18 Best Ways to Earn Lots of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Miles

BY 

Jennifer Koebele

- UPDATED: March 18, 2019

1. Earn Points  / 
2. Earn Airline Points

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Virgin Atlantic is the British airline that services more than 30 destinations from bases at London-Gatwick, London-Heathrow, and Manchester airports.

Due to its partnership with Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic offers connections to more than 200 North American gateways. In the U.S., Virgin Atlantic operates flights between the U.K. and Los Angeles, Atlanta, San Francisco, and Washington.

In this article, we will explain the show you how to earn miles in Virgin Atlantic Flying Club so you can spend them on upgrades, rewards flights, and more!

The Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Frequent Flyer Program

Enroll in Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

It’s free to sign up for the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club! In just a few minutes, you can enroll and enter your login details.

Members enjoy discounts and perks while earning Flying Club miles. Earned miles can be redeemed for free flights, hotel stays, and other rewards.

1. The Virgin Atlantic Credit Card

With the Virgin Atlantic World Elite MasterCard® from Bank of America, it’s possible to earn Flying Club miles fast. Cardholders earn up to 3 miles per $1 spent on Virgin Airlines purchases.

Like other airline credit cards, this one comes with a sign-up bonus to help you start banking points. Always evaluate your spending patterns before signing up for a credit card so you choose the best option for your financial situation.

Click the link below to learn more about the Virgin Atlantic World Elite MasterCard® from Bank of America, and apply if you think this card makes sense for you!

2. Add an Authorized User

Why not earn miles for purchases made by a family member too? After all, the Virgin Atlantic World Elite MasterCard® from Bank of America gives you 5,000 Flying Club miles just for adding an authorized user!

3. Fly Virgin Atlantic

Booking flights with Virgin Atlantic is another way to increase your Flying Club miles balance quickly. The more you fly, the more points you’ll get.

The number of miles possible depends on flight mileage, cabin choice, and ticket type (it also depends on your Flying Club membership tier, which we will cover in the next tip.) Take a look at the mileage chart for Flying Club members:

4. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Elite Status

As a Flying Club member, you start out with Red status. Achieve Silver and Gold status, and you’ll earn more Flying Club miles.

Remember, Flying Club has made some big changes. Before, members needed 15 tier points to reach Silver and 40 tier points to reach Gold in the old elite status program.

The new requirements are 400 tier points for Silver and 1,000 tier points for Gold!

Prior to the restructure, members received a 50% bonus (Silver) or 100% bonus (Gold) for flights. Now, Silver and Gold bonuses are 30% and 60% respectively.

However, while status bonuses are slightly lower, they now apply to cabin bonuses and not just base miles. This could mean a big increase if you purchase premium fares.

See the chart below for the number of points you can earn:

Earn Flying Club Miles With Credit Cards

5. Chase Ultimate Rewards Credit Cards

If you aren’t a member of Chase Ultimate Rewards, you may want to consider enrolling, since Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred to your Flying Club account! For every 1,000 Ultimate Rewards points, you’ll get 1,000 Flying Club miles.

Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)

CHASE CARD	BENEFITS & INFO
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card How We Get $1k+ Value From Just 60k Pts >	Biggest Bonus Ever! Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months That's worth $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards. 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide. Annual Fee: $95
Chase Freedom Unlimited®	Earn $150 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase - it's automatic. 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases & balance transfers, then a variable APR of 17.24 - 25.99%. Annual Fee: $0
Chase Sapphire Reserve®	Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. $300 Annual Travel Credit 3X points on travel immediately after earning your $300 travel credit. 3X points on dining at restaurants. Access to 1,000+ airport lounges worldwide. Annual Fee: $450

Recommended Chase Cards (Business)

CHASE CARD	BENEFITS & INFO
Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card We Get $1,600+ of Value Using This Card >>	Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months That's $1,000 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards® Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases in the following categories each account anniversary year: Travel, Shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, Advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines. Get up to $600 per claim in Cell Phone Protection against covered theft or damage. Annual Fee: $95
Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card	Earn $500 bonus cash-back after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 15.49% - 21.49% $0 Annual Fee
Are you a business owner? For more detail, see our Chase business credit cards article, or in-depth business credit card guide to make an ideal choice for your situation.

