Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Sign-up Bonus and usage

I am looking to switch my credit card, and airline loyalty, from America Airlines to Virgin. I have read on older threads that there are sales reps in the clubhouse trying to sell the cards with a better bonus that the regular website bonus (White - 3000, Black - 6000). With AA I got a 10k bonus on a no fee card.

Is this still the case? If so - what sort of bonus is on offer?

I am flying from Gatwick on 16th Nov, but unfortunately not in UC. So would a rep come to the clubhouse door if they had a potential sale do you think?

On a related point - I am trying to do the maths and work out if paying the £140 fee for double the miles (Black vs White) is worth it. At the moment I think it is borderline, since based on last years spend I would be paying about 0.072p per extra mile earned (21k spend split 85/15 Amex/Visa). However during last year I spent over £6k on Virgin flights using a debit card to avoid 1.5% of fees. So booking with virgin I would get double miles on my card, but as far as I can tell there is still a 1.5% fee.

So if I spent £6k using my Black Amex I would earn 24k in miles but have spent £90 in card fees, so 0.0375p per mile, but factor in the £140 fee as well. On the White Amex I would earn 12k and spent £90 in card fees, so 0.075p per mile. Either way doesn't seem a fantastic incentive to use the Virgin card on a virgin product.

Decisions, decisions.....

There's certainly a rep in the LHR CH, not sure they have one at LGW though.

Looks like you've "done the math" pretty comprehensively, so you're in the best position to decide what works for you. But I'd say there's more to it than just the maths - what do you want to use the miles you accrue for? Reward flights? Upgrades? Partner spend? Have you looked at general VS reward availability in the cabin(s) on the route(s) you want to spend miles on? It's all very well carefully calculating which credit card will give you the most miles for your £, but they're pretty useless if you can't then spend them on the dates and routes you want. Flights from the west coast to London, for example, are notoriously hard to find UC availability on.

So in summary - by all means take the maths into account, but look at the wider picture too.

I can confirm that if you sign up in the LHR CH you get 30,000 miles bonus within 2 months....I signed up on my visit a couple of weeks ago y)

I can confirm that if you sign up in the LHR CH you get 30,000 miles bonus within 2 months....I signed up on my visit a couple of weeks ago y)

I signed up for that deal too on the Black Amex and you have to hand in the application at the clubhouse not post it. Right now I'm trying to get my bonus miles credited as they weren't. You get 6k from MBNA and the other 24k are supposed to come from VS, so I've written to Flying Club, included a copy of my miles statement, a copy credit card statement (with significant info blacked out) and a copy of the promotional material that was handed out indicating the 24k miles come from VS. They emailed me to say I need to contact MBNA for the miles. So the battle begins with the dufus that hasn't actually read what I've bleedin' sent in!

All that aside, I thought it was a good deal, taking the £140 annual fee into account. I had deliberately avoided the Black Amex because of the fee but the huge miles bonus was a convincer. I should have had 48k miles credited when my first statement came in after using the card to purchase VS flights and a few other things

They're not cards for running over so that you have to pay interest though, they need paying off each month as the rates are far too high. Gumshoe's advice is good too, look at the wider picture of what you're accruing the miles for, or rather what routes.

There was a rep trying to sell me the card in the gatwick clubhouse back in July. So it isn't just heathrow.

We flew out of LGW on the 6th Oct. Hubby signed up for the card in the CH. Arrived a few days ago.

Serenawell/rlong405 - did LGW CH have a 30k bonus offer?

Bretty - good luck with getting your miles.

Thanks for your responses. I appreciate the issues about getting the rewards I want. For my USA west coast holiday next year I got a PE-UC upgrade out, but decided to pay cash for the UC return (while the previous sale was on) rather than wait on the off chance 2 G's came up (on a 14 UC seat plane).

The odd thing is since I first posted this I have looked at the head for points site, and learned that my current AA cards are rated pretty well. In fact for some redemptions using AA miles on BA is good value (for instance my current plan for Nov 2014 is a Cape town return for 75k in Club World, or 100k in 1st class).

The sign up comprises of a 6,000 bonus and then a 24,000 for a spend requirement ( I think , I was too busy supping redheads to take much notice)

But yes they lured him in by saying there would be a 30,000 sign up bonus.

Just sitting in the Gatwick clubhouse and have been offered a white card with 30000 miles signing up bonus.

1st time in many visits that I have ever seen a credit card rep in here.

David.

I've already got the white card but considering the black prior to making a number of flight bookings. Anyone know if a bonus is available for moving from white to black (even if I'd be eligible for the "normal" black sign up bonus - I'm guessing not?)

