Flying Club improvements coming soon

I had a chat with a contact at VS recently. Apparently the amount of pushback from customers on these changes is huge (unsurprising).

They also confirmed what we suspected, the drive for these changes was focused on the insane amount of credit card points floating around in the US and VS wanting to cash in on that.

[mitchja]

They also confirmed what we suspected, the drive for these changes was focused on the insane amount of credit card points floating around in the US and VS wanting to cash in on that.

It's obvious this was aimed at the credit card points earners/spenders, even on this side of the Atlantic as those points earners/spenders have increased significantly over the last few years.

[buns]

They also confirmed what we suspected, the drive for these changes was focused on the insane amount of credit card points floating around in the US and VS wanting to cash in on that.

It's obvious this was aimed at the credit card points earners/spenders, even on this side of the Atlantic.

Totally agree James

However, one unintended consequence will be UK folks ditching the VS Credit Card as it no longer offers the 2-4-1 benefits

I am one those

Buns

They also confirmed what we suspected, the drive for these changes was focused on the insane amount of credit card points floating around in the US and VS wanting to cash in on that.

It's obvious this was aimed at the credit card points earners/spenders, even on this side of the Atlantic.

Totally agree James

However, one unintended consequence will be UK folks ditching the VS Credit Card as it no longer offers the 2-4-1 benefits

I am one those

Buns

Totally agree. All spending now on Gold AMEX (where points can be shifted anywhere for flights / hotels etc) and dusted out the BA Avios AMEX card. Virgin have shot themselves in the foot on this one. Am flying with Virgin in March which will probably be the last time. if BA offer a status match (so Gold) then that's it. BA serve beef too.

I'm the same just got myself the BA Avios AMEX Card, annoyingly I earned a voucher before the changes and I think it will just sit there unused now. I did send it a complaint that won't make a difference but I feel anyone who earned the voucher before the changes should be able to use it as before as a sort of soft landings, that would of gone a long way at keep existing customers happier.

Its not the dynamic prcing thats the issue for me its the devaulation of the voucher. At least with BA its a true 2 for 1 no matter what status you hold and you dont have to call to use it.

Me too - just managed to use my voucher before the changes, so I’ll be ditching the card and looking to Amex

I need to change an old style booking. I used points for PE then the upgrade credit card voucher to UC.

I need to change the outbound by a day but leave the inbound as it is. But due to the new system this screws me.

In theory I paid 55k points for the outbound (that was the cost at the time but I paid PE points and upgraded with the voucher) the flight I want to change to is sitting at 47.5k points, so actually less than I paid. However the return which I'm not changing needs to be repriced due to the new system so to change this booking will cost me 110k points.

It is utterly infuriating that nothing can be done to change this and the change of their system means the booking rules which I booked under are no longer valid. In the old style system, I could've just moved the ticket for the change fee (assuming a milage ticket was available, and based on the 47.5k UC flight it would have been.) It's also mad that they have to reprice the return flight which isn't changing. I've already paid for that seat and have had it confirmed and find it maddening that they have to reprice it even though it's not changing.

My main reason for booking with points is the flexibility and now that flexibility which existed has gone. Surely this is against some consumer protection law? What I was sold, is no longer offering the benefits it was sold with?

Spent hours on the phone with Virgin but have got nowhere. They agree that it's not right, but there's nothing they can do due to their new system. Has anyone got any experience in this? I wondered if I could cancel the outbound and keep the return then just book a new outbound, but I would probably lose the voucher and suspect they'd reprice it anyway.

Whilst I totally agree that this is generally a very negative change, and one that I am generally unhappy with, on a rare positive, I just got an Upper Class return to Boston for 70k miles and £650, now admittedly I hate Christmas and am travelling out on Christmas Day and back on the 30th, but still as an opportunity to escape the UK I cant fault it!

Whilst I totally agree that this is generally a very negative change, and one that I am generally unhappy with, on a rare positive, I just got an Upper Class return to Boston for 70k miles and £650, now admittedly I hate Christmas and am travelling out on Christmas Day and back on the 30th, but still as an opportunity to escape the UK I cant fault it!

I thought the YQ element alone (what was the fuel surcharge) was £700 alone (then just over £300 extra in UK Govt / airport service taxes). I have no plans for Christmas so am looking at fares as have points to burn.

[mitchja]

As YQ is just a made up fee by the airline, they can decrease or increase it whenever they want.

Whilst I totally agree that this is generally a very negative change, and one that I am generally unhappy with, on a rare positive, I just got an Upper Class return to Boston for 70k miles and £650, now admittedly I hate Christmas and am travelling out on Christmas Day and back on the 30th, but still as an opportunity to escape the UK I cant fault it!

I thought the YQ element alone (what was the fuel surcharge) was £700 alone (then just over £300 extra in UK Govt / airport service taxes). I have no plans for Christmas so am looking at fares as have points to burn.

As Mitchja said, it now seems to vary but have a look BOS and IAD are all really low!

What I am finding is LHR-USA plenty of saver seats. It’s the return which are way more expensive (just like it is with AF/KLM most of the time)..

