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The Guide to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

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Table of Contents

About Virgin Atlantic

How to earn virgin atlantic flying club points, how to redeem virgin atlantic flying club points for maximum value, virgin atlantic flying club redemptions to avoid, virgin atlantic flying club’s elite status program, virgin atlantic clubhouses, virgin atlantic flying club, recapped.

In 1984, Sir Richard Branson founded a quirky new airline. Named after his established Virgin Group, he dubbed the airline Virgin Atlantic. His adventurous personality came to personify what the airline was all about, including his famous "screw it, let's do it" philosophy. As it grew, Virgin Atlantic became the airline you flew if you wanted an adventure.

As it wraps up its fourth decade of flying, Virgin Atlantic is setting off on a new adventure. As of March 2, 2023, the United Kingdom-based airline joined the SkyTeam alliance — adding over a dozen new airlines to its already-long list of airline and hotel partners.

In this guide, we'll explore how to earn Virgin Atlantic points, the best ways to redeem them, and what it takes to earn elite status with the airline’s loyalty program, the Flying Club.

Here’s a quick overview of a few key features of Virgin Atlantic and its loyalty program:

Main U.S. routes: Virgin Atlantic operates flights to 12 U.S. cities, with most of its flights routing through London-Heathrow airport. Flights to New York City, Los Angeles , Orlando, Fla., and San Francisco are among the most popular. Virgin Atlantic also operates flights to the U.S. from Manchester, England and Edinburgh, Scotland.

Classes of service: Virgin Atlantic offers three classes of seats — economy , premium economy and "Upper Class" business class. Economy fares are further broken down into three categories: Delight, Classic and Light. Upper Class passengers receive complimentary access to Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse lounges.

Points currency and loyalty program: Virgin Atlantic travelers earn and redeem Virgin points through the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Members earn a percent of the actual miles flown multiplied by an earning rate that depends on the fare class and the traveler's level of elite status. Points can be redeemed for flights, upgrades or holiday packages, or they can be transferred to hotel partners or other members.

» Learn more: The guide to Virgin Atlantic premium economy

Earn by flying

Flying Club members earn Virgin Atlantic points based on the ticket class and the number of miles flown. Economy flights earn from 25% to 150% of miles flown, while Premium flyers earn 100% to 200% and Upper Class travelers earn 200% to 400%. Here's how those earnings rates shake out:

Don't want to do the math? The good news is that Virgin Atlantic offers a handy earning calculator .

Flying Club elite status members earn a bonus on top of the base earnings. Silver members get a 30% points bonus, while Gold elites get a 60% points bonus.

» Learn more: How to know how many miles you’ll earn from a flight

Flying Club members can also earn Virgin points by crediting flights flown on any SkyTeam partner or on any of Virgin Atlantic's nine non-alliance partners. The earnings rate depends on the airline you're flying, the fare class you booked and the distance of the flight.

Earn by spending on credit cards

Another way to earn Flying Club points is by using the Virgin Atlantic World Elite Mastercard® . Cardholders earn 3 points per dollar spent on Virgin Atlantic purchases and 1.5 points per dollar on other purchases.

New applicants can earn the following sign-up bonus: For a limited time: 60,000 bonus Virgin Points after spending $2,000 or more on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. Plus, get an additional 2,500 points for each authorized user on the account, up to a maximum of 5,000 points.

The Virgin Atlantic World Elite Mastercard® offers several bonuses for spending on the card:

Earn up to 15,000 bonus points by hitting spending thresholds on the card each cardholder anniversary year. 

Receive 25 tier points (up to 50 per month) for every $2,500 in purchases on the card. That means you can achieve Silver status solely from credit card spending. Plus, you'll have an easier path to Gold by maxing out this opportunity.

After spending $25,000 on the card, you'll earn a choice of either a one-time one-cabin upgrade or a Companion Fare.

The Virgin Atlantic World Elite Mastercard® charges an annual fee of $90 but doesn't charge foreign transaction fees.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

Earn Virgin points through transfer partners

Building your Flying Club points balance is easy thanks to Virgin Atlantic's many transfer partners. Virgin Atlantic partners with the following bank and hotel loyalty programs — which travelers can use to convert rewards into Flying Club points.

If you transfer at least 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to Virgin Atlantic, you'll receive an additional bonus of 5,000 Virgin Atlantic points. World of Hyatt has a similar offer: You'll receive 7,500 bonus Virgin points when converting at least 50,000 Hyatt points at one time.

Earn Virgin points on lodging

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club members have a slew of ways to earn Virgin points through hotel stays, such as the following:

Virgin Limited Edition: Earn up to 55,000 Virgin points by booking a stay at one of Richard Branson's retreats.

Virgin Hotels: Earn 2,000 points per stay. Plus, Silver elites will receive complimentary upgrades, and Gold elites will get upgrades and free breakfast.

Rocketmiles: Earn at least 500 points per night — up to 10,000 points per night.

Kaligo.com: Earn up to 10,000 points per night at 550,000 hotels worldwide.

Hyatt: Earn 750 Virgin points per stay at Hyatt hotels and resorts.

IHG: Earn up to 500 Virgin points per stay at select IHG brands.

Marriott: Earn up to 2 points per dollar spent at qualifying Marriott brands.

Best Western: Earn 500 Virgin points per stay at any Best Western property worldwide.

WorldHotels Collection: Earn 500 Virgin points per qualifying stay.

Yotel: Earn 500 Virgin points on stays of three or more nights in New York and 100 points for stays at Yotel airport locations.

Earn Virgin points on car rentals

Another way to earn Flying Club points is through rental car reservations with these five partners:

Avis: Earn from 250 to 1,000 Virgin points, depending on the length of rental and the rate you use.

Alamo: Earn 1,000 Virgin points per rental in the U.S. and Canada.

Hertz: Earn up to 1,100 Virgin points per rental — 1,000 points for leisure rentals plus 100 bonus points for Hertz Gold Plus Reward members.

National: Earn 1,000 Virgin points per rental in the U.S. and Canada and up to 1,200 points in Europe.

Sixt: Earn 500 points per car rental and 3 points for every euro (about $1.09) spent on Sixt premium limousine services.

Other ways to earn Virgin points

Flying Club members can also earn Virgin points through the following methods:

Online shopping: Earn 2 Virgin points for every English pound (about $1.24) spent through the Virgin Atlantic "Retail Therapy" shopping portal.

Virgin Atlantic Holidays: Book a package through Virgin Atlantic Holidays to earn a base of 2 Virgin Points for every English pound (about $1.24) spent. Even better, Silver Flying Club elites earn 3x and Gold Flying Club elites earn 4x points on bookings.

e-Rewards: Convert e-Rewards Currency or Opinion Points to Virgin points. The transfer rate depends on where your account is registered and how many points you convert.

Purple Parking: Earn up to 500 Virgin points for airport parking bookings.

Business Traveller: Earn 400 Virgin points for a one-year subscription, up to 2,300 Virgin points for a three-year subscription.

Purchase points: Buy Virgin points for $25 per 1,000 points, plus a $22 transaction fee.

» Learn more: British Airways vs. Virgin Atlantic: Which is better?

Virgin Atlantic award flights

For award flights on Virgin Atlantic, Flying Club offers two award charts — one for the standard season and one for the peak season. Points rates depend on which regions you're flying between, which cabin of service you’re in, and whether you're flying during peak or standard dates.

Virgin Atlantic award prices are simply excellent. During standard dates, you can pay just 20,000 Virgin points to fly round-trip between the U.S. and the U.K.

However, fuel surcharges can be a major drag on the value of Virgin Atlantic points. Virgin Atlantic is infamous for charging excessively high cash co-pays on award tickets. For example, you'll need to pay $486 round-trip for that low-mileage economy redemption across the Atlantic.

That's extreme when you consider that the cash price without using award tickets would be as little as $562 round-trip for the same flights — or $732 round-trip for comparable Economy Classic fares.

After subtracting the out-of-pocket cost of the award ($486.15) from the cash ticket cost ($731.65), you'd get around 1.23 cents per point in value from this redemption.

That's in line with NerdWallet's number crunching. We found that Virgin Atlantic points provide a baseline value of 1.8 cents each . You should aim to get this value anytime you redeem your Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points for award flights.

Redemptions on All Nippon Airways (ANA)

One of the best sweet spots in the points and miles world is booking ANA business class awards through Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

Travelers can book ANA business class awards between Hawaii and Tokyo for just 35,000 Virgin points each way. Flights from the U.S. West Coast cost just 45,000 Virgin points each way, and flights to or from the U.S. East Coast cost only 47,500 miles each way.

These are spectacular award redemption rates. For reference, United charges 88,000 MileagePlus miles for the one-way award flights in ANA business class. Air Canada Aeroplan charges between 55,000 and 75,000 points each way, depending on your route.

Even after a recent devaluation, travelers can still book ANA first class awards for as few as 57,500 Virgin points one-way from Hawaii, up to 85,000 points each way from the U.S. East Coast. That's excellent for awards that otherwise cost 110,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points or 121,000 United MileagePlus miles.

Here's the full breakdown of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club award prices on ANA:

Booking (certain) awards on Delta Air Lines

Booking an award flight on Delta Air Lines can be an excellent way to redeem Virgin Atlantic points. Flying Club members can book seats in Delta Main Cabin and Delta One business class. Unfortunately, Delta premium economy awards aren't bookable through Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

Award flights now start at just 7,500 points for short flights under 500 miles, and nonstop flights up to 1,000 miles in distance cost just 8,500 points. That's enough to cover flights like Atlanta to Nassau, Bahamas.

Delta award flights to mainland Europe can also be a Virgin Atlantic Flying Club sweet spot . Nonstop flights cost 30,000 points in economy or just 50,000 points in Delta One business class. And the taxes and fees are minimal on these awards.

However, not all Delta flights are a good deal once you factor in the full cost of the award flight. Make sure to take notice of the taxes and fuel surcharges that apply. Delta Main Cabin awards to the U.K. can cost $556 round-trip out-of-pocket, while taxes and fees on Delta One awards can climb over $2,000 round-trip. With the out-of-pocket cost so high, it may make more sense to pay cash for a flight rather than redeem Virgin points.

Also, after a 2021 devaluation , longer and connecting domestic Delta flights aren't as appealing as before. That's because Virgin Atlantic charges separately for each flight and more for longer flights. For example, an award flight on Delta from Charlotte to Los Angeles costs 21,000 points one-way whether you connect through Minneapolis-St. Paul or Salt Lake City.