I think you start a new account when you change card, so get whatever bonus which is currently applicable. I'd ask though to make sure.

I have the Virgin Black Amex, but looking back, am wondering if that was the right approach. I say that because I have since found the Amex gold rewards card that comes with a 20,000 points bonus (1 point = 1 mile) - or 22,000 points if you are referred by a friend. There is also 9,000 points for each friend you refer.

Travel, supermarkets, and fuel all earn at the 2 points to the £ rate.

The clincher here is the £125 annual fee is waved for the first 12 months, so simply cancel before the first year is up (and if you are cunning, refer your wife, whose card you use for the next 6 months until you can refer yourself back again and get another 22,000 miles!)

I think once my year is up with the Virgin Black, I will downgrade to the white Amex and Visa (as Amex isn't accepted everywhere), and put the majority of my spend on the gold card.

Of course I may be slightly biased because I would like to refer you, but I never would have gotten it in the first place if it wasn't a good deal. PM me if you would like to be referred.

I've already got the white card but considering the black prior to making a number of flight bookings. Anyone know if a bonus is available for moving from white to black (even if I'd be eligible for the "normal" black sign up bonus - I'm guessing not?)

Thought I would resurrect this one to confirm that I have received my full 30,000 bonus on my first statement after signing up for the black card in the lounge. I am also a white card holder as well, so can be done ^) ^)

Now to wait for a reward sale ): ):

We haven't had any of ours yet from when hubs joined up in the LGW CH on 06/10 . Do we wait a little longer or start thinking about calling ?? First bill is in and ££ points added.

I know there is an UC reward sale round the corner

I've been chasing the 24k bonus miles due from VS for a few weeks, and have written with supporting documents and had one email (see above), but no response to any further emails I've sent over the last month - very bad. I did contact MBNA and was about to call FC today when I got a letter from MBNA saying my bonus 24k miles will be credited by VS within 5 business days of my next statement in December, which will be my 3rd statement. I know the promotional bumf said it can take up to 90 days after first statement from first spend, so well done Petmadness in getting yours so soon. I'm going to wait until the 5 business days after my statement is up and then if I don't get the miles I'm going to be on the phone to FC requesting them, and highlighting (will probably fall on deaf ears) that they haven't had the courtesy to respond to the last 3 emails about this issue. v(

It's been very frustrating getting this sorted, and I've put a lot of money through the card this past 3 months, using it at every opportunity over my other cards.

I've already got the white card but considering the black prior to making a number of flight bookings. Anyone know if a bonus is available for moving from white to black (even if I'd be eligible for the "normal" black sign up bonus - I'm guessing not?)

Thought I would resurrect this one to confirm that I have received my full 30,000 bonus on my first statement after signing up for the black card in the lounge. I am also a white card holder as well, so can be done ^) ^)

Now to wait for a reward sale ): ):

Good to know - thanks! I'll have to look out for the rep next time I'm in huge lounge.

Hi

could I check- I signed up for the black card (and my wife for the white card) in the LGW CH mid December. We have the cards and are using the visa but not the Amex as we have also just picked up a gold card. Does anyone know what (if there is one) the spend threshold is for the 30000 miles? I will have to get motoring if there is one, and I was a little squiffy when I left and only took the nice pen, not the actual material (oops).

Thanks

JB

Seems that a special offer is on at the moment for new applicants, 10,000 miles for the white card and 25,000 miles on the Black card.

To receive the White bonus you need to spend £1,000 in 90 days and for the black £2000 in 90 days, offer available online now

I can't remember, I think the clubhouse bonus was just on first spend as long as it was within 90 days; I don't think there was a specific amount. I'll try and dig out the paperwork as I kept the promotional material and I'll let you know if I find it.

Still waiting for ours. Going to start chasing now as I have plans for them points

Usage of the card in the Uk earns FC miles only, but in the US it's possible to earn FC TP as well as miles.

I asked VS why this was. I got a very comprehensive answer, which was based around the fact that the credit card companies in the US are willing to offer more deals to win customers.

I suggested that VS in the UK then should allow a customer to opt for one or the other - miles or TP rewards. They said they'd consider it especially if enough people asked.

I think that flexibility would be good, as a few TP could make all the difference.

I would probably use my Virgin card exclusively if I could earn TP points also.

I agree - I would do the same. Well suggest the more of us that write in via the feedback option on the VS website might get them to offer us the choice of TP or miles. I already have and they gave me a detailed reply.

I agree - I would do the same. Well suggest the more of us that write in via the feedback option on the VS website might get them to offer us the choice of TP or miles. I already have and they gave me a detailed reply.

Good luck with that one.....