On Oct. 30, 2024, Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club loyalty program will shift from fixed award charts to dynamic award pricing for flights. That means the number of points you’ll need for Virgin Atlantic award flights will vary based on demand, availability and travel season.
This shift to dynamic pricing, which the airline announced Monday, reflects a broader industry trend — and while it offers more flexibility and availability, it also introduces uncertainty. For avid points travelers, there may still be opportunities for outsize value. However, those who rely on predictable award costs may find it harder to get the same level of value from their points.
Here’s what you should know if you were planning on booking a Virgin Atlantic flight on points any time soon.
What is dynamic award pricing?
Dynamic award pricing means the number of points required for an award ticket can fluctuate based on demand, similar to cash ticket prices. Virgin Atlantic says this type of pricing will offer “absolute choice and flexibility for our loyal customers.”
This is a shift from Virgin Atlantic’s fixed standard and peak award charts, where points needed for a flight stayed consistent regardless of travel dates — and if award seats were already booked, there was nothing else available except cash tickets.
Here’s what the Virgin Atlantic stand award chart looks like as of today, before the changes go into effect, in case there are any award flights travelers might want to lock in before Oct. 30.:
The good: More flexibility and availability
One advantage of dynamic pricing is increased award availability. The airline has pledged that any seat on any Virgin Atlantic-operated flight will be available to book with Virgin points, ensuring that members have more options when using their points. This could mean more opportunities to book last-minute trips or popular destinations or find seats during peak travel periods, which are often blacked out or scarce under fixed pricing models. Just keep in mind that you might have to cough up a lot of points during those times.
In some cases, travelers may find cheaper off-peak flights, as points requirements could be lower when demand is down. Virgin Atlantic says prices between New York JFK and London Heathrow will start at just 6,000 Virgin Points each way, an incredible deal. This rate, as well as others, are part of Virgin Atlantic’s new low-cost Saver reward seats.
The changes might make it easier to fly in a premium cabin as well. Virgin Atlantic is adding options to upgrade with points to any available Premium or Upper Class seats, no matter whether you bought a standard ticket or redeemed points for your economy seat.
The bad: Unpredictability and potential cost increase
Dynamic pricing often means the number of points for an award flight can skyrocket during high-demand periods. This could make it more expensive for travelers to redeem points for certain flights, especially for premium cabins.
For example, while off-peak flights to New York may still be accessible, flights to popular destinations like Los Angeles or during holidays might require significantly more points.
Plus, uncertainty around pricing makes it harder for travelers to plan for specific redemptions, which is easier with a fixed award chart.
Impact on Virgin Atlantic’s partner airlines
While these redemptions remain unaffected for now, things could look very different in the future, especially because Virgin Atlantic has made a few no-notice devaluations for partner award flights in the past year alone.
Is transferring points still worth it?
While the option to transfer points remains a valuable benefit, the shift to dynamic pricing means travelers should be cautious about transferring large amounts of points without a clear redemption plan. On the plus side, all of these programs have had transfer bonuses to Virgin Atlantic with some regularity.
With dynamic pricing, you’ll want to compare the value of points before you transfer, as award flights could require more points than expected. If you find availability, Virgin Atlantic could still offer excellent value, especially for saver seats on its own flights or premium-cabin redemptions on partner airlines like SkyTeam partner Delta or ANA. And if you regularly fly Virgin Atlantic and want more Virgin points, the new Virgin Red Rewards Mastercard launched last week with benefits centered around traveling on the airline.
Top image courtesy of Virgin Atlantic.