Depending on how much Delta is charging for an award, this can still be a good deal. For example, Delta is currently charging 34,500 SkyMiles each way for the same awards — with a 15% discount if you're a Delta cardholder.

Air France and KLM

Like on Delta and Virgin Atlantic, Flying Club redemptions on Air France and KLM range from mediocre to excellent. Fuel surcharges and taxes can eat into the value of what would otherwise be spectacular redemption rates.

For example, a one-way award flight from Atlanta to Paris-Charles de Gaulle in Air France economy class costs just 12,000 points. But you'll have to pay a not-so-nice $146 in taxes and fees.

Virgin Atlantic is also useful for hopping through Europe on KLM and Air France. Awards cost as little as 4,000 Virgin points each way on off-peak dates for under 600 miles in distance from the origin to the destination. That's true even if a connection makes the routing more than 600 miles.

» Learn more: 6 cheap flights within Europe to book with points

Redemptions on Air New Zealand

Virgin Atlantic also offers excellent award rates on Air New Zealand. For instance, you can book round-trip awards between Hawaii and New Zealand for 60,000 Virgin points in economy or just 90,000 Virgin points in business class. Similarly, flights between Los Angeles and the South Pacific cost 60,000 points round-trip in economy or 90,000 points round-trip in business class.

Unfortunately, this is mostly a theoretical sweet spot considering just how difficult Air New Zealand award availability can be to find. If you do find availability, you'll need to call Virgin Atlantic to book awards.

Lap infant award prices

Virgin Atlantic remains one of the best ways to book an award flight with a lap infant. Parents need to pay as few as 1,000 Virgin points each way for a child under the age of two, with the price depending on the class of the ticket:

1,000 points in economy.

2,000 points in Premium.

5,000 points in Upper Class.

And these rates also apply to partner awards. You only have to pay 1,000 points each way to add an infant to an economy award or 5,000 one-way in business class.

Unique ways to redeem Virgin points

All airline loyalty programs let members redeem miles for free flights, and most programs offer ways to redeem miles for hotels or other travel redemptions. But only Virgin Atlantic lets you use points for some truly unique redemptions — from a private island in the Caribbean to flying into space.

This wouldn't be a complete guide to Virgin Atlantic if we also didn't share some of the unique ways you can redeem Flying Club points:

Visit Sir Richard Branson's private island: Book a four-night stay at Necker Island for 540,000 Virgin points plus $5,400 in cash — plus an extra 180,000 Virgin points and $1,800 for each additional night.

Stay at a South African winery: Redeem as few as 110,000 Virgin points for a three-night stay at Mont Rochelle. Taxes, fees, breakfast and even the in-room minibar are included.

Safari at Sir Richard Branson's private game reserve: Try your luck at spotting the "Big Five" of safari mammals at Ulusaba in South Africa. Redeem 540,000 Virgin points for a three-night stay or 860,000 Virgin points for a five-night stay, which also includes a massage.

Fly into space: Members who earn 2 million Virgin points can enter a drawing to redeem points for a trip into space on Virgin Galactic.

What these redemptions are worth depends on how much you'd value the experiences. However, each should provide more than our baseline value of 1.8 cents per point when you compare the points cost to the list price.

In NerdWallet analysis, Virgin points have a baseline value of 1.8 cents per point. Here are the redemptions that fall short of this threshold.

Points Plus Money Reservations

Virgin Atlantic likes to promote the ability to use Points Plus Money to book Virgin Atlantic flights. When booking eligible flights on Virgin Atlantic, you'll get the choice during checkout to apply as few as 3,000 points to reduce your out-of-pocket cost. However, this option doesn’t provide great value, as it has a rather poor redemption rate of less than one cent per point.

For example, on our booking from New York to London, Virgin Atlantic provides the following Points Plus Money redemption options:

$20.46 off for 3,000 points.

$40.92 off for 6,000 points.

$61.39 off for 9,000 points.

$81.85 off for 12,000 points.

$102.32 off for 15,000 points.

Each of these redemption options provides around 0.68 cents per point in value — which is well below our baseline value for Virgin points. The only time this redemption makes sense is if you have a small Virgin points balance and no way of topping it off for higher-value redemptions.

Most SkyTeam airline redemptions

When Virgin Atlantic joined SkyTeam in March 2023, it added redemptions through over a dozen of its new partners. Flying Club uses an identical distance-based award chart for these new SkyTeam partners — from Aerolinas Argentinas to Xiamen Air, with redemptions starting at just 5,500 points each way for flights under 500 miles.

Travelers may be able to find some niche value using this award chart — such as on short yet expensive international flights. However, distance-based award charts like these are generally constructed to keep travelers from getting outsized value.

Other non-alliance partner airlines

In addition to its SkyTeam alliance partners, Flying Club has nine additional partners. Two of these were covered above: ANA and Air New Zealand. However, not all non-alliance partner awards offer above-average value. Here are the four non-alliance partners with disappointing awards charts:

Hawaiian Airlines : Has a modest awards chart offering 7,500-mile intra-island flights and flights to the mainland starting at 20,000 miles each way.

Singapore Airlines : There are no business or first class awards offered to/from the U.S., and economy rates aren't compelling.

South African Airways : Offers 20,000-point round-trips within South Africa. However, South African Airways' limited route network makes it much less relevant to U.S. travelers.

Virgin Australia : Offers economy redemptions only. Rates are as low as 16,000 points round-trip within Australia. However, Virgin Australia's only long-haul flight is currently to Tokyo.

Three additional Virgin Atlantic Flying Club partners are earn-only partners: IndiGo, LATAM Airlines and SAS.

Convert Virgin points to hotel points

Virgin Atlantic members may convert Flying Club points to several hotel programs. The conversion rate isn't terrible if you need miles in a pinch. But travelers should be able to find better redemptions than these:

Hilton Honors : 2 Virgin points = 3 Hilton Honors points. Minimum transfer of 10,000 Virgin points, and transfers must be made in increments of 10,000 Virgin points.

IHG One Rewards : 1 Virgin point = 1 IHG One Rewards point. A minimum transfer of 10,000 Virgin points, then transfers can be made in increments of 5,000 Virgin points.

If you're considering transferring Virgin points to hotel points, consider booking a night through Kaligo instead. You can redeem from 20,000 to 40,000 Virgin points per night at over 465,000 hotels through Kaligo. That's still a lot of Virgin points to pay, but it might be cheaper than transferring points to Hilton or IHG.

Flying Club has three member levels within its loyalty program, and members start in the Red tier just for joining Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. After earning 400 tier points, you're upgraded to Silver tier and after 1,000 tier points, you'll reach the Gold tier.

Tier points are earned based on the ticket class purchased, ranging from 25 to 200 tier points for each one-way flight. As of Sept. 1, 2020, award tickets also receive tier points toward elite status.

As you achieve higher status, you'll receive more valuable perks, as is the case with most airline loyalty programs. Higher elite status levels receive a bonus of 30% to 60% tier points on every flight.

Silver status receives a 30% points bonus, extra checked baggage, premium check-in, and the ability to select a seat ahead of time when flying on a Light economy ticket. Flying Club Silver members get SkyTeam Elite status perks when flying on other SkyTeam partners.

Gold elites receive top-tier benefits — including 60% bonus points, extra checked bags, Upper Class check-in, expanded award availability, and Clubhouse passes for you and a guest. Plus, Flying Club Gold elites get SkyTeam Elite Plus perks when flying on other SkyTeam airlines.

» Learn more: Which airline elite status should you go for this year?

Virgin Atlantic operates a network of Clubhouses located in six airports. In addition to its flagship location in London-Heathrow, you'll find Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses in the following airports:

Johannesburg.

New York-John F. Kennedy.

San Francisco.

Washington-Dulles.

Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse lounges are considered some of the best airport lounges in the world. Travelers can enjoy complimentary bartender-prepared beverages, freshly cooked food, workout rooms and even a retreat area to relax in.

As part of Virgin Atlantic joining SkyTeam, the airline opened its flagship London Heathrow Clubhouse location to SkyTeam Elite Plus members traveling on Virgin Atlantic, Delta or Aeromexico.

All other SkyTeam Elite Plus members will have to use a partner lounge. Likewise, you'll have access to a partner lounge when flying Virgin Atlantic out of an airport that doesn't have a Clubhouse.

Virgin Atlantic — and its partner Virgin Red program — offer a slew of partnerships that make it easy for travelers to earn and redeem Virgin points. You can earn Virgin points through flights, card spending, hotel stays, car rentals and transferring points from many bank point programs.

Not all Virgin point redemptions are created equally. Redemption options range from spectacular (e.g. ANA business class awards) to mediocre (e.g. most SkyTeam partner redemptions) to downright bad (e.g. Points Plus Money).

Hopefully this guide helped you find new ways to earn Flying Club points, better ways to redeem Virgin Atlantic points, shortcuts to earning elite status, and why it's worth chasing that status.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

On a similar note...

Where are you flying from?

• London Heathrow
• Manchester International
• Inverness Airport
• Cardiff Airport
• Norwich Airport
• Humberside Airport
• London City Apt
• Belfast International
• Leeds Bradford Airport
• Bristol Airport
• Teesside Airport

Our new direct Virgin Atlantic service commences 22nd October 2023.

Please remember when searching for your holiday to add an additional night, as we operate an overnight service on our outbound flight.

i.e. For a 7 night holiday please search for 8 nights.

Our new direct Virgin Atlantic service commences 30th October 2023.

We will operate from London Heathrow four times a week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Our seasonal Virgin Atlantic service with up to 4 direct flights, will operate until the 19th May 2024.

Our seasonal direct service will recommence on the 28th October 2024.

Our Virgin Atlantic service operates on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays.

Flights include a short touchdown in Barbados.

Our Virgin Atlantic service operates on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays until 29th March 2024. From the 2nd April, this service will reduce to Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Our seasonal service will recommence on the 29th October 2024, with flights operating on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays

Our seasonal Virgin Atlantic service with up to 3 direct flights, will operate until the 11th May 2024. Flights will commence from 23 May 2024 - 24th October 2024 on Thursdays and include a short touchdown.

Our seasonal direct service will recommence on the 29th October 2024.

Daily direct flights from London Gatwick to New York with our partner airline, Delta, operates between 10th April and 26th October 2024.

Our Virgin Atlantic service with direct flights, will operate on Wednesdays and Sundays until the 30th March 2024.

Our direct service will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays from the 2nd April 2024.

1 room / 2 adults

Please enter all child ages

There must be 1 adult per child under two years of age travelling, please adjust your passenger number

To book online please select a maximum of 9 passengers, to book 10 adults or more please call 0344 557 3978

Please note: Drivers must be over the age of 21 to hire a car unless otherwise specified. Drivers between 21 and 24 years of age may be subject to additional costs.

