New VS Credit Card Details

Originally posted by DaveVal
The Laceys

Richard-

Am I correct in understanding the upgrade awards will be applied once £5k and £10k thresholds met (for Black card), but that companion ticket will only be applied on anniversay of opening account?

Thanks,

Dave

Both awards seem to be applied at the anniversary of the account opening.

From http://uk.virginmoney.com/black-card/terms.html

"If your card purchases equal or exceed £7,500 in a year, you will receive a companion reward flight the next time you book a qualifying flight with Virgin Atlantic...... A year is defined by the 12 month period starting from the date you opened your original Virgin Atlantic Credit Card account."

and

"The main cardmember only can earn a maximum of two Premium Economy reward upgrades per card account in any one year....... A year is defined by the 12 month period starting from the date you opened your Virgin Atlantic Credit Card account....... MBNA will notify Virgin Atlantic of your eligibility within 30 days of the end of the year if you are eligible."

David.

Originally posted by David_Doyle

"The main cardmember only can earn a maximum of two Premium Economy reward upgrades per card account in any one year....... A year is defined by the 12 month period starting from the date you opened your Virgin Atlantic Credit Card account....... MBNA will notify Virgin Atlantic of your eligibility within 30 days of the end of the year if you are eligible."

David.

If my renewal for the VCC is December does that mean if I have already spent £10,000+ I would already qualified for two PE rewards at renewal? Or does the spending for the PE rewards start from the date of transfer from VCC to Black Amex?

Originally posted by wood07

Originally posted by David_Doyle

"The main cardmember only can earn a maximum of two Premium Economy reward upgrades per card account in any one year....... A year is defined by the 12 month period starting from the date you opened your Virgin Atlantic Credit Card account....... MBNA will notify Virgin Atlantic of your eligibility within 30 days of the end of the year if you are eligible."

David.

If my renewal for the VCC is December does that mean if I have already spent £10,000+ I would already qualified for two PE rewards at renewal? Or does the spending for the PE rewards start from the date of transfer from VCC to Black Amex?

It's from the date your new Amex account is opened. From the same T&C page:

"A year is defined by the 12 month period starting from the date you opened your Virgin Atlantic Credit Card account. Please note, spend for the year on your Virgin Atlantic MasterCard will not be carried forward or included when we review your eligibility for a Premium Economy reward upgrade."

Spend for the companion award is carried over from Mastercard - Amex, but the PE upgrade reward isn't.

David.

I know the members shop/MBNA have had issues tracking/applying companion tickets in the past. However, the new system appears even more complicated - one renewal date for the companion ticket based on the date you opened the 'original' Virgin Mastercard account and another renewal date for the PE upgrades based on the date the Virgin Amex account opened.

Originally posted by RichardMannion
Hi Chaps,

I've been offline for nearly a week, and I can see the thread has grown somewhat. If you have any outstanding questions, then let me know.

Thanks,
Richard

Richard - One query which I don't think has been clarified as yet: do you know if it's possible for someone with the non-fee paying MC to convert to the black Amex and receive the promotional miles.

Also, does one lose any FC points earnt via the MC which have not yet been posted to the FC account on conversion? (Something I was told by the call centre agent).

Cheers,
Neal

Originally posted by neal

Originally posted by RichardMannion
Hi Chaps,

I've been offline for nearly a week, and I can see the thread has grown somewhat. If you have any outstanding questions, then let me know.

Thanks,
Richard

Richard - One query which I don't think has been clarified as yet: do you know if it's possible for someone with the non-fee paying MC to convert to the black Amex and receive the promotional miles.

Also, does one lose any FC points earnt via the MC which have not yet been posted to the FC account on conversion? (Something I was told by the call centre agent).

Cheers,
Neal

I think the call centre agents are not very well briefed on the changes.

My partner called today to change her non fee M/C to the fee paying Amex, and was told this was not possible. The agent assured her tat the fee paying Amex is available only to fee paying M/C holders. We all know this to be wrong, especially when somebody with out any form of Virgin M/C can apply for the fee paying Amex !!

It is now my undestanding after several phone calls that non fee paying M/C holders who transfer to the fee paying Amex will only get the benefits a new applicant to fee paying Amex would recieve.

The M/C and Amex will be able to run together for 90 days, I do not see any miles being lost. I was not told my M/C would cease earning miles when my Amex begins.

I think I'll have to just wait and see what (if anything) turns up in the post. Shame the card isn't here in time for the seat sale though! [:(!]

Hi all [y]
I applied for the new Virgin white card last Monday using the automated service, has anyone who did the same contaced the card supplier to ask if their application had been successfully received.

If anyone has done this, could they please provide me with the contact number they used.

Cheers

Trev

Originally posted by Trev2283
Hi all [y]
I applied for the new Virgin white card last Monday using the automated service,
Trev

I did this too - last Monday. Got my PIN in the post yesterday and am expecting the card any time now.

[mitchja]

The MBNA agents are still a bit shaky on all the in's and out's of the new Amex card including the upgrade process. Cannot blame them though as I believe they deal with a whole host of other MBNA issued cards and not just the VS/Virgin cards.

Regards

OK... I'm really fed up now.

I have been waiting for my conversion pack ( for my £80 fee card) for over a week so I just telephoned the help line to convert.

I have just been told that offers for conversion only apply to SELECTED accounts [:0][:#][n] and was offered the chance to apply for a new account.

Having explained the loss of bonus miles and higher rate ( thanks Richard, without your info I'd be stuffed[oo]) I have been put on hold and transferred round the office.

After explaining the offer is on the website they said they would ring back Monday and try to convert my card.