6. American Express Membership Rewards Credit Cards

Transfer 1 Membership Rewards® point into 1 Flying Club mile. Rack up Membership Rewards points with the following American Express credit cards:

Recommended Amex Cards (Personal)

AMEX CARD	BENEFITS & INFO
American Express® Gold Card	Earn 35,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $2,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first 3 months. Earn 4x points at US restaurants; Earn 4x points at US supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X). Annual Fee: $250 For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here.
The Platinum Card® from American Express How We Get $1,500+ In Value From This Card (Per Year) >	Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases in your first 3 months. 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel. Access 1,200+ airport lounges including the amazing Centurion® lounges. Up to $200 Uber Savings Annually. $200 Airline Fee Credit. Annual Fee: $550 For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.

Recommended Amex Cards (Business)

AMEX CARD	BENEFITS & INFO
The Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card from American Express	Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 0.0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then a variable rate, currently 13.49%, 17.49% or 21.49%. Annual Fee: $0 For rates and fees of The Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card from American Express, please click here.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express See How To Also Get $1,250+ in Value Per Year >>	Welcome Offer: Earn up to 75,000 Membership Rewards® Points. Earn 50,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 & an extra 25,000 points after you spend an additional $10,000 all on qualifying purchases within your first 3 months of Card Membership. Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com. Access 1,200+ airport lounges, including the amazing Centurion® lounges. $200 Airline Fee Credit. Annual Fee: $595 For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
American Express® Business Gold Card	Earn 35,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $5,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.* More Rewards: Get 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 select categories where your business spent the most each month** **4X points apply to the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these 2 categories each calendar year.* Airline Bonus: Get 25% points back after you use points for all or part of an eligible flight booked with Amex Travel, up to 250,000 points back per calendar year.* Exclusive Offers: Get up to 1 year free on subscriptions to both G Suite Basic for up to 3 users and ZipRecruiter Standard, a combined value up to $3,200.* Pay Over Time Option: A flexible payment option to help manage cash flow on purchases of $100 or more.* Expense Management Tools: Connect to Quickbooks, access SpendManager(SM), receive a Year-End Summary, and more.* Annual Fee: $295 For rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, please click here. *Terms Apply
Are you a business owner? For more details, see our American Express business credit cards article or in-depth 2019 business credit cards guide to find the perfect card for your company.

7. Citi ThankYou Rewards Credit Cards

Transfer Citi ThankYou Rewards points to Flying Club miles in increments of 1,000 at a 1:1 ratio. Even better, from time to time you’ll get a bonus for your transfer!

Earn Citi ThankYou Rewards points with the following credit cards:

CREDIT CARD	CARD INFO
Citi ThankYou® Premier Card	Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Redeemable for $750 in Airfare at ThankYou.com 3 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on Travel, including Gas Stations 2 points per $1 spent on dining/entertainment Annual Fee: $95, waived for first 12 months

Use Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Travel Partners

8. Fly With Partner Airlines

Flying with Virgin Atlantic airline partners will also help you earn Flying Club miles.

But there are plenty of partners that do offer bonus miles! Click on a carrier for terms and conditions.

9. Book With Hotel Partners

Not only can you earn 1,000 miles per stay at Virgin Hotels, but you can also earn miles with the following Flying Club hotel partners:

*15+ nights in calendar year 5,000 bonus
**Must book on Yotel.com

10. Use Other Hotel Booking Companies

Book rooms directly with the following hotel booking companies and get extra Flying Club miles! Click on a link to learn more about each program.

11. Book With Car Rental Agencies

When you need a rental car, be sure to book it through one of the Flying Club car rental partners, so you earn miles in the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. See the table below for the miles you can earn with a rental:

Convert Partner Points to Flying Club Miles

12. Diners Club International

Since Diners Club is a Flying Club partner, you can transfer Club Rewards points to miles. U.S. cardholders can convert starting at 1,000 Club Rewards points!