Virgin Atlantic seating options & upgrades

Virgin Atlantic is famous for creating memorable journeys, by providing award-winning, excellent value products and friendly service in every class. If you'd like to upgrade your seat or cabin before you fly, we make it easy. Enjoy extra legroom in Economy Delight, stretch out even more in Premium, or opt for the height of inflight luxury: Upper Class. Whatever class you fly in with Virgin Atlantic, you'll always experience that little bit extra - a quality that sets Virgin Atlantic apart. 

You can upgrade your cabin at any time by visiting  Manage My Booking  or, if you’re a Flying Club or Virgin Red member, you can use your Virgin Points to upgrade. Just follow these easy steps:

Step 1: Check how many points you’ll need  

Step 2: Contact Virgin Holidays to confirm that your trip has been ticketed

Step 3: Call the Virgin Atlantic team to check for availability and book with your points! 

Explore our cabins and seats

Economy Classic

Choose Economy Classic for the great value service you know and love, including 23kg baggage allowance, plus hand luggage.

Economy Delight

If you'd rather speed through the airport using Premium check in desks and priority boarding, Economy Delight offers all this, plus extra legroom on board.

It's the little touches here and there that make a big difference, from those extra few inches of space, a glass of bubbly as you board, and a tasty meal.

Upper Class

Enjoy loads of leg room, oodles of entertainment and drinks delivered on demand. And when it's time to hit the sack, your seat transforms into a fully flat bed...need we say more?

Find out how our Upper Class, Premium and Economy seats measure up

Virgin Atlantic seats have been carefully designed to help you fly in total comfort during the flight, no matter which cabin you're in. 

Compare the differences between each cabin to help you decide the best fit for you.

Discover flavourful food in every cabin

A culinary adventure of flavourful dishes to nourish and excite, drinks to relax and unwind, and snacks to surprise and delight. Meals created with care and consideration, with quality ingredients, sourced and served in the most responsible way possible.

We also make sure the inflight dining experience for little ones is just as considered as the one for grown ups. We’re talking a dedicated kids’ menu with tasty, nutritious and fun meals, and plenty of snacks.

All the travel extras...

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Best Ways to Book Virgin Atlantic Upper Class With Points [Step-by-Step]

Spencer Howard

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Table of Contents

A look inside virgin atlantic upper class, how to fly virgin atlantic upper class using points, great virgin atlantic upper class redemptions, how to earn enough virgin points for upper class, what makes virgin atlantic upper class a great redemption, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our  Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

If airlines have gained a reputation for taking the fun out of travel, Virgin Atlantic has worked hard to be different. The London-based airline brings a fun atmosphere to flying, and it’s obvious when flying their Upper Class product.

From great lounges — particularly at London Heathrow (LHR) and New York City (JFK) — to inflight bars to fun crew members, the Upper Class experience is nice and easy from start to finish.

If you’re looking for a way to cross the Atlantic, flying Upper Class on Virgin Atlantic is a very nice way to go.

Now, let’s be clear from the outset: this isn’t going to be the same over-the-top experience as flying Lufthansa first class  or Singapore Airlines Suites  to Europe, but it’s still a great way to fly.

Every Upper Class seat can flip into a lie-flat bed so you can catch some shuteye, whether you’re on a 7-hour flight from the East Coast or a 10-hour flight from San Francisco.

Additionally, each seat has direct aisle access , so you won’t have to worry about others climbing over you or tripping on someone just to walk around during the flight.

Again, don’t expect the same kind of space at your seat that you’d find when flying Singapore Airlines business class . The seat width isn’t terrible, but the walls on each side of it can feel a bit cramped.

Hot Tip: If you want to turn your seat into a bed, you’ll need to get some help from a crew member as the seat won’t recline until flat — it must be flipped into the bed position.

Finally, most Upper Class seats are positioned so that you are facing someone across the aisle. This leaves very little privacy for those who would prefer to feel like they’re alone when sitting in their business class seat.

As part of Virgin Atlantic’s effort to make flying fun, you will also have access to their inflight bar .

On an overnight flight from New York City (JFK) or Washington Dulles to London, you might not find many people congregating, but there are usually at least a few. If you have a long flight, you can expect more action around the bar (especially if it’s a daytime flight).

Whether you’re hanging around the bar or watching a movie from your seat, you’ll always be able to enjoy a glass of champagne or a cocktail.

As an Upper Class passenger, you’ll also enjoy a multi-course meal that includes an appetizer, main course, dessert, and a cheese course. Throw in some friendly service from the crew, and you have quite the enjoyable flight!

Beyond the flights, you will also have access to Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses at a number of airports, including the famous Clubhouse at London Heathrow. Additionally, when London Heathrow is your destination, you can grab a shower and a bite to eat at the Revivals Lounge before heading into the city.

Now that you have an idea of what to expect (and why you probably want to book Upper Class soon), let’s talk about the booking process itself.

Virgin Atlantic’s New Upper Class

Virgin Atlantic revamped their Upper Class product. The old product consisted of herringbone seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, whereas this new arrangement consists of modified reverse herringbone seats.

Offered on the A350-1000 , this new version of Upper Class represents a huge upgrade compared to their older Upper Class seats, which have been criticized for their lack of privacy.

The new Upper Class seats are 20 inches wide, 44 inches in pitch, and 82 inches in bed mode, equal to 6’10”. While these seats are quite narrow and on par with United Polaris, there’s a privacy divider that adds additional privacy.

The high-tech, touchscreen, in-flight entertainment screens measure 18.5 inches, so it represents a huge upgrade over the last version, which measured 13 inches. Also, the in flight entertainment system will be Bluetooth compatible, which will allow passengers to also control the screen at the touch of a phone.

All of the seats are facing the windows, so you won’t need to turn your neck to look outside. In addition, Virgin Atlantic is revamping their onboard bar. Instead of having an onboard bar, they will offer an in-flight lounge called The Loft.

Inside The Loft, you’ll find lounge seating for up to 8 passengers and tables for snacks and drinks. Also, you can enjoy programming from the 32 inch television connected to personal Bluetooth headphones.

Currently, the new Virgin Atlantic Upper Class seat is offered on:

• New York City (JFK) – London-Heathrow (LHR)
• Los Angeles (LAX) – London-Heathrow (LHR)

Unlike many airlines, Virgin Atlantic is not part of a major airline alliance, but they have partnered with several other airlines. Let’s take a look at a few ways you can use points and points try Virgin Atlantic Upper Class. Note that taxes, fees, and carrier-imposed surcharges apply to all reward flights. Points shown are for round-trip flights; one-way flights would have the points halved.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Standard season travel dates.

• January 6,to March 31
• April 26 to May 29
• June 6 to June 17
• September 5 to October 20
• November 2 to December 9

Caribbean Standard Season Travel Dates

• March 7 to April 6
• April 27 to May 29
• June 6 to July 15

Peak Season Travel Dates

• January 1 to January 5
• April 1 to April 25
• May 30 to June 5
• June 18 to September 4
• October 21 to November 1
• December 10 to December 31

Peak Caribbean Season Travel Dates

• January 1 to March 6
• April 7 to April 26
• June 16 to September 4

As you would expect, you can use Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club program to book Upper Class award tickets. The process is quite simple; just follow the steps below:

• Visit Virgin Atlantic’s website
• Select “Book” from menu options
• Select “Book A Flight” from the drop-down menu
• Enter your origin and destination
• Select “One-Way” or “Return”
• If you don’t need to travel on specific dates, you can choose to search for dates within 1 week or within 5 weeks
• Select “Pay with Points”
• Show “Advanced Options”
• Select “Upper Class” as the cabin type
• Click “Find My Flights”
• Select your flight and click “Next Step”
• Review the Flight Summary and click “Next Step”
• If you aren’t logged in to your Flying Club account, you will be prompted to do so now
• Complete your booking

There are a couple of things to keep in mind when booking with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

First, the carrier-imposed surcharges are steep , especially when flying from the United States to the United Kingdom.

Second, the Flying Club award chart has peak season and regular season. Make sure you book awards during the regular season to save a ton of points!

While the redemption rates aren’t always great and the carrier-imposed surcharges can be very high, the advantage to using Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is that you can transfer a number of rewards currencies to book if you need more points:

• Chase Ultimate Rewards  (almost instantly)
• American Express Membership Rewards (roughly 2 days)
• Citi ThankYou Points  (roughly 2 days)
• Marriott (< 24 hours)

Delta SkyMiles

If you want to keep carrier-imposed surcharges to a minimum, Delta SkyMiles is probably your best bet.

To book Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, follow the steps below:

• Go to Delta’s  website
• Log in  to your SkyMiles account
• Select “Book A Trip”
• You can also use “Advanced Search” to search by month
• Select to show the price in “Miles”
• Make sure the flight is operated by Virgin Atlantic – this will be clearly stated
• Review your itinerary
• Enter passenger information, then select your seat and pay the taxes/fees

As Virgin Atlantic operates out of a limited number of airports in the U.S., a connection on Delta might be required . Sometimes, the online search results won’t show Virgin Atlantic flights as an option if a connection is required.

However, if you can find award space on Virgin Atlantic and a separate saver level award for a connecting flight, there is a way to make this work. You can speak with Delta via online chat or over the phone and they can add the connecting flight so you don’t have to book separate awards .

Delta is an American Express transfer partner  at a 1:1 ratio if you need more SkyMiles to complete your booking. Transfers from Membership Rewards generally process almost instantly.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club

Unlike the options above, if you want to book Virgin Atlantic Upper Class with All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club , you will have to call to complete the booking. Just follow these steps for an easy booking process:

• Note the flight numbers and times
• Call ANA’s contact center at 1-800-235-9262
• Specify that you want to book an award ticket on their partner Virgin Atlantic
• Provide the flight dates and flight info
• Complete the booking

Like Virgin Atlantic, you’ll want to be careful when booking with ANA Mileage Club as they will pass on the steep carrier-imposed surcharges . While the mileage cost is much cheaper, ANA requires you to book a round-trip award ticket — which means very expensive taxes and fees.

Like with Delta, you can transfer Amex Membership Rewards to your ANA Mileage Club account to get the necessary miles to book Upper Class.

The difficult part is that Membership Rewards often take 2-3 days to transfer. This is made more difficult by the fact that ANA will not put award tickets on hold.

Other Ways to Book Virgin Atlantic Upper Class

Virgin Atlantic also partners with Singapore Airlines, which allows you to use KrisFlyer miles to book Upper Class. Unfortunately, other airline partners such as Air New Zealand and South African Airways don’t have award charts that are competitive.

