Virgin Flying Club Changes Ahead

[JohnnySharp2]

May be of some interest:-

I received an email from 'The Flying Club' and it states they are making it even quicker for you to reach reward flights.

Standard reward flights will start from 20,000 miles.
(*Standard and peak season reward flights are available from 16 January 2017. The existing year round reward flights are still available until 15 January 2017.)

I am not up to date on what the current standard reward flights start at, but I am sure someone will know on the Dibb.

 

[eeyorefanuk]

Wonder how long it takes to get to 20000

Ba points you don't get much choice if just want economy

 

[wilma-bride]

Wonder how long it takes to get to 20000

Ba points you don't get much choice if just want economy

A return flight to Orlando will earn you approximately 8400 miles.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

sorry but meant to say disboards.

EDIT - also this is Julie Sharp *not Johnny* I cannot remember password on my account!

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

Sooooo not good for my entire family. We we're all saving to get our flights for next Xmas using our miles, which we've been saving up for years. We did have enough now they want another 25,000 miles per person That's an additional 100,000 miles for my family of 4

It's just not fair we've only got 2 months till we book there's no way we're going to be able to accumulate that number of miles

 

[pickers1982]

Sooooo not good for my entire family. We were all landing to get our flights for next Xmas using our miles, which we've been saving up for years. We did have enough now they want another 25,000 miles per person That's an additional 100,000 miles for my family of 4

It's just not fair we've only got 2 months till we book there's no way we're going to be able to accumulate that number of miles

Did wonder when I got the email how it could be positive like they were selling it as!

 

[Jon84]

I've never planned a trip relying on miles, it's too dangerous when they make changes like this. I've used miles to upgrade flights, but never a reward flight.

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

I've never planned a trip relying on miles, it's too dangerous when they make changes like this. I've used miles to upgrade flights, but never a reward flight.

To be fair Virgin have never made this kind of sweeping changes before so I have always been confident in relying on reward flights. We've used reward flights many times going to the US, Asia and Australia when they flew there

 

[Lucys dad]

I've never planned a trip relying on miles, it's too dangerous when they make changes like this. I've used miles to upgrade flights, but never a reward flight.

I'm exactly the same, I've only ever had miles used for an upgrade.

I'm not sure if I'm just to lazy to really look into it, but it always seems impossible to get a reward flight unless you have the flexibility to fly literally at anytime

 

[london75]

We manage to save 200,000 every two years using the virgin black credit card. That gets us one way in upper class which is fantastic. Then we buy a one way back or save American Airlines points to fly back.

Not sure if this change is for the better or worse. Can't believe it will be for the better though!

 

[saintrob]

All three of us are linked to the same Virgin Atlantic black card therefore we manage to rack up quite a lot of miles through the year. We nearly always manage to book at least two flights per year with miles, usually in upper. If I don't have enough for a reward flight then I book the ex Dublin route which has the benefit of earning miles too. I also have all my Tesco clubcard points converted to Virgin miles and use their shops away site whenever possible.

 

[pickers1982]

To be fair Virgin have never made this kind of sweeping changes before so I have always been confident in relying on reward flights. We've used reward flights many times going to the US, Asia and Australia when they flew there

Ageeed

 

[YorkshireBLT]

Sooooo not good for my entire family. We we're all saving to get our flights for next Xmas using our miles, which we've been saving up for years. We did have enough now they want another 25,000 miles per person That's an additional 100,000 miles for my family of 4

It's just not fair we've only got 2 months till we book there's no way we're going to be able to accumulate that number of miles

I'm not sure you have fully understood the new system. Assuming you are heading to Orlando, then the price of flying at peak times (including Xmas) has not gone up by 25,000 miles per person - Economy flights have only gone up 2,500 miles per person, from 42,500 points per person return to 45,000 points per person return. (Premium Economy had gone down 5,000 miles per person, and Upper Class has gone up 15,000 miles per person.)

My partner and I usually fly off-peak, so this is fantastic news for us - Economy flights to Orlando are now only 25,000 miles per person. We have a Virgin black AMEX, so we will easily build up the 50,000 miles through our regular annual spending, plus by spending over £10K a year on the AMEX, we get 2 free Economy to Premium Economy upgrades.

 

[meryll83]

What is now the best value option to use your miles for? Full ticket purchase, miles plus money, upgrade, companion flight? Anyone know?

 

[saintrob]

I always try for a full ticket purchase or failing that an upgrade. I don't rate the miles and money and have never use the companion option.

 

[Chris and Pooh]

I am reasonably flexible and am flying September - October 2017 but despite at least 10 different combinations which included dates just released, the Virgin booking site stated there was no availability but conversely, no alternative dates offered as the BA site does. This left me completely in the dark as to what dates if any are available for miles only economy flights .

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

I am SO angry with virgin. My flights for next October were released today and - with the new off-peak option - I had enough miles for a rerurn flight to Orlando. The website wouldnt let me book so I called, to be told that the new off-peak rates are not starting until January and that it is an "error" that its on the website already. Honestly, I feel so disappointed.

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

I am SO angry with virgin. My flights for next October were released today and - with the new off-peak option - I had enough miles for a return flight to Orlando. The website wouldnt let me book so I called, to be told that the new off-peak rates are not starting until January and that it is an "error" that its on the website already. Honestly, I feel so disappointed.

At least you can log into your account. Since the "new" website went live I've not been able to log into mine, my DH or ether of our son's accounts ........ I spent an hour on the phone with Virgin on Monday only to be told there was nothing actually wrong with any of our account and it should all be sorted out by Wednesday........well today is Wednesday and I'm still waiting for it to be sorted out

Virgin seriously needed to do A LOT MORE testing before they released the changes as they have some serious issues with their website

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

At least you can log into your account. Since the "new" website went live I've not been able to log into mine, my DH or ether of our son's accounts ........ I spent an hour on the phone with Virgin on Monday only to be told there was nothing actually wrong with any of our account and it should all be sorted out by Wednesday........well today is Wednesday and I'm still waiting for it to be sorted out

Virgin seriously needed to do A LOT MORE testing before they released the changes as they have some serious issues with their website

OMG how annoying!!! Well the website assured me that my new membership card would be with me by Wednesday . . . needless to say its not here . . .

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

I'm not sure you have fully understood the new system. Assuming you are heading to Orlando, then the price of flying at peak times (including Xmas) has not gone up by 25,000 miles per person - Economy flights have only gone up 2,500 miles per person, from 42,500 points per person return to 45,000 points per person return. (Premium Economy had gone down 5,000 miles per person, and Upper Class has gone up 15,000 miles per person.)
.

Actually I'm not misunderstanding the new system at all. Because we are flying at peak time we are going indirect as I very much doubt we will get LGW - MCO return flights at Xmas, so we are flying outbound via Atlanta and home via JFK. We are flying Upper Class and before the change each leg was 40,000 per person so 80,000 return. Now after the change its 115,000 return so in actual fact it's going to be 140,000 miles extra for my family of 4 and the get that number of miles in a little over 2 months, without actually buying them it's going to be impossible