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Is it just me but I’m finding it more difficult to make any use of my companion vouchers and points.
I’ve seen some good UC redemptions from MAN to ATL & MCO but always seem to be one way. Always a stupid number of points for the return and not helped By the divisive system restricting a Red Member to 75k value on the voucher. Compared to BA the scheme it is over complicated and confusing even for agents. I earn most of my points via Tesco or overseas spending in Europe on free Virgin card. One blessing I had was the great 115k redemption of Virgin Voyages & cruised in 2022 out of BCN which was great as had 5 stops, the last 2 cruises have been cash with only 4 stops now & not bothered this year even with a MNVV as prices gone silly. Probably best making more use with my Amex BAPP with a 3% Overseas charge for Avios at least good QR redemption opportunities albeit without 241.In a word yes. A loyalty scheme where the redemption value has been seen to change up to 18 times per day is an absolute joke.
If you have family with school going kids or your typical travel is aligned with school holidays or peak periods, don’t waste your time on this program.
It is more suitable for boomers and Gen X who can travel anytime.We bought ATL summer tickets on Virgin but using seats.aero and identifying low point days. We managed to get UC for 37000 points/person which is excellent value. we first booked 70K points seats for return and then saw the lower fare and jumped on that. £70/person change fee hurts but was worth it to save the points. Flexibility and monitoring is required.
Unfortunately, looking right now USA return prices do seem silly for return from ATL. However MCO has Premium Econonmy seats around 50k to 76k.
Prices do drop for short periods so need to monitor and grab
As the OP says, even without a voucher Qatar’s outright pricing isn’t much higher. Agree focus on racking up Avios and give this nonsense Virgin scheme a miss.
Yeah – sad face
The partial solution is Virgin (with voucher) to US at reasonable price and BA back.
But this feels like a strategy to burn sunk cost miles rather than justify seeking more miles.
Agree re mixing and matching airlines, especially if you have a Barclays upgrade voucher for the outbound and can find a reasonable VS option for the return. As noted, we of Gen X tend to have more flexibility, though we certainly empathise with those still restricted to school holidays – especially if they fall into both categories!
I have an unused portion of a 241 which I’m hoping to use for MAN-LHR-GCM in early 2027, then fingers crossed to find a reasonable VS price back to MAN from the US. We have done it both ways (BA out, VS back and vice versa), but it’s much preferable to get off a long overnight flight at MAN and drive straight home than spend an extra half day in the misery of LHR!
Came back from ATL this week in Upper Class for 29,000 points plus charges, no complaints. Arrivals lounge was excellent.
You can find bargains if you are flexible.To agree with Froggee, if you can mix and match it may work (we’re doing 6 nights in Barbados early next year out Virgin UC and return BA CW, using Companion Vouchers both ways dates based purely on Saver/Reward availability)
Other virgin redemptions can be worthwhile depending on your preferences (we have enjoyed the Red Suite at the O2 a few times)Some interesting replies, glad I’m not alone….yes with both of us being on cusp of BB/Gen X we do have flexibility. When we were both working full time had ability to earn 2x BAPP & 2x VS a year.
As I mentioned probably focus on Amex even with overseas charge and avios boost again & make more use of QR shame they don’t have household but Wife has dumped BAPP now retired so using my Supplementary card.
I guess what peed me off was a VS agent unable to understand their own scheme…
Anyway Have a happy weekend guys.We are hoping to get to Vegas via vs points sometime in 26 or early 27. Seen some reasonable points figures on vseats ( upper out and either premium or economy back )
Just got the reward+ card for the 36k bonus, be switching most spend over to that to earn voucher asap.You need to be silver
You need to be flexible on dates
You need to be flexible on destination
You need to be willing to connect
You need to be accepting of high fees
You need to be travelling alone.Then you can get some value.
Finding value as a family of 4 is possible but a lot harder, I’ve booked half term next year at reasonable points rates.
I use my own website which alerts me on movements on point changes on a route I want but yes prices can change lots of times a day so you have to be quick.
My tact is lock in at decent rate then monitor and pay the £70 if something better crops up.