Many of the award booking options for Virgin Atlantic Upper Class flights are going to involve some steep taxes and fees thanks to carrier-imposed surcharges. That being said, there are some interesting ways to book Upper Class so you can get the most bang for your miles.

If you are okay with roughly $1,200 in taxes and fees, you can book Upper Class with ANA Mileage Club for 88,000 miles round-trip between San Francisco and London.

You could also depart from New York City, Washington, D.C., or another city further east — but if you’re going to spend $1,200 on taxes and fees, it might as well be for a 10-hour flight so you can have time to enjoy the inflight bar!

If you only need a one-way award ticket, Delta SkyMiles can book Upper Class for 85,000 miles plus only $5.60. Clearly, this is the cheapest out of pocket option .

Hot Tip: Since Delta uses a region-based award chart, the one-way cost will be 85,000 miles whether you book Upper Class from San Francisco or New York City!

Virgin Atlantic’s own Flying Club program splits the United States into East and West with different redemption rates for each.

The East includes Atlanta, Boston, Miami, New York, Orlando, and Washington, D.C.; a one-way Upper Class booking from here will cost 47,500 miles plus around $500 in taxes and fees.

From the West Coast (San Francisco and Seattle), it will cost 67,500 miles plus the ~$500 in taxes and fees. Regardless of the departure airport, make sure you book during the regular season , since peak season rates require significantly more miles.

You could also connect in London on your way to Johannesburg, South Africa. Again, you’ll see that Delta provides an option without carrier-imposed surcharges: 150,000 SkyMiles plus around $50 for a one-way Upper Class award.

ANA Mileage Club allows you to book Upper Class round-trip for 104,000 miles plus roughly $1,100. Notice that this is actually cheaper than just flying to London !

Hot Tip: ANA also lets you book a stopover, so you could visit London for a week before continuing to South Africa if you wanted.

Virgin Atlantic requires 105,000 miles for a one-way award in Upper Class plus just over $500 for taxes and fees.

Overall, each loyalty program has its positive aspects when booking Upper Class:

• Delta keeps your cash costs to a minimum
• ANA requires the fewest miles
• Virgin Atlantic miles can be earned so easily because of 4 transfer partners

Virgin Points can be transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, and Citi Thank You Rewards (all at a rate of 1:1), or from Marriott Bonvoy at a transfer rate of 3:1.

Delta and ANA are Amex and Marriott transfer partners.

(For more on this topic, see our guides on: Chase Transfer Partners , Amex Transfer Partners , Citi Transfer Partners and Marriott Transfer Partners .)

Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)

A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred ® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance . With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
• 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel SM .
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel SM , 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel SM . For example, 75,000 points are worth $937.50 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC
• APR: 21.49%-28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees:  None

Chase Ultimate Rewards

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve ®  is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access , with excellent point earning and redemption options.  Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

• 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• 10x points on Lyft purchases March 31, 2025
• 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025
• $550 annual fee
• Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status
• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $1,125 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel SM .
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel SM  immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel SM . For example, 75,000 points are worth $1125 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass TM  Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck ®
• APR: 22.49%-29.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees:  $0

Business Owner? See our article on Chase business cards that earn Ultimate Rewards.

Recommended Amex Cards (Personal)

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with  no credit score impact.

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card  is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access , hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• $695 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts ® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card ® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection ® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card ® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card ® .
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $189 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: CLEAR ® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck ® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck ® official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card ® . Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card ® . That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card ® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.
• APR: See Pay Over Time APR

American Express Membership Rewards

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

The American Express ® Gold Card  is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; and 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com
• $250 annual fee (see rates and fees )
• No lounge access
• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards ® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards ® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards ® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards ® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and 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, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.

Business Owner? See our article on Amex business cards that earn Membership Rewards.

Recommended Marriott Cards

A great option for Marriott hotel fans who want a no annual fee card and automatic Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

Casual travelers who like to frequent properties that are part of the Marriott Bonvoy collection of brands may want to consider the Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® Credit Card.

The Marriott Bold card rewards cardholders for Marriott stays and gives them a boost towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

• Up to 14x points per $1 on Marriott purchases
• 2x points per $1 on travel purchases
• 15 Elite Night Credits each year (automatically gives you Silver Elite status)
• Lower point earn rate than other Marriott Bonvoy cards
• Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status is the lowest status tier
• Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Pay no annual fee with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® Credit Card from Chase ® !
• Earn up to 14X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® Card.
• 1X point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
• Your points don't expire as long as you make purchases on your card every 24 months.
• APR: 21.49%–28.49% Variable

Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott loyalists will love this card's annual Free Night Award, automatic elite status, and up to 17x points per $1 on Marriott hotel stays.

If you’re a frequent traveler and a Marriott loyalist, there’s a lot to love about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless ® Credit Card . The card comes packed with several great benefits like a free hotel night once a year, automatic Silver Elite status (with a fast-track to Gold Elite status), and multiple options for redeeming points.

• Earn big when you use your card at thousands of participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
• Earn big at grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
• Automatic Silver Elite Status
• Marriott Silver Elite Status is the lowest status tier
• Earn 3 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases.
• Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
• Earn 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
• 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
• Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless ® Card.
• Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, automatic Silver Elite status, and path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each calendar year.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees. Your points don't expire as long as you make purchases on your card every 24 months.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card , the latest mid-tier offering in the Marriott Bonvoy lineup of cards, offers cardholders automatic elite status and ways to earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on each of their stays and daily purchases.

• 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
• 4x points per $1 at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per calendar year, then 2X points)
• 2x points per $1 on all other purchases
• $250 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Free Night Award certificate is not an automatic benefit
• Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy ® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• Earn 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2X points).
• Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
• Marriott Bonvoy 1K Bonus Points Per Stay: Earn 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy ® bonus points per paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott for properties participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• With complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elites status, earn up to 2.5X points from Marriott Bonvoy ® on eligible hotel purchases with the 25% Bonus Points on stays benefit, available for Qualifying Rates.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Free Night Award: Earn 1 Free Night Award after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ Card in a calendar year. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy ® points) at a hotel participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® . Certain hotels have resort fees.
• 15 Elite Night Credits: Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express Card ® you can receive 15 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy ® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
• Plan It ® is a payment option that lets you split up purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee. Plus, you'll still earn rewards the way you usually do.
• $250 Annual Fee.
• APR: 20.99%-29.99% Variable

A premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card  is a premium card designed with road warriors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalists in mind.

So is the card a worthwhile addition to your wallet?

• 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy   program
• 3x points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines and restaurants worldwide
• Steep annual fee of $650 ( rates and fees )
• 6x points per $1 is the same earn rate offered with lower annual fee alternatives like the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card
• Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card at restaurants worldwide.
• With Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when available at select properties and booked with a Qualifying Rate.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® . 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines. 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
• Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ® . Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
• $100 Marriott Bonvoy Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton ® or St. Regis ® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
• Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ® : Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck ® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
• Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy ® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
• Enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, which offers unlimited airport lounge visits to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
• With Cell Phone Protection, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• $650 Annual Fee.

Flying Virgin Atlantic Upper Class is a great way to travel for a number of reasons, but here are few that really stand out.

The Clubhouse and Revivals Lounge

When you fly Upper Class, make sure you leave time to visit one of their Clubhouse lounges, especially if you are departing or connecting at London Heathrow or New York City (JFK).

From great cocktails and champagne to delicious meals, you’ll actually enjoy waiting for your flight here!

If London is your destination, take advantage of the Revivals Lounge at Heathrow.

You can get a hot shower, breakfast, and coffee or tea to give you a jolt and start the day right. If you so desire, spa treatments are also available, which can be especially nice after a long flight from the West Coast.

Inflight Bar

There are several airlines that provide inflight bars, but you usually only find them on the Airbus A380.

Virgin Atlantic has taken a different approach and installed inflight bars on all of their aircraft, so every Upper Class passenger can mingle, enjoy a drink, and grab a snack.

Keep in mind that the inflight bar will not be offered on the new Upper Class routes. Instead, you’ll be able to enjoy The Loft aboard the new Upper Class.

A Fun Flying Environment

Whether it’s the atmosphere of The Clubhouse lounge or at the inflight bar, Virgin Atlantic strives to make flying fun. The crew members are very often friendly and willing to chat while making sure every passenger has what they need.

While some business class products are great because of their spacious seats or cabin layout, Virgin Atlantic sets itself apart with its approach to flying. While the cabin layout could probably use some improvements and the seats are due for a bit of an upgrade, they are a fine way to travel and not the only reason to try Virgin Atlantic Upper Class.

With several ways to book one of these flights and plenty of ways to earn the necessary points to do so, you will be on your way to an Upper Class experience before you know it!

The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Bold ® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless ® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of the American Express ® Gold Card, click  here . For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express ® Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant ® American Express ® card, click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to book virgin atlantic upper class.

The booking option that is best for you will be determined by whether you have tons of points to burn or are willing to part with some cash for taxes and fees.

If you want to avoid taxes and fees and have lots of Membership Rewards, Delta SkyMiles will allow you to book Upper Class without carrier-imposed surcharges when departing from the United States.

If you don’t mind higher taxes and fees, are okay with booking round-trip awards, and have Membership Rewards, ANA Mileage Club can help you book Upper Class for the fewest number of miles.

If you have Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou Points and can handle the higher taxes and fees, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is the way to go.

What credit cards can help me fly Virgin Atlantic Upper Class?

You can transfer Membership Rewards to ANA, Delta Air Lines, and Virgin Atlantic.

Ultimate Rewards and ThankYou Points cards can help you earn points to transfer to Virgin Atlantic.

If you want a co-branded card that earns airline points directly, Bank of America provides a co-branded card that earns Virgin Points while American Express provides several personal and small business credit cards that earn Delta SkyMiles.

What do I get when flying Virgin Atlantic Upper Class?

From start to finish, you can expect a fun experience when flying Virgin Atlantic Upper Class. Start things off with an amazing lounge experience at the famous Clubhouse. Then, enjoy a cocktail or glass of champagne at the inflight bar while you chat with your fellow Upper Class passengers. Once you land (at London Heathrow), jump start your day at the Revivals Lounge.

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About Spencer Howard

Always a fan of flying, it was only natural that Spencer was drawn to finding a way to improve the travel experience.

Like many, he started this journey searching for cheap flights to take him around the world. This was fun for a while, but Spencer was intrigued by the idea of flying in business and first class!

