charges every so often.

The best way to earn Virgin Flying Membership factors

Virgin factors are straightforward to earn, with Flying Membership being a switch accomplice of each main transferable foreign money:

It is value noting that Capital One miles switch to Virgin Purple, not on to Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership. Nevertheless, you’ll be able to simply use your Virgin Purple account factors with Flying Membership.

Take a look at these card choices in which you’ll earn reward factors and miles to e book Flying Membership award seats. Plus, these playing cards all supply terrific welcome bonuses:

As all the time, TPG recommends discovering award availability earlier than transferring your bank card factors.

Backside line

With Virgin Flying Membership switching from award charts to dynamic pricing, some individuals, particularly vacationers who fly to London throughout peak durations, comparable to throughout the summer time months, could also be a bit disenchanted with the current adjustments, as charges on peak dates have considerably elevated.

Nevertheless, in case you have flexibility in your journey plans and love an important flight deal (like myself), the Flying Membership adjustments are way more palatable. The network-wide surcharge reductions are plain program enhancements, and the brand new Saver pricing is spectacular, particularly while you consider frequent bank card switch bonuses.

Significantly, paying beneath 30,000 factors for a lie-flat seat to Europe is tough to say no to, and for my journey habits, I am happy with the brand new Flying Membership program adjustments.