13. Transfer Hotel Loyalty Points

We already showed you a list of all the hotel partners you can stay with to earn Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles. Another way to take advantage of the many Flying Club hotel partnerships is by transferring hotel loyalty club points into miles.

Check out the loyalty clubs that participate in the program and the transfer ratios they offer

* Receive 7,500 Flying Club bonus miles when you convert 50,000 World of Hyatt points

Of course, you can increase the balances in these hotel loyalty program accounts by using credit cards, such as those shown in the table below:

CREDIT CARD	CARD INFO
Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card	Earn 125,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases within your first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn a free weekend night after you spend $15,000 on purchases on your card in a calendar year. 12X on qualifying purchases with hotels from the Hilton portfolio. Earn 6X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your Card at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations. Annual Fee: $95 For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card, please click here.
Hilton Honors American Express Card	Earn 75,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after spending $1,000 within your first 3 months after approval. 7X points on qualifying purchases with hotels from the Hilton portfolio. Annual Fee: $0 For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Card, please click here.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ card	Limited Time Offer! Earn 100,000 Bonus Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. An additional Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary. Automatic Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year. Path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each account year. Annual Fee: $95
IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card	Earn 10x points at IHG hotels and 2x points on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants. Annual Fee: $89
Chase Hyatt Credit Card	3x points at Hyatt properties and 2x points at restaurants, airfare purchased directly from the airline and car rental agencies Annual Fee: $75

Shopping To Earn Flying Club Miles

14. Shops Away Purchases

You don’t have to live in the U.K. to shop at the Shops Away site; even those in the U.S. may participate. Choose from more than 1,000 popular retailers and earn miles for your purchases. It’s a terrific way to boost your earnings.

You must access the Shops Away site through the Shops Away Miles Finder on the Firefox toolbar, or by clicking the “Shop Now” button in your Flying Club account.

It can take up to 45 days for miles to appear in your account.

Hot Tip: For more information on this specific earning method, check out our dedicated article — How to Use the Virgin Atlantic Shops Away Shopping Portal to Earn More Miles.

15. Order (And Drink!) Virgin Wines

One perk of being a member of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is access to special deals from Virgin Wines. Order 12 exquisite wines worth more than $225 for only $79.99 (plus free shipping!) and get 3,000 Flying Club miles.

Then, earn 2 miles per $1 spent on future purchases!

16. Buy Virgin Atlantic Miles

If you’re close to an award and need extra miles to make a nearby redemption or you want to buy extra miles at a discount, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club has got you covered. (But we only recommend doing this if you’re really in a pinch!)

You can buy Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles here.

17. Virgin Group Partners

Earn and spend miles in the U.K. with Virgin Group Partners. For instance, travel with Virgin Trains, invest with Virgin Money, and take part in an exhilarating opportunity of a lifetime with Virgin Experience Days.

Discover all the ways you can earn miles with Virgin Group Partners in the U.K. here.

18. Special Flying Club Partner Offers

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club partners offer some great ways to earn miles, as you’ve seen from all the tips above.

But sometimes they take it one step further and offer special chances for you to earn even more.

These special offers are listed on the Partner Offers page of the Flying Club website, which is updated regularly. Look for new deals every so often, and you may benefit big time!

Conclusion

Whether you choose to earn credit card points and transfer them to miles, fly with Virgin Atlantic and its partner carriers, or shop to earn miles, you certainly have plenty of options.

Now that you’ve learned strategies for earning and maximizing Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles, it’s time for you to get started! Soon enough you’ll be on your way to a sweet vacation.

Photo Credits:

Virgin Atlantic Featured Photo: Carlos Yudica/Shutterstock, Inc.
Man Watching Plane: mimagephotography/Shutterstock Inc.
Plane in Sky: 06photo/Shutterstock Inc.

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