Throwing himself into what became an extensive research project, Spencer spent 3-4 hours per night learning everything he could about frequent flyer miles over the course of several months (he thinks this is normal). He runs Straight to the Points, an award-seat alert platform.

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Upper Class flight deals

Discover upper class.

Whether you're with us for business or pleasure, travelling in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class makes your journey something to look forward to. With Upper Class, you will experience the next level of luxurious travel.

Find out more about Upper Class

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Luxury at its best

A place to call your own

Enjoy your own personal space, with loads of leg room, oodles of entertainment and drinks delivered on demand. And when it's time to hit the sack, your seat transforms into a fully flat bed, to give to you a fresh start in the morning.

À la carte dining experience

Enjoy the finest food and drink throughout your journey, including a welcome glass of bubbly, complimentary drinks and snacks, a choice of tasty 4 course meals, extra bites on demand (day flights) and even breakfast in bed (night flights).

Get that Upper Class feeling before you board with exclusive access to our Clubhouse or partner lounges worldwide.

Social spaces

Emerge from the privacy of your seat to go lounge in the The Loft or kick back at the bar. It's quality time with an acquaintance or a chance to meet new people.

• Fully flat beds
• Extra large leather seat
• Select Upper Class seat anytime
• 2 x carry-on luggage weighing max 26lbs (12kg) per bag, or 35lbs (16kg) combined
• 2 x 70lbs (32kg) checked bag*
• Priority baggage delivery

Included extras

• Upgradeable with Virgin Points
• Extra legroom seat
• Upper Class check in
• Fast track security
• Priority boarding
• Exclusive access to Clubhouse

Virgin Atlantic Premium vs Upper Class

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Virgin Atlantic is one of the most well-known airlines in the UK, and it’s one of my go-to air carriers when I’m flying to Europe. While Virgin Atlantic offers several fare classes, their Premium and Upper-Class cabins are top-tier.

I’ve had the pleasure of flying both, and I walked away with a bit of insider knowledge. It’s not often that I get to fly Premium or Upper Class, but when I do, I make sure to indulge in the experience. So, if you want to know more about the differences between Virgin Atlantic Premium vs Upper Class, check out the content below!

The Bottom Line Up Front

Overall, I will opt for Premium Class over First Class when flying with Virgin Atlantic. In my opinion, it gives me a similar experience for a lesser price.

Of course, flying First Class is always luxurious, but it can get expensive. The only useful perks that are missing from Premium Class are lounge access and expedited security checked-in—which isn’t that important unless it’s a busy travel season.

Main Differences Between Virgin Atlantic Premium vs Upper Class

The main differences between Virgin Atlantic Premium vs Upper Class are:

• Upper Class customers get two checked bags and Premium passengers only get one.
• Upper Class allows lounge access, whereas Premium does not.
• Upper Class passengers get more meal options than Premium Passengers.
• Upper Class is more expensive than Premium.
• Upper Class passengers are allowed expedited security check-in, whereas Premium passengers are not.

The Key Features of Virgin Atlantic’s Premium Class

Baggage Allowance

Premium Class passengers are entitled to two free checked bags weighing up to 23kg each. You can also bring a carry-on bag and personal items onto the airplane, which is great if you need more suitcases! The extra bags that I get when flying with Virgin Atlantic is such a huge benefit, especially when I’m taking a long vacation.

Another feature that I really enjoy when flying Premium Class is the priority baggage delivery. It saves me so much time, and I don’t have to go through the headache of waiting for my bags to come out at the luggage station.

The seats in Premium Class are super comfortable. They are large, leather seats with a 38-inch pitch. Also, if you are a premium passenger, you get the option to select your seat when you book your flight. This is a pretty good perk because it guarantees that you can sit where you want or sit next to your travel buddy.

In-flight Entertainment

Well, you don’t have to worry about feeling bored while on your flight. As a Virgin Atlantic customer, you’ll have access to an incredible in-flight entertainment system. It includes a vast variety of TV shows, movies, and games. The entertainment system is located on the seatback screen, which is large and simple to navigate. You can also buy Wi-Fi for a small fee.

Food and Beverage

Your ticket includes complimentary food and beverages as a Premium Class customer. However, the selection of menu items depends on the length of the flight. But the good news is, Virgin Atlantic always offers snacks and non-alcoholic beverages on short flights. On long flights, they’ll serve a hot meal. 

Not only that, but premium passengers are welcome on board the flight with a glass of bubbly and are offered three main food courses.

The Wander Wall

One of the features that I absolutely love about Premium Class is the Wander Wall. It’s a wall full of delicious snacks that passengers can grab whenever they’re hungry. I love that! There aren’t too many airlines offering amenities like this!

Excellent Cabin Experience 

I can truly say, Virgin Atlantic’s Premium Class cabin is one of the best I’ve ever experienced. I enjoyed all of the snacks and beverage options, the service was incredible, and the seats were really comfortable. I know that I’m not the only person who feels this way because Virgin Atlantic was given the Skytrax World’s Best Premium Cabin Award in 2019. They are definitely doing something right!

Bypassing the Luggage Line

One thing that I dislike is standing in line to drop off my checked bags. This is especially true when I’m running late or the airport is crowded. Thankfully, Premium passengers are allowed to skip the line when checking their luggage.  Plus, they get priority boarding onto the plane.

No Lounge Access

As wonderful as Virgin Atlantic’s Premium Class is, they definitely disappoint by not offering lounge access to Premium customers. It’s primarily for Upper-Class customers only. There are other airlines that allow Premium/Business Class customers into their lounges, but not Virgin Atlantic.

Wi-Fi is not included with a Premium Class ticket, and I feel like it should be. I can understand if the lower class cabins charge for it, but not Premium Class.

The Key Features of Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class

When traveling Upper Class with Virgin Atlantic, you are entitled to two pieces of checked baggage weighing up to 32kg each. You’re allowed two pieces of hand luggage as well. This is a fantastic perk when taking an extended vacation.

The seating in Upper Class is top-tier. Passengers get an extra-large, leather seat and a fully flat bed. The bed makes it so easy to lay down and sleep well during a long flight. I love being able to stretch out and enjoy my rest while I’m traveling. There’s nothing worse than getting to my destination feeling tired because I haven’t slept.

In-Flight Entertainment

The in-flight entertainment system is impressive. There’s a large selection of movies, TV shows, music, and games to choose from. I never get bored on a Virgin Atlantic flight. The screens are large and easy to use.

Food and Beverages

The food and drinks served in Upper Class are excellent. There’s a wide variety of meal options, and the food is always fresh and delicious. You’re welcomed with a glass of bubbly before takeoff, and you’re given complimentary snacks and drinks.

Furthermore, Upper-Class passengers have the choice of four-course meals. When I flew Upper Class with Virgin Atlantic, I was glad to get a glass of bubbly and a nice meal after a long day of traveling.

Expedited Security Check-in

It feels so good to not have to wait in line at security. With an Upper Class ticket, you get to use the Fast Track lane. This is a huge time-saver, especially if you’re flying during a busy season. One of the things that I dislike most about going through the airport is going through security, so this is a nice bonus.

Clubhouse Lounge Access

When you’re flying Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, you’re allowed access to the Clubhouse Lounge. This is a huge benefit because it’s a relaxing space to wait for your flight. There are plenty of food and drink options, as well as comfortable seating. I’ve spent many hours in the Clubhouse Lounge, and it’s always been a pleasant experience.

Obviously, the cost is the biggest downside to flying Virgin Atlantic Upper Class. It’s not cheap. But if you can afford it, it’s worth it. The benefits are numerous, and the experience is fantastic.

I don’t like that Premium Class charges a Wi-Fi fee, but I most definitely don’t like that Upper Class charges one. I think that it should be included in the price of the ticket. With the money that Upper Class customers pay, they shouldn’t have to spend money on anything extra.

Alternative Airfare Classes

Virgin atlantic economy delight.

This option is a step below Premium Class, but it’s one of my favorites. Economy Delight customers receive selected seating, a checked bag and hand luggage, and premium check-in. Also, this class includes priority boarding. If you want a good flight experience without the Premium Class prices, this is a great alternative.

British Airways Business Class

Comparable to Virgin Atlantic’s Premium Class is British Airways’ Business Class. In Business Class, you’ll receive an amenity kit, as well as priority boarding. Customers are provided spacious seating and lots of tasty food and drink options. British Airways has an advantage over Virgin Atlantic because they give lounge access to their Business Class customers.

American Airlines First Class

American Airlines offers a nice First Class experience. Passengers are provided access to lounges and are given priority privileges. As a First Class customer, you can go through expedited security and be first to get your checked bags upon arriving at your destination. While on your flight, you’ll get chef-inspired meals, relaxing seats, and an amenity kit.

FAQs About Virgin Atlantic

Question: does virgin atlantic have a partnership with delta.

Answer: Yes, Virgin Atlantic has a partnership with Delta . Since they’re a UK-based airline, partnering with Delta allows them to provide more services to the United States. If you choose to fly with Virgin Atlantic from an area of the United States that’s not in a big city, you’ll probably end up on a Delta-operated flight.

Question: Does Virgin Atlantic have a rewards program?

Answer: Yes, they do! It’s called the Flying Club, and it’s one of my favorite airline rewards systems. Virgin Atlantic points never expire, and you can spend them on numerous perks, like flights, merchandise, and travel upgrades.

Question: Are Virgin Atlantic tickets refundable?

Answer: That depends on the ticket that you have. In most cases, the Economy tickets are not refundable. However, Premium and Upper Class fares have more leniency. You can request a refund with Virgin Atlantic by submitting a form to them.

My Final Thoughts On Virgin Atlantic Premium vs Upper Class

No matter which option you choose between Virgin Atlantic’s Premium vs Upper Class, you’ll have a good experience.

Obviously, First Class is top-of-the-line, and you’ll never be disappointed with that choice. However, if you don’t want to pay First Class prices, you’ll still have a good time in Premium Class—which is the option I normally go for. The service is good, the amenities are great, and I don’t have to spend as much money. 

Well, hopefully, this guide answered some of the questions you had about Virgin Atlantic’s top-tier airfare classes. Which one of these options will you choose for your next vacation.

About The Author

Candis Pope

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The Virgin Business Class Review: Is it worth it?

May 25, 2023

The Virgin Business Class Review and Cabin Guide

Note: if you book through these links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Cheers!

Well known for their stylish design and funky airport lounges, Virgin call their business class The Upper Class Suite. It even has an honest-to-god, stand-up bar.

But what is it like to fly business class with Virgin Atlantic? And, truthfully, is it worth it?

