Moving is always a challenge. So, when I took a new job in Florida, about 1,200 miles away from my home in Pennsylvania, I knew I had to plan wisely.
04.11.2024 - 14:39 / thepointsguy.com / John F.Kennedy
On Oct. 30, Virgin Atlantic rolled out the long-awaited changes to its Flying Club program, and overall, they were not as bad as I had feared.
For Flying Club members, all seats on Virgin-operated flights are now available to book with Virgin points, a dramatic shift from the strictly capacity-controlled system the program previously operated under. Additionally, the biggest program change is that all award seats are now dynamically priced, with some fare costs reducing and others increasing.
The changes are a mixed bag and very much depend on which type of traveler you are. As a flexible traveler without children, I'm pleasantly surprised with the new Flying Club program and pricing — here's why.
Though Virgin Atlantic released some information regarding the adjustments to Flying Club before it went live on Oct. 30, as a frequent flyer on the airline, I published a wish list of changes that I felt would keep the program attractive to members and competitive in the loyalty landscape.
Here's a look at whether those wishes were granted.
While I hoped for reduced redemption rates on low-demand dates, the new Saver fares made my jaw drop, and now offer the lowest rates of any major airline loyalty program for flights to Europe in all classes.
While the availability of these flights is limited (look for the red "Saver" tag when booking), prices start from as low as 6,000 Virgin points in economy from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Heathrow Airport (LHR), 10,500 Virgin points in premium economy and just 29,000 Virgin points in business class.
There is no denying these rates greatly improve the Flying Club program and are market-leading prices. However, since a published award chart no longer sets the pricing standard for Flying Club, being a flexible traveler is key to snagging a great redemption deal now that the carrier has switched to a dynamic pricing model.
Related: Leisurely luxury: A review of Virgin Atlantic's A350 leisure configuration in Upper Class from Manchester to Orlando
For years, I've complained about Flying Club's eye-watering carrier-imposed surcharges, which added more than $2,000 to the cost of a round-trip business-class redemption to Europe. Despite holding a healthy balance of Virgin points for years and being a fan of their premium products, I couldn't bring myself to pay that much cash on top of the points required for an award redemption.
Along with the new Saver fares, a real program improvement has been the reduction of carrier-imposed surcharges. The surcharges are priced dynamically — which is an unusual concept in itself — but for the cheapest Saver fares, this means that the total fees, taxes and surcharges payable for a flight to London are now as low as:
Moving is always a challenge. So, when I took a new job in Florida, about 1,200 miles away from my home in Pennsylvania, I knew I had to plan wisely.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Ashley Tan, 29, who quit her job at JP Morgan Singapore to travel. It's been edited for length and clarity.
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