Plus not many being released, in UC, for September/October next year. Best I can find even to JFK is on a Tuesday or Wednesday…

I’m not too worried as I only plan on doing one more trip with my 300k balance.

Think Virgin could not full change back to how it was, but could do further changes in the future i.e guaranteed X saver seats per flight…

But I must say, changing a flight and then having the whole journey repriced, is quite horrendous. I think when I come to book I will book as one way tickets.

A team member in Swansea did tell me that they are planning to have new system within the year where we will be able to manage/change and cancel online, just like Delta.

I don't know why they didnt sweeten this with still promising at least 2J/2W to be released on each flight at the saver rate! It would have really sweetened this!

I don't know why they didnt sweeten this with still promising at least 2J/2W to be released on each flight at the saver rate! It would have really sweetened this!

Agreed, they've done such a bad job of rolling this out. I'm going to be chewing the ear of one of the PAM's in about two weeks.

well, thanks to Virgin changing the reward redemptions we are now instead of a rather easy EDI-MCO direct (which would have been possible under the old scheme), We are now flying A mixture of BA, Virgin & Delta EDI-LHR-JFK-MCO - it's a longer route but managed to snag PE seats at 10500 points +£371.25 a person.


It's an absolute pain but we now travel a day earlier & get to stay in the TWA hotel at JFK which was on the bucket list.

Most of the discussion so far has been focused on the spending miles side, but has anybody got any experience of the promised higher earnings on PE and UC tickets? They said you could earn up to 50% more in UC and 75% more in PE. The earning calculator on the VS website still appears to show the old earning numbers

Most of the discussion so far has been focused on the spending miles side, but has anybody got any experience of the promised higher earnings on PE and UC tickets? They said you could earn up to 50% more in UC and 75% more in PE. The earning calculator on the VS website still appears to show the old earning numbers

One of the pages is definitely up to date as I’ve read it.

I’ve got a flight in two weeks time in upper so will report back on how the earnings look.

Most of the discussion so far has been focused on the spending miles side, but has anybody got any experience of the promised higher earnings on PE and UC tickets? They said you could earn up to 50% more in UC and 75% more in PE. The earning calculator on the VS website still appears to show the old earning numbers

I recently got 33,240 points for an AMS-MSP flight as VS gold on a D fare booked with VS but operated by DL.

That's 8x the base miles so I think that is in line with the new earnings.

Perhaps just luck on my side, but I've been positively surprised with some of the saver points. We have been keeping an eye on BGI flights next October/November, and got 2x Upper class one way for 41k points a head. Even more bizarrely, it happens to be a date during the school October half term week? Premium available for just 16.5k points a head one way - that is very good. It was not just one day either - but a few dates around then with saver seats in both premium and upper. Admittedly it helps that the route turns to 2x a day then, rather than 1x daily. The key seems to be waiting 3-4 working days after flights get released.

Saver seats rarer than hens teeth LHR to MBJ. Managed to nab x4 PE seats outbound on the day of release for 17.5k each in Oct25. There’s been a few others scattered here and there with not a lot of rhyme or reason. But almost nothing inbound. Luckily I had a couple of vouchers I used to get two companion seats. Still cost 100k plus taxes though. So in total 4x PE cost me 170k plus about £2400 in taxes.

Morning everyone, it’s been a long time since my last visit here or flying with VS.

Earlier in the year I booked reward flights for Mrs H and I LHR-ANU outbound in PE and returning in UC for 156,000 miles plus taxes, when we arrived at LHR this morning for our flight we asked about a mileage upgrade from PE-UC apparently it would be 140,000 miles each plus £120.00.
Needless to say we’re still in Premium.

From my perspective I fly enough to keep my status but can understand how people with the credit card feel about the vouchers being de valued. flying from MAN we have limited flights so the dynamic pricing is though the roof on LAS. But more reasonable on other routes. I only use my points off peak so I get the most value. I also have a voucher to use so that's another 150k to play with.

I am tempted to fly out of LHR again if I can find a deal just have to factor in the BA flight down to LHR. On the credit card I only recommend people get the rewards plus when there is a sign up offer on it. As some of you have mentioned AMEX is the way to go for flexibility and they do have signup bonuses from time to time. Just wish we could get some new destinations from MAN to spend our points on South Africa would be nice.

Did anyone else get the innercircle survey about the new reward programme yesterday? I gave my honest feedback but I wonder if they are starting to feel the push back. I saw the response to some questions on the Travel talk group as well which annoyed me as they don't seem to be listening and just making out we're the ones that arent seeing the vaule in the changes.

[mitchja]

Nothing here, but that’s not unusual for VS.

When have VS *ever* listened to their frequent flyers though? They are more interested in pandering to the influencers and bloggers these days.

In the 6+ years I’ve been AU with VS so far I’ve never once been asked for any form of feedback.

Perhaps you’re not subscribed to emails or surveys? Every time I call to customer service or use chat, or after every flight I and companion receive multiple survey questionnaires.
However; I haven’t received this new survey for the flying club changes