Here’s my Virgin Business Class Review , plus a rundown of the other cabin options on board. Also, don’t miss our flight booking hacks here.

Virgin Atlantic Business: Bar Mid Air

Virgin Business Class in Review: The Upper Class Suite

Virgin Atlantic had plans to refresh the Airbus A350-1000s between 2019 – 2021. Among other changes, the beds will no longer need flipping and the bar will become a lounge. These are taking a while to roll out, so until then, this Virgin Business review still shows you what you’ll get.

Virgin Business Class Cabin & Seats

The first thing you notice, because Virgin have made a point of making it a point, is the glowing white bar. That’s right, a stand up bar in the air with a qualified mixologist. While I always thought this looked like it would be fun, I wasn’t too convinced at how it would be on an overnight flight when you wanted to get some sleep (yes, that’s right, I’m not as young as I used to be. And then not even as young as that.)

As it happens, it is a brilliant idea! It gathers up all the people who want to chat and party at one end, allowing everyone else to turn off the lights, plug in the earphones and get some sleep.

Self-segregation keeps almost everyone happy, just make sure to choose a seat near the front if sleep is your main aim.

Fuss Free Aisle Access

Virgin arranges its seats in a chevron pattern, with two seats in the centre and one at each window. No-one has to step over anyone else to reach the aisle.

And while it’s not impossible, it is quite difficult to chat for any length of time to the person next to you when sitting down. Depending on who you’re travelling with, that could be a blessing or a curse.

Fully Flat Beds

Seats fully recline to flat beds, which the cabin crew will help make up for you, complete of course with cotton sheets, pillowcases and duvets. There’s also the chance to recline your seat considerably. However, since the design involves flipping the bed over completely to make it flat, first time flyers will need some help to do this.

Spacious for Work

I loved the ergonomic design of all the storage areas around the seat: there’s space for a washbag, laptop and cables underneath the foot stool at the end. Most business class seats provide ample storage but not all make it easy for you to reach in flight. Brush up on your carry-on essentials list before you fly to make the most of this space!

The TV screen folds out from your seat’s “wall” which makes it a little fiddly if you’re also having dinner or tapping on your laptop but it’s hardly an insurmountable problem. There are plug sockets and spacious overhead compartments, as well as some lost space behind the headboard to make the most of if you wish.

Another nice touch involves the LARGE fold-out table so that you can adjust your notebook, notepad and glass of champagne in a dignified manner (all of which is important, especially the last point.)

Virgin Business Class Service

Slick, stylish and friendly. Not too overbearing but certainly not inaccessible. Actually, quite good fun.

Virgin Business Class – Sleeping

Plenty of space to bend your knees – always something I watch out for! Cabin crew are respectfully quiet and the Dreamliner auto-darkening windows mean you’re not accidentally woken up by someone suddenly admiring the rise of a new dawn!

Virgin Business Class – Post-flight

As the first off the plane and with priority passes, you’re out of the airport before everyone else is off the plane. Priority immigration, priority baggage. Gone…

Virgin Business Class – Seat Choice

Make your choice about whether you want to work and sleep or chat and party – and then pick your seat accordingly. The further you are to the front of the plane, the quieter it gets.

Virgin Business Class Lounge

Hm, now Detroit currently doesn’t have a Virgin lounge, it has a (very busy) generic one. Still, food, drink, newspapers, wifi, and power points are all present and correct.

London has The Upper Class Wing, which looks very interesting, but I haven’t had the chance to test that out yet.

Virgin’s suggestion for chatting en route.

Virgin Business Class Review Summary

What i loved.

The bar! Seriously, even though I didn’t use it. Especially because I didn’t use it. It kept all the people who wanted to stand around and chat well away from me, which let me settle down and sleep. (And, yes. I am that rock and roll.)

The plane-themed salt ‘n’ pepper creuset

The good night’s sleep

What to know

Because of the bar, seat choice is more important than in many business class cabins. Do you want to join the party? Sit near the bar. Do you want peace and quiet? Sit further ahead in the plane.

Find all the Virgin Atlantic Business Class details here.

Flying Virgin Atlantic: Premium Seats

What about the other Cabins and Seat Options on Virgin Atlantic?

Virgin produce a handy guide to the cabin options on board over here.

As we’ve mentioned, business class is called Upper Class and cattle class is, well, Economy.

Premium is the option in between. Seats have more space between them than in economy, champagne will flow and your meal will arrive with a grown up knife and fork. Whether or not that’s worth it to you probably depends on how long your legs are.

Flying Economy with Virgin Atlantic is typically a pleasure rather than a survival exercise, largely down to the professional behaviour of the staff and cheery outlook of the company.

Recently, they’ve split their offering into Economy Light, Classic and Delight, following the pay-as-you-go trend in flying. Make sure to check the small print for luggage allowance and seating options for each class, as well as which meals are included.

Flying with Children: Virgin get top marks

Flying with Young Children on Virgin Atlantic

I’ve taken a fair few flights with a baby and toddler by now and, hands down, Virgin have been the best at this. They were also, luckily, the first. So, they ignited a lifetime love of travelling with children, rather than a shaking dread of it, as a few other airlines may have.

Despite the rock ‘n’ roll image, I found the Virgin staff to be extremely “family friendly” in that they were kind to everyone in the family. With young children, you get to board first, can pre-book a bassinet in economy, are handed extra water, rubbish bags, serviettes and so on.

Related: the best baby travel gear (and what you don’t need)

Staff even ask about the timing of your meal in case you’re in the middle of breastfeeding (also A-OK on the flight) or your child is asleep. You can take a pushchair right up to the gate and the crew were so helpful getting us on board. 

Even for frequent flyers, that first trip with a child is fraught. There are new rules and it feels as though the stakes are high. The benefits of business class may be less, however, since you’ll find extra space with the bassinet and you won’t be lying down to get any sleep anyway ;-) Nor will you be in a position to be enjoying fine dining or champagne ;-)

Flying Business with Older Children

If flying in business with older children, just realise that there will be a slight divider between you and your child (as there is with all passengers.) And of course, also, remember the bar (!)

Other things you might not know about Virgin Atlantic…

Virgin partner with Delta Air Lines to connect the UK to more than 200 destinations in North America, as well as flying to the Caribbean, Asia and Africa.

More Business Class Reviews

Check out our British Airways reviews as well as one of my favourite airlines: Cathay Pacific Business Class. Over here, we discuss the best business class route to London and over here, you can find our section on flight booking hacks.

Disclosure – I received a complimentary flight in business class for review purposes. As ever, as always I kept the right to write what I like because otherwise what’s the point, life’s too short etc etc Also, though I usually use my own images on this blog, for business class reviews I tend to use stock images most of the time. Why? Because people feel as though they’re in a private place when they fly (especially if they’re sleeping) and it just doesn’t feel right to plaster photos of people all over the interwebs like that without their consent. (And, it doesn’t really show you much more in any case.) I have flown with Virgin Atlantic many times in my life, for work and for leisure, too many times to keep count.

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What is it like to fly virgin atlantic’s airbus a350-1000 in upper class.

Full review of a flight from Los Angeles to London Heathrow aboard Virgin Atlantic's flagship, the Airbus A350-1000

by Benjamin Chiang

May 17, 2024

Tried & Tested

Virgin Atlantic A350 Upper-Class bed / Photo: Courtesy of Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic operates the longest variant of the Airbus A350 as its flagship aircraft on long-haul routes. With eleven units in its fleet, the British carrier maintains its glamorous and glitzy brand image.

In Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), the Virgin check-in counters are located in Terminal 2. However, as the British carrier is a core partner of and partially owned by Delta Air Lines , Upper Class ( business class ) passengers can use the Delta One private check-in lounge, which is situated on the arrival level of Terminal 3.

Photo: Sky Club, Los Angeles International Airport. Courtesy of Delta Air Lines

I took advantage of this by walking over to the lounge and found the TSA staff to be very friendly. After that, I took the elevator up to the beautiful Delta Sky Club for a quick bite before heading to the Tom Bradley International Terminal. It was convenient to do so as all terminals are now connected airside.

I spent some time at the Star Alliance lounge in the international terminal before my flight, where I met up with a friend. Even though Virgin has joined SkyTeam , they still use this lounge. An hour before departure, I walked to the main concourse and joined the line by the purple SkyPriority sign. The aircraft, named Ruby Slipper, looked stunning as it gleamed under the SoCal sunset during the ten-hour flight.

Photo: Virgin Atlantic, Airbus A350-1000, The Loft. Courtesy of Benjamin Chiang

Boarding was through door 2L, which led to a unique area called “The Loft” for passengers in the forward cabin to socialize. It had two banks of sofas with eight sets of seatbelts and Bluetooth audio jacks. There was also a 32″ flat-screen TV on the wall. After meal service, the crew set up snacks in this area.

In the front cabin, Virgin Atlantic has installed 44 Safran Cirrus NG seats with sliding privacy screens in a 1-2-1 reverse herringbone configuration on seven of their aircraft. The seats have a white high gloss lacquer finish with rose gold trims and are covered in maroon faux leather and fabrics, giving them a sleek and serene look.

Photo: Virgin Atlantic, Airbus A350-1000 Upper Class. Courtesy of Benjamin Chiang

The first-row seats have larger footwells. For example, I sat in seat 1K on the 8 a.m flight from New York-JFK to London flight, also known as the chairman’s flight. On my LAX-LHR journey, I chose seat 5K on the starboard side.

On the side table, there was a menu and a hard paper amenity kit titled “goodie bag.” Many airlines have switched to sustainable pouches, but the hard paper bags seem impractical. A can of Cano still spring water was placed on the small open storage shelf.

Photo: Virgin Atlantic, Airbus A350-1000 IFE. Courtesy of Benjamin Chiang

It would have been better if Virgin had added a mini cupboard door. In the cubby hole beneath the larger window were a pair of headphones, a copy of Vera , the in-flight magazine, and a safety card. Other seat features included power and USB sockets, a remote control, and buttons to adjust the seat from reclined to lie-flat mode.

Photo: Virgin Atlantic, Airbus A350-1000, amenity kit. Courtesy of Benjamin Chiang

The premium economy class is in the middle of the plane, with 56 Collins Aerospace MiQ seats arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration. The economy class is in the rear section of the aircraft, with 235 Recaro seats arranged nine abreast. The mid-galley area transforms into a self-service snack station for premium economy passengers to enjoy.

As the Upper Class passengers settled in, smiling flight attendants in signature red and brown uniforms walked through the cabin, enhanced by ambient mood lighting.

