Virgin Atlantic Points Explained: How to Fly to the US from the UK for Free

In the last couple of years, I have been fortunate to travel to the US a fair few times. One of the reasons I’ve been able to do it is because of this money saving hack. In fact, my last trip to Florida was technically ‘free’ and I’m already planning the next trip! Travelling across the Atlantic can be expensive — but with a smart strategy using Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club, you can reduce the cost significantly. This is by earning or buying points and using them against flights. Here are a few tips and tricks on how to use the Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club to save money on transatlantic flights.

What is the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club?

Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club is the loyalty programme that lets you earn Virgin Points (also called “Flying Club points” or “miles”) through travel, partner spend, and purchases. Those points can then be redeemed against flights, upgrades, hotel stays and car hire.

How to earn Virgin Points

Flying with Virgin Atlantic & partner airlines
Every time you fly with Virgin Atlantic and their partner airlines, you can earn points. The amount of points are determined by the miles and class and I’ve managed to earn them through flying Delta too!
Credit Cards
I don’t know how this one works as we don’t have the Virgin Atlantic Credit Card. I hear this is an excellent option as long as you pay it off in full every month. This is apparently the fastest way to top up your points. We do pretty well without using the credit cards so i can only imagine how many more you can earn!
Online spending
Just like how cashback works, you can earn points through online spending with brands such as ASOS, Just Eat, Very.co.uk & John Lewis. You can earn points through booking hotels, car hire, purchasing electronics and new clothes! Obviously, I’ve had to forfeit using traditional cashback websites and opted to use Virgin Red to gain points, but free travel is overall worth it for me.
Partner offers
One of the partners which I have earned a fair few points is through the Tesco Clubcard. I’ve set my Clubcard to automatically transfer the Clubcard points into Virgin Points monthly. I’d say i’ve earned a fair few points through Tesco and to be honest, I’ve never really redeemed my Clubcard points on anything else.

Buying Virgin Atlantic Points

You can also outright purchase Virgin Atlantic Points which I find the rates mega reasonable. In some instances, buying points is a lot cheaper than purchasing some flights outright. Virgin often runs bonus promotions (e.g. 30%–70% extra points when you buy) — making this the best time to top up. At the moment they currently have a promo running!

Redeeming Virgin Points for Transatlantic Flights

Saver Reward Seats
Virgin Atlantic releases a limited number of Saver seats, which cost fewer points. Booking early is key, especially for popular US destinations. You can purchase flights for as little as 6,000 points to New York or Orlando one-way. For perspective, it currently costs £75 to purchase 6,000 points. When redeeming points, it’s great to be as flexible with dates and this way you can get a saver reward seat.

Upgrades
You can also use points for upgrading your seats to premium and upper class. This can be a great way to experience different classes without spending mega bucks on the seats. I’ve seen some really good deals on premium seats and it’s something I may do in the future!

Taxes
You’ll still need to pay taxes and surcharges, which can be £100–£500 depending on the route and cabin. It’s always a good idea to compare against cash fares before booking. I’ve paid around £250 in tax for a return flight to Florida, which in my opinion, is still a fantastic deal.

Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club is one of the most rewarding loyalty schemes for UK travellers, especially if you dream of affordable transatlantic trips. By earning points on everyday spending, keeping an eye on promotions, and redeeming wisely, you can stretch your travel budget further — and maybe even treat yourself to a luxury upgrade.

If you haven’t signed up to the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, i urge you to do so! If you already have flights booked with Virgin, make sure you are part of the Flying Club to make sure you get your points from the air miles! Join the Virgin Flying Club here, you can get 1,000 points through the link!

Have you used points before for cheap flights? Are you a member of the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club?