18 Best Ways to Earn Lots of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Miles
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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!
Table of contents
Table of Contents
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.
2. Add an Authorized User
Why not earn miles for purchases made by a family member too? After all, the Virgin Atlantic Card 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:
| Fare Class | Earned Miles |
| Discount Economy E, Q, V, N, O | 50% |
| Mid-Tier Economy L, U, M | 100% |
| Full-Fare Economy Y, B, R | 150% |
| Discount Premium Economy H, K | 100% |
| Premium Economy W, S | 200% |
| Discount Business I, Z | 200% |
| Full Fare Business J, C, D | 400% |
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:
| Type of Fare | Cabin Class | Bonus |
| Full Fare Business | J, C, D, I | 200% |
| Discount Business | Z | 100% |
| Premium Economy | W, S | 100% |
| Discount Premium Economy | H, K | 50% |
| Economy | Y, B, R, L, U, M | 50% |
| Discount Economy | E, Q, X, V, N, O | 25% |
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 Sapphire Preferred® Card - This is our favorite beginners travel rewards card which has a 60,000 point bonus (highest ever) after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. This sign up bonus is worth $750 in travel purchases (flights, hotels, car rentals etc) when you redeem your points through Chase's travel portal, which works like Expedia. The bonus alone could get you multiple round-trip flights or hotel stays. |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® - Consider this premium card if you want to get into a lot of airport lounges. The current sign up bonus is 50,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. You'll also get a $300 travel credit per year which wipes away a big chunk of the $550 annual fee. |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® - A simple, no annual fee card that earns you a $200 bonus after you spend $500 in your first 3 months. Earn 1.5% cash-back on all purchases, but you won't get any travel benefits or the ability to earn bonus points with this card. |
Recommended Chase Cards (Business)
| Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card - This is our #1 recommended business card and right now comes with a 100,000 sign up bonus after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening. This bonus is worth $1,250 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards for travel purchases (flights, hotels etc). Pay your cell phone bill with this card to receive up to $600 in cell phone insurance coverage per year. |
| Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card - earn $500 bonus cash back after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening. This no annual fee business card earns up to 5% cash back on a range of business expenses such as office supply stores, internet, cable, and phone services. |
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)
| The Platinum Card® from American Express - There's currently a welcome bonus of 60,000 points after spending $5,000 in your first 3 months, worth up to $600 towards travel. Terms Apply. However — you may be eligible for a (much) higher offer by using the CardMatch Tool. (There's no pull on your credit to check for personalized offers.) This is our #1 card for accessing 1,200+ airport lounges worldwide (including Priority Pass). We leverage ~$2,700+ in value from the card every year. For rates & fees of the Platinum Card, click here. |
| American Express® Gold Card - We love using this card as it earns 4x points at restaurants worldwide and 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year; then 1x. Terms Apply). There's no better card in our opinion if you eat out and/or shop at supermarkets regularly. With a welcome bonus of 35,000 points after you spend $4,000 in your first 3 months and up to $100 airfare fee credit per year, it's a strong choice. For rates & fees of the Gold Card, click here. |
Recommended Amex Cards (Business)
| The Business Platinum Card® from American Express - Right now, there's a welcome bonus of up to 75,000 points after you spend $15,000 within the first 3 months. Terms Apply. See how we get ~$5,525+ in value per year by leveraging many of the benefits & perks, including access to 1,200+ airport lounges worldwide. For rates & fees of the Business Platinum, click here. |
| American Express® Business Gold Card - probably our favorite Amex business card because we earn 4x points across the top 2 select categories that we spend the most money in each month, such as Facebook or Google ads. The 4x points applies to the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these 2 categories each calendar year. After that, you earn 1x. Terms Apply. For rates & fees of the Business Gold Card, click here. |
| The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express - A super simple, no annual fee card that earns you 2x points on any business purchase, up to $50,000 annually. After that, then 1x. Terms Apply. That makes for an easy 100,000 points per year. For rates & fees of the Blue Business Plus, click here. |
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!