They handed out pre-boarding drinks and pajamas to those who needed them on this red-eye long-haul flight. I requested a medium-sized pajama set, which I planned to take home and wear.

Photo: Virgin Atlantic, Airbus A350-1000, Upper Class bedding. Courtesy of Benjamin Chiang

One cool benefit was that the takeoff could be viewed on the pull-out 18.5″ touchscreen via the tail camera. Once the plane was leveled, the crew walked the aisles to take dinner orders and offered warm towels. They also placed a bowl of potato chips and a ruby mocktail I ordered on the large pull-down tray table.

Photo: Virgin Atlantic, Airbus A350-1000. Courtesy of Benjamin Chiang

After I picked a movie to watch in the rich entertainment system, a flight attendant came by to lay down an oval mat instead of a tray and served bread and butter and the duck salad on separate plates.

Two golden plastic salt and pepper shakers in the form of mini airplanes named Orville and Wilbur anchored the table. They sometimes appear in silver and red, and Virgin encourages passengers to take them home.

Photo: Virgin Atlantic, Airbus A350-1000, Upper Class appetizer. Courtesy of Benjamin Chiang

The entrée I ordered was a strange interpretation of seafood paella, topped with crispy rice.

Photo: Virgin Atlantic, Airbus A350-1000, Upper Class dinner. Courtesy of Benjamin Chiang

Luckily, the dessert of fruity cornbread pudding soaked in sweet, creamy sauce saved the evening.

Photo: Virgin Atlantic, Airbus A350-1000, Upper Class dessert. Courtesy of Benjamin Chiang

After dinner, I refreshed myself with REN toiletry products in the forward lavatory with a window — the English call it “the loo with a view.”

I also checked out “The Loft” and grabbed some packaged sweets. Walking back to my seat, I removed the mattress pad and comforter from a giant white cloth pouch I had previously stored in the overhead bin. I made my bed to catch six hours of sleep.

About 90 minutes before landing, the pleasant crew began the pre-arrival service. I chose the typical English breakfast accompanied by a flaky croissant with chocolate chips, a bowl of fresh fruit, and a glass of juice.

Photo: Virgin Atlantic, Airbus A350-1000, Upper Class breakfast. Courtesy of Benjamin Chiang

Preparing for landing, I changed the IFE channel to the plane tail camera to witness the touchdown at London Heathrow on a cloudy Friday.

Since the arrival of this flight was past noon, I did not rush to Virgin Revival Lounge, the only international arrival lounge run by a SkyTeam carrier, since it would close by 12:30 p.m. It’s quite a walk from the gate to immigration in LHR Terminal 3. Nonetheless, the e-gates at passport control are convenient and speedy for US passport holders.

As it was an overnight flight and I was in need of rest, I opted not to spend time in The Loft. Typically, I don’t engage in conversations with fellow passengers during flights. Nevertheless, The Loft provided a comfortable spot to stretch out and unwind, offering an array of delicious snacks, fresh fruit, and beverages.

A Luxurious Experience

The route between LAX and London Heathrow is crucial for the entertainment industry, trade, and tourism. Despite Delta discontinuing this route, Virgin operates two daily flights using Airbus A350-1000 and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.

Photo: Virgin Atlantic, Airbus A350-1000. Courtesy of Aric Cheng / Unsplash

Additionally, other major and low-cost airlines offer connections between the typically sunny Los Angeles and the often rainy London. However, for travelers seeking a luxurious experience, Virgin is the top choice.

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Privacy overview.

• Fly with Virgin Atlantic

Upper Class

Experience the next level in luxury travel

Whether you're with us for business or pleasure, travelling in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class makes your journey something to look forward to.

Our Upper Class experience includes:

• Extra large seats 
• Fully flat bed
• 2 x 70lb (32kg) checked luggage
• A glass of bubbly when you board 
• Luxury 4-course fine dining with pre-order options 
• Fast-track, private security 
• Access to Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses 

Included extras

A place to call your own

Enjoy creature comforts in your own personal space, with loads of leg room, oodles of entertainment and drinks delivered on demand. And when it's time to hit the sack, your seat transforms into a fully flat bed, designed to give to you a fresh start in the morning.

Social spaces

Emerge from the privacy of your seat to go lounge in the 'The Loft' or kick back at the bar. It's quality time with an acquaintance or a chance to meet new people.

Get that Upper Class feeling before you board with exclusive access to our Clubhouse or partner lounges worldwide.

The Retreat Suite

Exclusive to our Airbus A330neo aircraft

At the front of our Upper Class cabin, you'll find two of our most spacious suites yet. Each Retreat Suite boasts an ottoman that doubles up as an extra seat so up to four people can enjoy an intimate dinner together in their own private social space, or settle in comfort to watch a film on the 27" touchscreen.

À la carte dining experience

Welcome to your exclusive restaurant above the clouds. Your main meal is served soon after take off, and you’ll enjoy a choice of dishes over four delicious courses, all served on a beautifully stylish table setting.

Entertainment and connectivity

Hours of entertainment for everyone. Or stay connected and power-up your personal playlists.

• 300+ hours of TV and films
• In-seat power for your devices
• Wi-Fi from only £2.99

Ready to book?

Search for the latest prices and availability.

Get more from your flight

Extras and upgrades

Retail therapy

Gold and Silver members can select their seats for free at any time, even if flying Economy Light.

Flying in Upper Class? You can select your seats at any time ahead of your flight in My Booking.

Let us know if you need any help and we'll make you feel at home, no matter where you're sitting.

If you need to stay connected with friends and family or simply can't miss your next deadline, our on board Wi-Fi is available from £2.99.

Tips for flying with young children, including Kids goodie packs, special baggage allowance and how to pre-order kids meals.

Some great tips from The Sleep Council to help you sleep well on your flight with us.

Take a breather on board with our guides to meditation and flying without fear.

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We are flying from IAD to LHR in Upper Class on Virgin Atlantic with two kids (7 and 3 years old). What seat arrangement do you think would be best to be able to take care of the kids easily while in the air?

5 replies to this topic

If that is correct, then take the middle seats and seat one child with each of you.

Have a look at the seat map here: https://www.aerolopa.com/vs-airbus-a351-1

Anything from row 45 or farther back would be perfect. 🤣

I think #2 was tongue in cheek suggesting the entire family go to row 45 or beyond not just sending the kids there.

Just the usual from that poster.

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Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Increases ANA Business Class Pricing

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club has hiked redemption pricing on certain ANA business class flights, increasing ANA business class redemptions by up to 26%. 

This new devaluation, which was implemented quietly without notice, took effect as of May 23, 2024.

As first reported by AwardWallet, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club has quietly hiked the redemption rates for medium- and long-haul ANA business class awards as of May 23, 2024. Increases of up to 26% took effect.

Previously, the redemption chart for ANA round-trip awards was as follows:

Then, as of May 23, 2024, the Virgin Atlantic website displays the following ANA redemption chart for round-trip awards:

Comparing the charts, you’ll see the following changes:

• Japan – Malaysia/Myanmar/Singapore/Thailand/Vietnam: increased from 65,000 to 70,000 Virgin Points
• Japan – Hawaii/India/Indonesia: increased from 70,00o to 75,000 Virgin Points
• Japan – Australia/Canada/Western USA: increased from 90,000 to 105,000 Virgin Points
• Japan – Europe/Central & Eastern USA/Mexico: increased from 95,000 to 120,000 Virgin Points

The changes above represent an 8–28% increase in award costs.

Unfortunately, taking the worst hit are long-haul flights, including those to the US and Canada, which increased by 15,000–25,000 Virgin Points, or 17–28%.

This round of devaluation frankly isn’t surprising, as Virgin Atlantic Flying Club had already increased ANA First Class redemption costs by as much as 42% in March 2023. Perhaps what’s more surprising is that it took this long, since it’s long been speculated that non-alliance partner awards would devalue as Virgin Atlantic joins SkyTeam .

The good news is that Virgin Atlantic Flying Club periodically offers transfer bonuses with certain transfer partners. In fact, the program is offering a 30% bonus on transfers from Chase Ultimate Rewards until June 15, 2024 . 

Still, the no-notice devaluation leaves a sour taste in the mouth, and it’s anyone’s guess whether we’ll see further devaluations to ANA awards in future years after repeated changes in 2023 and 2024.

Still a Sweet Spot Compared to Other Programs

Despite this no-notice devaluation, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is still a better program for ANA business class redemptions than most other airline programs, provided that you can find award availability.

For the following theoretical examples, let’s compare Virgin Atlantic Flying Club with Aeroplan and Avianca LifeMiles .

Note that Aeroplan uses a fixed-price, distance-based redemption pricing for partner flights, while Avianca LifeMiles uses a fixed-price, zone-based redemption pricing for partner flights.

Tokyo–Bangkok (2,889 miles)

• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: 35,000 Virgin Points
• Aeroplan: 45,000 Aeroplan points
• LifeMiles: 38,000 LifeMiles

Osaka–Honolulu (4,116 miles)

• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: 37,500 Virgin Points
• Aeroplan: 55,000 Aeroplan points
• LifeMiles: 48,000 LifeMiles

Tokyo–San Francisco (5,160 miles)

• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: 52,500 Virgin Points
• Aeroplan: 75,000 Aeroplan points
• LifeMiles: 75,000 LifeMiles

Tokyo–London (5,974 miles)

• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: 60,000 Virgin Points
• Aeroplan: 80,000 Aeroplan points

Despite being devalued compared to before, it’s still a lower amount of points required to book through Virgin Atlantic Flying Club compared to other programs. Therefore, while this devaluation isn’t welcome news, Flying Club remains one of the best ways to book ANA business class. 

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club quietly increased redemption costs for medium- and long-haul ANA business class awards. The devaluation, which took effect on May 23, 2024, saw increases of up to 25,000 Virgin Points or 28%.

While the devaluation isn’t ideal, Flying Club remains to be one of the best ways to redeem ANA business class seats, beating out Star Alliance programs like Aeroplan in terms of the cost in points. 

Plus, Flying Club periodically offers transfer bonuses with certain programs, such as American Express US Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards . A well-timed transfer bonus could therefore soften the impact of this devaluation for would-be ANA business class travellers.

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Virgin Atlantic Flying Club devalues ANA business-class redemptions

Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club program has devalued redemptions flying All Nippon Airways again, this time in business class.