God knows why I didn't qualify for the conversion..I've held the fee card for three years, spent well over £100K on it this year and always pay it off in full. Mind you the renewal anniversary is in July.

Oh well..roll on Monday. Why is nothing ever as simple as it appears. Any advice ( esp from Richard M) would be appreciated.

Thanks

DD

God knows why I didn't qualify for the conversion..I've held the fee card for three years, spent well over £100K on it this year and always pay it off in full

[:?] spent over 100k = 200k miles paid them nothing in fees/interest, IÕm surprised there not falling over themselves to convert you.[:o)];)[}:)]

Originally posted by infrequentflyer

God knows why I didn't qualify for the conversion..I've held the fee card for three years, spent well over £100K on it this year and always pay it off in full

[:?] spent over 100k = 200k miles paid them nothing in fees/interest, IÕm surprised there not falling over themselves to convert you.[:o)];)[}:)]

Hmmmmm Good point, well made:D;)

DD

[mitchja]

Originally posted by DylanDog

Originally posted by infrequentflyer

God knows why I didn't qualify for the conversion..I've held the fee card for three years, spent well over £100K on it this year and always pay it off in full

[:?] spent over 100k = 200k miles paid them nothing in fees/interest, IÕm surprised there not falling over themselves to convert you.[:o)];)[}:)]

Hmmmmm Good point, well made:D;)

DD

Remember though the card companies dont really like people who pay off their balance every month as they are not making any money of out you. After all, like any business, card companies are there to make money.

Regards

[mitchja]

Looks like V Hols are 'in the process' of updating their online systems to allow payment using Amex.....There web site nows says:

Deposit payment is by debit or credit card when you book. We accept Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Switch, Delta and Solo. Please note for payment by credit card there is a surcharge of 1.5% (no charge for debit card). This will be automatically added to the deposit amount required.

Although in the actual online payment system, there's still no Amex option available under the 'card type' selection yet...

Also doesn't look like they will waiver the surcharge though for a VS Amex card as I'm sure they would say that somewhere.

Regards

If VH is a seperate entity from VS, it probably isn't in their interest to waive the surcharge - what benefit would they get? I guess as we already get 10% discount we shouldn't complain too much! [:?]

Hi Ð Just interested to know how long the existing offer lasts for. I don't want to apply now as I have just applied for a MasterCard with a 6 month interest free period on balance transfers. I would like to apply for the VA White Amex once my MasterCard offer expires. As I donÕt want to miss out on any extra miles or the VH offer does anyone have a cut off date please.

Many thanks

Hi,

Can I move the debate on a year and make an assumption that I have earned 1 free companion and two PE upgrades?

Will the following work for a family of 4 adults to, say MCO (and of course 'subject to availability')?

I purchase 2 revenue fare 'L', plus the free companion and a 20k companion.

I then use the two PE upgrades on the companion tickets and spend 20k on both the revenue ones to get us all in PE.

I'm not sure if this is the way it could work, indeed can I acquire two companion tickets (though my wife has a separate Flying Club account)?

If I've erred somewhere, can anyone suggest the most efficient scenario?

Many thanks


Trevor

Does anyone know if the black card is free for Centurion card members like the top tier BA Amex is?

[mitchja]

Originally posted by Alan
Hi Ð Just interested to know how long the existing offer lasts for. I don't want to apply now as I have just applied for a MasterCard with a 6 month interest free period on balance transfers. I would like to apply for the VA White Amex once my MasterCard offer expires. As I donÕt want to miss out on any extra miles or the VH offer does anyone have a cut off date please.

Many thanks

Alan

I think somewhere in this post someone did ask MBNA this and the bonus miles on your first spend offer is on until the end of this year. Although I could be wrong.

Regards

Originally posted by mysteryflyer
Does anyone know if the black card is free for Centurion card members like the top tier BA Amex is?

As this card is run by MBNA and not amex directly I'd doubt it

[mitchja]

One question I've just thought of...

Will Retail Therapy spend count as Virgin Atlantic Spend, ie earning those extra miles for either pre-order or in-flight duty free purchases when using either version of the card?

Thanks and Regards

Originally posted by a seagull
Hi,

Can I move the debate on a year and make an assumption that I have earned 1 free companion and two PE upgrades?

Will the following work for a family of 4 adults to, say MCO (and of course 'subject to availability')?

I purchase 2 revenue fare 'L', plus the free companion and a 20k companion.

I then use the two PE upgrades on the companion tickets and spend 20k on both the revenue ones to get us all in PE.

I'm not sure if this is the way it could work, indeed can I acquire two companion tickets (though my wife has a separate Flying Club account)?

If I've erred somewhere, can anyone suggest the most efficient scenario?

That should about work, provided there is U class availability....

Originally posted by PS100
I asked the same question to MBNA because I fly out soon and was told that my present Mastercard will be valid for 90 days alongside the Black card so if you carry them both you should be ok as both will work.

Sorry to be dense, but this validity - does it also mean you can use the old mastercard for transactions for 90 days? It occurred to me last night that I've made a rental booking for a house on my current card - they've taken the deposit and will take the balance in September... I'd hate for it to bounce. And what would happen to any refunds after the 3 months? I'll have a rental deposit due to come back to me and I definitely don't want that to bounce!

Alan

I think somewhere in this post someone did ask MBNA this and the bonus miles on your first spend offer is on until the end of this year. Although I could be wrong.

Regards

The paperwork said you get the bonus miles if you spend by Septmeber - the end of the month, I think.

{mcuth: edited to correct quote tags around quoted text}