The idea mentioned by backs999 of locking a rate in then monitor and pay £70 if something better crops up got me thinking. What sort of drop in points do you think you need to make paying £70 per person each way worth while?
Apologies for high-jacking this thread but I think the answer may help OP proceed towards getting reward flights.
I have an unused portion of a 241 which I’m hoping to use for MAN-LHR-GCM in early 2027, then fingers crossed to find a reasonable VS price back to MAN from the US. We have done it both ways (BA out, VS back and vice versa), but it’s much preferable to get off a long overnight flight at MAN and drive straight home than spend an extra half day in the misery of LHR!
I didn’t think you could use “half” a voucher any more?? or is that left over from when you could?
The post was about mixing and matching airlines so the “unused portion” refers to the BAPP 241, sorry if that wasn’t clear, though MAN-LHR-GCM isn’t a VS route anyway!
I have a one way PE ticket JNB-LHR bought by my company, Flying tonight. I checked yesterday and a one way UpperClass for tonight’s flight (not an upgrade) was 350,000 points. I contacted their chat service today to ask cost of an upgrade from PE and was told 325,000 points so they value my PE ticket as 25k points???? What a load of tosh. How long before they realise this scheme is losing them a ton of loyalty.
How long before they realise this scheme is losing them a ton of loyalty.
When the Americans stop transferring the credit card points to VS. We are a rounding error in the grand scheme of things.
I have a one way PE ticket JNB-LHR bought by my company, Flying tonight. I checked yesterday and a one way UpperClass for tonight’s flight (not an upgrade) was 350,000 points. I contacted their chat service today to ask cost of an upgrade from PE and was told 325,000 points so they value my PE ticket as 25k points???? What a load of tosh. How long before they realise this scheme is losing them a ton of loyalty.
Yeah that’s confirmed on the upgrade with points page. They take the maximum saver rate as a base for an upgrade for a cash ticket.
350k is the highest cost for upper though, so you couldn’t have asked at a worse time.
How long before they realise this scheme is losing them a ton of loyalty.
When the Americans stop transferring the credit card points to VS. We are a rounding error in the grand scheme of things.
How does the US scheme compare?
How does the US scheme compare?
There is no US scheme as such, but the bonuses on credit cards are much higher in the US.
For example amex are currently giving a 40% bonus converting MR to VS points. There hasn’t been a bonus like that for Amex UK customers and never will be. The max we ever saw was 30%.
You need to be silver
You need to be flexible on dates
You need to be flexible on destination
You need to be willing to connect
You need to be accepting of high fees
You need to be travelling alone.Then you can get some value.
This is funny but actually true for me, except for the ‘willing to connect’ bit.
My strategy is to use Virgin for solo US trips, which I tend to do at least once per year, and I am trying to stagger them so two fall inside a 12 month period (eg Oct 2025 and Sep 2026) so my Silver status is retained via redemption travel so I can use future vouchers for another trip ….
One quirk is that my wife will get Silver in December. This opens a new option – I can get her a VS credit card and she will be able (as Silver) to transfer the voucher to me which gives me even more leeway.
I was very happy with the price I paid for summer 26 flights, buying virtually all the points required in the recent 70% sale. That’s how I intend to use the virgin scheme going forward.
I’ve just been accepted for a VS gold status match, the qualifying flight is in April. I’ve read that golds can confer silver onto a friend or relative – does this mean that I can gift my OH silver status and therefore his cc voucher will be worth 150k points for that period?
I paid 51k points plus £850-ish surcharges (with a voucher) for PE, MAN-ATL, which is more than I was strictly comfortable with, but getting VS gold out that makes it worthwhile IMO, as we should be able to use the 1903 lounge and other benefits before departure.
I’ve just been accepted for a VS gold status match, the qualifying flight is in April. I’ve read that golds can confer silver onto a friend or relative – does this mean that I can gift my OH silver status and therefore his cc voucher will be worth 150k points for that period?
Yes but your status doesn’t start until 3 days before your flight so you need to wait.
As for the 1903, do you think you’ll even be able to get in there now all airlines are in T2. I wouldn’t bother even if I was on a business class ticket.
I know, this is all planned for post-April next year!
Who knows, but people are submitting complaints and getting avios on the BA side …
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