Without notice, round-trip business-class redemptions have increased as follows:

• Hawaii to Japan is now 75,000 Virgin points (up from 70,000 points)
• Western United States to Japan is now 105,000 Virgin points (up from 90,000 points)
• Eastern United States (as well as from Europe) to Japan is now 120,000 Virgin points (up from 95,000 points)

One-way ANA redemptions made with Virgin points can be booked for 50% of the cost of a round-trip flight, so the one-way pricing has increased:

• Hawaii to Japan is now 37,500 Virgin points (up from 35,000 points)
• Western United States to Japan is now 52,500 Virgin points (up from 45,000 points)
• Eastern United States (as well as from Europe) to Japan is now 60,000 Virgin points (up from 47,500 points)

Related: Feels like first class: Flying ANA The Room business class from LA-Tokyo

There are no changes to the prices of first-class redemptions flying ANA with Virgin points, which were devalued in 2023 .

ANA premium-cabin redemptions remain arguably the single best use of Virgin points , and while devaluations are never welcome, they are an unfortunate reality of the industry, especially when they are without notice, and from the West Coast and Hawaii at least, this is relatively mild.

The first- and business-class prices are still very reasonable compared with what other programs charge for flights of similar length, and Japan's ANA is known as one of Asia's leading airlines.

Virgin's Flying Club program is a transfer partner of all major credit card programs, and with transfer bonuses from time to time, Virgin points are easy to use.

Availability can be difficult to find through Virgin Atlantic. You will have the best chance at finding seats either 12 months in advance when the flights are first loaded or up to 14 days before the flight departs when unsold revenue seats are often converted to awards.

To find availability, you can search on the United Airlines MileagePlus website, and then if you see availability, call Virgin Atlantic at 800-365-9500 to book.

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.

Virgin Voyages Sailing Club loyalty program: Everything you need to know

Does Virgin Voyages have a loyalty program? The short answer is yes, and it recently got a major overhaul.

That said, the Virgin Voyages Sailing Club, as it's called, is a relatively simple program, as was the case when it was first unveiled in August 2022 .

The program has just three tiers of benefits as compared to five or more at many cruise lines, and it doesn't offer nearly the array of perks that you'll find at bigger cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean .

Still, some of the perks you can get through the program can be quite valuable. They include free laundry service and free premium Wi-Fi at the program's higher tiers, two things that normally can cost quite a bit extra on cruise ships.

For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

There is also a daily specialty coffee credit for members at the second and third tiers of the program that is like money in the bank if you're a regular latte or cappuccino drinker. And the perks don't end there.

Note that the Virgin Voyages Sailing Club is a loyalty program exclusive to Virgin Voyages, separate from the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Virgin Red programs that are connected to other Virgin brands.

Members of those programs in the U.S. can already redeem their Virgin points on sailings on all of the line's current ships: Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady and Resilient Lady. Capital One cardholders can also access cruises for points through a partnership between Capital One and Virgin Red .

Ways to earn points

The Virgin Voyages Sailing Club point-earning system is about as simple as can be: You earn one credit for every cruise you take with the line.

Unlike at some cruise brands, there are no complicated formulas for earning points that take into account the type of cabin you book or the length of your cruise. It's one cruise, one credit. End of story.

Note that certain low-priced sailings and nonrevenue fares do not get you any credits. To be eligible for a credit, a voyage must be a full-fare sailing that hasn't used a discounted access key or other low-fare pricing methods, such as gifted cruises, comped casino cruises or voyages bought with airline points.

Reduced rate voyages and certain other booking types also are not eligible to earn or receive perks.

Additionally, the credit for voyages doesn't accrue toward perks until 30 days following the completion of the voyage.

Virgin Voyages Sailing Club loyalty levels

There are three tiers to the Virgin Voyages Sailing Club program:

• Sailing Club membership (after one sailing)
• Blue Extras (after two sailings)
• Deep Blue Extras (after four sailings)

The first tier of the program, the basic Sailing Club membership, brings just three relatively minor perks. The most notable is that you become eligible for special offers on cruises.

Additionally, you will be among the first to be alerted to promotions that the line announces. You'll also receive a quarterly members newsletter.

It's not until you reach the second tier of the program, Blue Extras, that you start to get some perks that you can use when on board ships. These include a free specialty coffee every day of your cruise and free laundry service for one bag of laundry per voyage.

Blue Extras members also get:

• An invitation to an exclusive cocktail event
• A dedicated phone support line (known as Sailor Services)

The elite level that makes a difference

The Deep Blue Extras level is where your Virgin Voyages Sailing Club membership really starts paying off.

At this level, you can order two specialty coffees per day at no charge, and your complimentary laundry allowance goes up. You'll get two pressed items for free, as well as one specialty cleaning item and a bag of regular laundry.

But that's just the appetizer for the main course of perks at this level: a $100 per cruise credit for alcoholic drinks (or, as Virgin likes to call it, a $100 bar tab credit). This is a significant perk, as it amounts to real money saved when cruising, assuming you like to order drinks while at sea.

Deep Blue Extras members also get all the other perks of the two previous tier levels, plus:

• An unlimited premium Wi-Fi package
• Access to expedited boarding

The access to expedited boarding is not just for you but your cabin mates, assuming they arrive with you at the terminal. Your cabin mates will also be able to attend the exclusive cocktail event, which is a perk for Blue Extras and Deep Blue Extras members.

Note that many of these perks appear as credits on your final bill. You will still be charged for the premium Wi-Fi when you sign up for it and the specialty coffees when you order them, and the charges will appear on your onboard account, but they will be waived before the end of the voyage when Virgin Voyages runs your credit card.

In addition to being available to cruisers who complete four sailings under the revamped program, the Deep Blue Extras perks are also available to two broad categories of cruisers established under the old program:

• Sea-Blazers : These are the "pioneers" of Virgin Voyages sailings who cruised with the line in 2021, its first year of operation. In addition to the temporary perks available to all eligible Sailing Club members, this group will get a $125 bar tab bonus for every $300 bar tab purchased every time they sail with the line for the rest of their lives; this was something Virgin Voyages promised them back in 2021.
• Sea-Rovers : These are customers who sailed with Virgin Voyages at least twice between Jan. 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2023. They are receiving all the Deep Blue Extras perks, plus a $100 bar tab bonus for every $300 bar tab purchased through 2024.

Under the new program, Sea-Blazers and Sea-Rovers will continue to receive all the Deep Blue Extras perks through the end of 2025.

Get perks faster with a Sailing Club status match

As of April 3, Virgin Voyages is offering a status match to cruisers who hold loyalty status with other select cruise and travel brands.

The Sailing Club Status Match program, as it's called, offers immediate Sailing Club membership and Blue Extras perks to cruisers who provide confirmation of loyalty status in other programs and have a confirmed eligible booking with Virgin Voyages.

As part of this program, you can receive Blue Extras perks on your very first voyage with Virgin Voyages instead of having to wait until your third cruise with the line.

Virgin Voyages offers this status match with the following loyalty programs:

• Azamara Circle (for Explorer, Discoverer, Discover Plus and Discover Platinum members)
• Carnival Cruise Line's VIFP Club (for Platinum and Diamond members)
• Celebrity Cruises' Captain's Club (for Captain's Club, Elite, Elite Plus and Zenith members)
• Disney Cruise Line's Castaway Club (for Silver, Gold, Platinum and Pearl members)
• Holland America's Mariner Society (for 3-Star, 4-Star and 5-Star Mariner members)
• Norwegian Cruise Line's Latitudes Rewards (for Platinum, Sapphire, Diamond and Ambassador members)
• Oceania Club (for Gold, Platinum, Diamond and President's Circle members)
• P&O Peninsular Club (for Mediterranean Tier, Caribbean Tier, Baltic Tier and Ligurian Tier members)
• Princess Cruises' Captain's Circle (for Platinum and Elite members)
• Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society (for Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club members)
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (for Gold members)
• Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer (for Gold, Platinum and Beyond members)
• Windstar Cruises' Yacht Club (for One Star, Two Star, Three Star and Four Star members)

Bottom line

Virgin Voyages has a relatively modest loyalty program with just three tiers and not all that many perks at each of the tiers, but it does offer several valuable perks at its higher tiers, including free laundry service, free premium Wi-Fi and a significant credit toward drinks.

One thing to keep in mind when evaluating the benefits available through the Virgin Voyages Sailing Club loyalty program is that many of the perks that other lines offer cruisers as part of their loyalty programs are already included in the base fares for Virgin Voyages cruises. Virgin Voyages includes gratuities, specialty dining and a basic Wi-Fi package in the fares for every cabin on its ships, for instance. As a result, there are fewer valuable extras to give away to its customers with status in the loyalty program.

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• What to pack for your first cruise

Here is the new ANA partner award chart that goes into effect tomorrow, May 23:

When comparing this against the old award chart, I would say roundtrip award pricing is increasing about 10–20% across the board for long haul international routes in business class.

The devaluation looks to be targeting the high value business class sweet spot redemption Virgin Atlantic/ANA has been known to offer.

Operating Carrier

Current Price

Domestic Japan

Japan <> South Korea

Japan <> China

Japan <> Singapore

Japan <> Hawaii

Japan <> West USA

Japan <> East USA

Given the popularity of this partner award redemption, this devaluation is going to hurt no matter what. ANA business class flying East Coast USA <> Japan takes the biggest hit here for sure.

Virgin Voyages cruise deal offers a month on board with Caribbean season pass

Travelers can make a cruise ship in the Caribbean their floating vacation home this summer.

Virgin Voyages is launching a Summer Season Pass on its Valiant Lady ship, allowing guests to sail six back-to-back cruises over the course of a month at a discounted price. The adults-only cruise line added the Caribbean option after seeing high demand for its season passes in the Mediterranean on Resilient Lady and Scarlet Lady earlier this year. The offers are aimed at remote workers who want a change of scenery – though you don’t have to be working to take advantage.

“We heard from travelers in North America who wanted the option to sail the stunning Caribbean and stay a bit closer to home while working in a similar time zone,” a Virgin Voyages spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

What are the terms of the Caribbean Summer Season Pass?

Passengers have the option to take their month at sea in June, July, August or September. Each option includes six back to back cruises over the following dates:

• June 7-July 5
• July 5-Aug. 2
• Sept. 4-Oct. 1

Destinations include Key West, Florida; Bimini in the Bahamas; Costa Maya, Mexico, Grand Turk in Turks and Caicos and more, though stops vary by itinerary.

Cruise booking tips: There's more to it than picking your travel dates

How much does the Caribbean Summer Season Pass cost?

The pass starts at $12,000 for up to two guests, a 25% discount compared to purchasing the cruises separately. Passholders will be booked in Central Sea Terrace cabins and get wash and fold laundry service, two specialty coffees per day, premium Wi-Fi and other perks.

Travelers can book online .

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].