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The redemption deal of the year: 50% off all Virgin Atlantic flights to the US and Caribbean

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Christmas has come early for Virgin Atlantic Flying Club members.

From today, Virgin is discounting the number of Virgin Points required for all award seats to and from the United States and the Caribbean by 50% for travel from Oct. 28, 2022, through March 25, 2023.

While discounts on award redemptions are offered from time to time across different programs, such as Flying Blue’s monthly promo deals, these offers are usually full of frustrating restrictions, like blackout dates or they may only be valid for economy class flights or a handful of routes.

This offer is far more generous and straightforward. Simply redeem your Virgin Points from Oct. 28, through Nov. 7, 2022, for a flight operated by Virgin Atlantic to any destination they fly in the U.S. or the Caribbean from now through March 25, 2023, on any date in any cabin, and you will receive 50% of your Virgin Points back after you travel.

Cash fares, upgraded with Virgin Points will also receive 50% of the Points back. As you might imagine, unfortunately, there is no discount on the fees, taxes and surcharges payable on redemptions.

Gold Reward Seats (reward seats booked with double points) are excluded. However, Upgrade Rewards and Companion Rewards, including those earned on Virgin Atlantic credit cards, are eligible for this offer.​ Flights operated by partner airlines like Air France, KLM and Delta are also excluded.

Related: Leisurely luxury: A review of Virgin Atlantic’s A350 leisure configuration in Upper Class from Manchester to Orlando

With no blackout dates and all cabins applicable, this is likely to be the best points and miles redemption deal you will see this year. Given the majority of Virgin’s route network is from the U.K. to the U.S. and Caribbean, the only destinations excluded from this offer are:

  • Cape Town.
  • Delhi, India.
  • Islamabad.
  • Johannesburg.
  • Lahore, Pakistan.
  • Mumbai, India.
  • Tel Aviv.

So how many Virgin Points can you save on your next redemption?

Here are the normal prices for round-trip redemptions on Virgin Atlantic, with the 50% discount prices also displayed. For one-way you will need half of the discounted price, with flights starting from a very low 5,000 each way to the northeast U.S.

Route: to/from U.K. Economy Classic return Premium return Upper-Class return
U.S. — Northeast (Boston, Newark, New York JFK, Washington, D.C.) 20,000 10,000 (standard).

40,000 20,000 (peak).

 35,000 17,500 (standard).

55,000 27,500 (peak).

 95,000 47,500 (standard).

115,000 67,500 (peak).
Caribbean 20,000 10,000 (standard).

40,000 20,000 (peak).

 35,000 17,500 (standard).

55,000 27,500 (peak).

 115,000 57,500 (standard).

135,000 67,500 (peak).
U.S. — Midwest and South (Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, Tampa) 25,000 17,500 (standard).

45,000 22,500 (peak).

 45,000 22,500 (standard).

65,000 32,500 (peak).

 95,000 47,500 (standard).

115,000 57,500 (peak).
U.S. — West (Austin, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle) 30,000 15,000 (standard).

50,000 25,000 (peak).

 55,000 27,500 (standard).

75,000 37,500 (peak).

 135,000 67,500 (standard).

155,000 77,500 (peak).

 

Remember, Virgin’s brand new A330neo aircraft with a new Upper-Class Suite is now flying to Boston (BOS), and soon to Tampa (TPA), with both destinations included in this offer.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC

Flying 23,750 miles from Florida to the U.K. each way in business class is one of the best redemption deals you are likely to see for the foreseeable future, even with taxes and fuel surcharges.

Here are the standard travel dates for the offer period:

  • Nov. 2 through Dec. 9, 2022.
  • Jan. 5 through March 23, 2023.

Caribbean standard season dates:

  •  Nov. 2  through Dec. 9, 2022.
  • Jan. 1 through March 5, 2023.
  • March 30 through April 18, 2023.

Here are the peak dates for the offer period:

  • Oct. 28 through Nov. 1, 2022.
  • Dec.10-31, 2022.
  • Jan. 1-4, 2023.
  • March 24-25, 2023.

Caribbean peak season dates:

  • Oct. 28 through Nov. 1, 2022.
  • Dec. 10-31, 2022.
  • Jan. 1 through March 5, 2023.

Related: How to upgrade your next Virgin Atlantic flight with Virgin Points

The offer process is a little unusual and convoluted. Rather than discounting the points needed when booking during the offer period, Flying Club members will need to redeem the full amount, and will then receive 50% of their points back after traveling into their Virgin Red accounts, 28 days after travel.

Flying Club members must make sure they have opened a Virgin Red account before they travel so they can receive the points back. Your Virgin Points will display in both your Flying Club and Virgin Red accounts, meaning you can use the refunded points in your Virgin Red account to book flights through Flying Club without having to transfer them from account to account.

Still, for such a generous offer it is worth jumping through a few small hoops and I suspect this promotion has been launched to encourage Flying Club members to open Virgin Red accounts. If you have an existing redemption to an eligible destination during the offer period, you may wish to cancel it for $50 (£43) and rebook from Oct, 28, so the booking benefits from the 50% points refund discount.

This incredible offer is available for a limited time only so make sure you book here before Nov. 7, 2022.