Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology.
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.
Virgin Atlantic may be the underdog of U.K. long-haul airlines, but it has long strived to give its passengers a hip cabin and delightful service across all classes. This made the airline a favorite for many U.S.- and U.K.-based travelers, letting it quickly expand to destinations across the U.K., North America, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Middle East.
If you have an upcoming flight to the U.K. (namely, London or Manchester), there’s a decent chance that you’ll find yourself on a Virgin Atlantic plane. No matter what class of service you choose to book, one thing rings true: you’re going to have to physically board the plane before the Virgin Atlantic experience begins.
However, Virgin Atlantic has a somewhat untraditional boarding process that makes it different from British Airways, United Airlines, and others that fly from the U.S. to the U.K.
In this article, we’ll show you how the Virgin Atlantic boarding process works, saving you some major confusion at the airport.
Without further ado, let’s dive in!
As you’d expect, Virgin Atlantic breaks up its boarding zones class-by-class. However, there are a couple of things that make this different than other airlines — namely that economy boarding is split up by the type of economy fare you choose to purchase. So with that in mind, make sure you know what type of economy fare you’ve purchased before you go to board.
However, like most airlines, those with status can board ahead of their purchased class of service. Here’s how the boarding process works:
Note that Economy Classic and Economy Lite passengers are called by row, starting from the back to front.
Currently, there is no way to buy priority boarding outright. Instead, you’ll have to either earn frequent flyer status on Virgin Atlantic or Delta or purchase an Upper Class, Premium, or Economy Delight ticket.
Flying on Virgin Atlantic — whether in economy, Premium, or Upper Class — doesn’t need to be an expensive feat. In fact, you can fly on the airline for a relatively low amount of Virgin Points.
You can earn Virgin Points in a variety of ways, the first being by flying on Virgin Atlantic or one of its airline partners. The airline partners with a number of different airlines like Delta Air Lines, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Australia, and others. You can view the full list of airline partners on Virgin Atlantic’s website.
Hot Tip: You can use your Virgin Points to redeem for flights on Delta Air Lines, Singapore Airlines, ANA, and other Virgin Atlantic partner airlines. Check out our Virgin Atlantic redemption guide for more info.
However, the most popular earning method for most Flying Club members is transferring in Virgin Points from a number of credit card and hotel transfer partners, including American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles (via Virgin Red), Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou, and Marriott Bonvoy. Each of these transfer at varying rates, and offer bonus deals from time to time.
Further, you can also earn Virgin Points by signing up for a Virgin Atlantic co-branded credit card from Bank of America. The Virgin Atlantic World Elite Mastercard® has a solid welcome offer and earns bonus Virgin Points on Virgin Atlantic purchases.
These are our recommended cards for earning Virgin Points:
As mentioned earlier, Virgin Atlantic has one co-branded credit card with Bank of America. The Virgin Atlantic World Elite card earns 3x points per dollar spent directly on Virgin Atlantic purchases and 1.5x points per dollar spent everywhere else.
Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to Virgin Atlantic at a 1:1 ratio. You can use these recommended credit cards to earn Ultimate Rewards points quickly through sign-up bonuses and everyday spend:
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.
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!
If you’re a business owner, see our list of the best Chase business credit cards.
Virgin Atlantic is an American Express transfer partner at a 1:1 transfer ratio. See our post on how to earn lots of Amex points where credit cards are a great tool for that.
Like Amex and Chase, Citi ThankYou Points can be transferred to Virgin Atlantic at a 1:1 transfer ratio. See our article on the best Citi credit cards to top up your ThankYou Point balance.
Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club at a 3:1 ratio, with a 5,000-point bonus awarded for every 20,000 Virgin Points (60,000 Bonvoy points) transferred.
You can earn Marriott Bonvoy points by staying at Marriott hotels or by signing up for a Marriott Bonvoy co-branded credit card from Chase or American Express.
The U.K. is one of the most popular international destinations for American tourists, and Virgin Atlantic is one of the most comfortable ways to cross the pond.
Before you head to the airport though, it’s important to know what to expect so that you’re not caught off guard. While Virgin Atlantic has a largely standard boarding process, its decision to split up different types of economy passengers may throw off some first-time Virgin Atlantic flyers.
We really hope this will help get your next Virgin Atlantic trip to the U.K. off to an enjoyable and stress-free start — safe travels!
The information regarding the Virgin Atlantic World Elite Mastercard® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
At this time there are 4 boarding groups that are prioritized by class of service and airline status. Note that the economy class boarding is split up by passengers in Economy Delight, Economy Classic, and Economy Light.
The first boarding group consists of Upper Class passengers, Virgin Atlantic and Delta Air Lines status holders, and persons with disabilities and small children.
Most major points currencies transfer to Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club loyalty program. These include:
According to Virgin Atlantic, “You must be at the boarding gate at least thirty (30) minutes before your scheduled departure time, unless you are advised otherwise.”
Was this page helpful?
Andrew was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs and now splits his time between Chicago and New York City.
He’s a lifelong traveler and took his first solo trip to San Francisco at the age of 16. Fast forward a few years, and Andrew now travels just over 100,000 miles a year, with over 25 countries, 10 business class products, and 2 airline statuses (United and Alaska) under his belt. Andrew formerly worked for The Points Guy and is now Senior Money Editor at CNN Underscored.
Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...
Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.
We respect your privacy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy and terms of service apply.
