The company behind SkyTeam carrier Virgin Atlantic
has debuted a new way for US frequent flyers to earn points that can be used on everything from flights to cruises. The card comes with a modest annual fee of $99 and offers a selection of unique perks and increased earning opportunities.
All eyes on Red
The Virgin Red Rewards Mastercard is the latest cobranded credit card to hit the US market. While under the same umbrella, the Virgin Red loyalty program differs from Virgin Atlantic’s homegrown Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
offering. However, the points can be used across both programs, and members are encouraged to link their accounts.
Virgin Red Rewards Mastercard
The Virgin Red Rewards Mastercard offers bonus points on spending across Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Hotels, and Virgin Voyages.
- Sign-up Bonus
-
40,000 Virgin Points
- Earning Rate
-
3x Virgin Points for every $1 spent with Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Hotels, and Virgin Voyages,
2x Virgin Points for every $1 spent on dining, groceries, select streaming services, and EV charging.
1x Virgin Point for every $1 spent everywhere else Mastercard is accepted.
- Card Benefits
-
2,500 Virgin Points per additional user (up to four users).
An anniversary bonus of 5,000 Virgin Points each year upon renewal.
Earn 25 Flying Club Tier Points for every $2,500 in eligible purchases (up to 50 Tier Points per month).
Enjoy a third night free after booking two nights at a participating Virgin Hotels property once a year.
Plus, up to two of the following, based on spending:
Flying Club reward voucher for a companion seat or a cabin upgrade on Virgin Atlantic.
One free night stay at a participating Virgin Hotels property.
One suite upgrade at a participating Virgin Hotels property.
Up to $300 bar tab with Virgin Voyages.
Blue Extras Perk Package with Virgin Voyages, including laundry service, an exclusive cocktail party, and daily coffee credits.
The card, issued by Synchrony, was first announced this summer. Its rewards structure encourages spending across Virgin’s portfolio of brands and offers a wide selection of non-flying redemption opportunities for those looking to use their points on the ground.
Given that the Flying Club does not have a card of its own in the US market, the new card provides an opportunity for SkyTeam Alliance loyalists, infrequent travelers, and anyone who loves cruises a new way to earn rewards. Shai Weiss, Chief Executive Officer of Virgin Atlantic, highlighted how the card can be rewarding across multiple parts of the travel experience:
“The Virgin Red Rewards Card allows US cardholders to enjoy our brilliantly different customer experience across every part of their journey. They can now earn and burn Virgin Points, putting them towards their next adventure to the UK on Virgin Atlantic, staying at the brand new Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch, before setting sail on a Virgin Voyage from ports across Europe.
“We can’t wait for more people to experience our award-winning Clubhouses and experience on board, delivered by our amazing people.”
As a “Boarding Bonus,” Virgin Red offers 40,000 Virgin Points to new cardholders who spend $3,000 in the first 90 days. A number the airline suggests is enough for two tickets across the pond to the UK and back.
What are the benefits?
The biggest perk that sets the new card apart from comparable airline cards at a similar price point is that Virgin Red Rewards cardholders earn 25 Flying Club Tier Points for each $2,500 in eligible purchases, up to 50 Tier Points per month. To reach the Silver tier (SkyTeam Elite), one must earn 400 Tier Points, while reaching Gold (SkyTeam Elite Plus) requires 1000 Tier Points.
For comparison, a standard economy flight earns 25 Tier Points, flights in Premium earn 50-100, and Upper Class nets up to 200 Tier Points in each direction. The airline also has a robust status match program, allowing frequent flyers at 12 major airlines to bring their elite status over to the SkyTeam Alliance
carrier.
For everyday spending, the points earned vary based on the purchases. All cardholders will earn three Virgin Points for every $1 spent on purchases with Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Hotels, and Virgin Voyages. On top of this, cardholders will earn two Virgin Points for every $1 spent on dining, at grocery stores, on select streaming services, and for EV charging, and one Virgin Point for every $1 spent on anything else wherever Mastercard is accepted.
The card also offers big spenders a choice from six exclusive Virgin perks up to twice a year. The first is awarded when they spend $15,000, and the other can be selected when they spend $30,000. Cardholders can choose the same benefit twice, with the initial perks consisting of the following benefits:
- Flying Club reward voucher for a companion seat or a cabin upgrade on Virgin Atlantic.
- One free hotel night stay at a participating Virgin Hotel.
- One priority room upgrade at a participating Virgin Hotel.
- Up to $300 bar tab with Virgin Voyages.
- Blue Extras Perk Package with Virgin Voyages (which includes laundry service, exclusive cocktail party, and daily coffee credits).
Other benefits include no foreign transaction fees on purchases when traveling overseas, 2,500 Virgin Points for adding an additional user (up to four times), and an anniversary bonus of 5,000 Virgin Points each year upon renewal. Andrea Burchett, Chief Loyalty Officer and Managing Director for Virgin Red, expressed her excitement for the company to be expanding into the US market:
“We’re thrilled to partner with Virgin’s brilliant travel companies to offer our US members the chance to turn the dollars they spend every day into Virgin Points.
“The Virgin Red Rewards Card is the first of its kind in the industry to span flights, cruises and hotels – it’s your passport to more flights across the Atlantic, more Voyaging around Caribbean hotspots and more Bellinis at The Pool Club.”
Virgin Points do not have to be redeemed with Virgin Atlantic. The loyalty currency can also be used on Virgin cruises, hotel stays, and rewards with other partners, such as movie tickets.