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.
| Airlines | Bonus | Airlines | Bonus |
| Delta Air Lines | 25%-400% | Air China | 25%-200% |
| Singapore Airlines | 75%-150% | Hawaiian Airlines | 50%-150% |
| Air New Zealand | 50%-200% | Scandinavian Airlines | 25%-150% |
| South African Airways | 25%-125% | Air France | 25%-400% |
| All Nippon Airways | 30%-300% | KLM | 25%-400% |
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:
| Hotel | Miles Earned | Hotel | Miles Earned |
| Marriott Bonvoy | Up to 2 miles/$1 | Travelplus | (UK only). 2 miles/£1 |
| World of Hyatt | 750 miles/stay | Virgin Hotels | 1,000 miles/stay |
| IHG Rewards Club | Up to 500 miles/stay | Virgin Limited Edition | Up to 55k miles/stay |
| Edition Hotels | 2 miles/$1 | Worldhotels | 500 miles/stay |
| Best Western Hotels & Resorts | 500 miles/stay | Yotel** | Up to 500 miles/stay |
*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.
| Hotel Booking Company | Miles Earned |
| Rocketmiles | 500-10,000 miles/night |
| Kaligo.com | 20 miles/£1 |
| PointsHound | Up to 5,000 miles/night |
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:
| Car Rental Agency | Miles Earned | Car Rental Agency | Miles Earned |
| Avis | 250-1,000 miles/rental | My Driver by Sixt | (UK only) |
| Alamo | 1,000 miles/rental | National Car Rental | 600-1,200 miles |
| Hertz | Up to 1,000 miles/rental | Enterprise | 100 miles/day |
| Sixt | 500 miles/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:
| Hotel | Transfer Ratio |
| Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG) | 10,000:2,000 |
| Hilton Honors | 10,000:1,500 |
| World of Hyatt* | 5,000:3,000 |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 10,000:2,000 |
* 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 Surpass® Card |
|
| Hilton Honors American Express Card |
|
| Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card |
|
| World of Hyatt Credit Card |
|
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!
Final Thoughts
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.
Great post to sticky..thanks.
I recently booked that great Air new Zealand $1,500 RT business class fare Chicago to Sydney and decided to credit the miles to Virgin Atlantic which “wheretocredit.com” suggests would earn 200% bonus on flown miles (Z class tickets). I’m pretty new to Flying Club and was trying to decide if I should go for Silver status. If I were to earn sliver status with VA before going on this round trip to Sydney, would I get another 30% bonus for the status bonus even though it is a partner flight? The whole itinerary is 18,762 flown miles and the 200% bonus for business class Z should add 37,524 miles for a total of 56,286 redeemable Flying Club miles. Because if they pay a 30% bonus on the 56,286 then it is definitely worth it for me to charge some more to the Credit card to get up to Silver status before we go. If not, then maybe it’s not worth it to bother. Any thoughts?
Hey Rob,
This strategy will work. The only caveat is that you will need to properly associate your frequent flyer information on your Air New Zealand itinerary. This is a good strategy, but make sure you qualify for Silver fairly well in-advance just to avoid any issues with the elite bonus. Thanks for reading.
I have a little over 2,000 miles that expire tomorrow. Are there any magazines or small items I could get for those miles?
Thank you.
Shirley
Hi Shirley,
If you’re hoping to redeem your miles for magazines you could try to do so at https://www.magsformiles.com/
Thanks for reading!
I’ve been a member of VA for 20 years. When VA changed their tier levels I dropped to Red. I only use VA by transferring miles from Chase Rewards to fly Upper Class from MIA to LHR. They recently emailed me their latest 80,000 bonus miles offer for a Bank of America card. The line I read that I liked was, get a free partner reward flight in the same class as the member earns using miles for a reward flight. So I straight away thought that was a good deal. Get two Upper Class return reward tickets for 100,000 points.
Not for Red Members! Red only qualifies for Economy and Premium. You have to be a Silver Member for Upper Class Reward free flight, and that requires 400 tier points.
So my wife and I just booked a cruise to Antarctica in January, and have to pay the deposit and balance this month. I originally thought I could just put those charges on my VA Bank of America card. Except this card offers none of the benefits my Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers! If I use my Chase card I get free travel insurance benefits including free trip cancellation/interruption for up to $20,000 per trip, baggage delay, trip delay. Then I read the fine print and the huge amount you have to spend to get the free ticket to get 15,000 of those miles. So I advise that you read the fine print on this Virgin deal.
Plus as VA and BA taxes and fees on reward flights through LHR continue to increase, their miles become less desirable.
Yesterday I called BA to book a business class reward seat from MIA to LHR and the price was 150,000 miles and $1450 taxes and fees.
I can fly BA to Dublin on the same dates for $2450 return and earn up to 11,000 Avios points, and 140 tier points, and it’s available every day I want to fly in August!
I am trying to refer a friend, cant find the link. How do I do this?
Hi Sylvia,
What are you trying to refer your friend to exactly?
Hi curious why you don’t recommend purchasing airmiles? I recently purchased 4000 miles and got 1200 bonus for £75. I don’t know any other way I could of got that many miles for the price. Any ideas
Jay,
Not all miles are the same. Just because you have miles in a random loyalty program or system isn’t equivalent to some of the world’s most coveted airline points, similar to how Monopoly money is meaningless compared to the U.S. Dollar for example. Thanks for reading.