In case you’ve used Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Membership program to e-book Delta-operated flights up to now, hear up. You may have simply a few days earlier than Virgin considerably will increase the worth of many Delta award itineraries. Whereas it isn’t all unhealthy information, you may quickly want extra Virgin factors throughout a big portion of Delta’s route community.
For bookings created from Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, for journey from Jan. 1, 2024, Flying Membership redemptions for journey on sure Delta-operated flights will improve as follows:
| Distance (miles) | Economic system (present) | Economic system (new) | % change | Delta One/First (present) | Delta One/First (new) | % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 500 | 7,500 | 7,500 | 0% | 17,500 | 21,000 | 20% |
| 501 to 1,000 | 8,500 | 11,000 | 29.41% | 27,500 | 41,500 | 50.91% |
| 1,001 to 1,500 | 11,500 | 16,500 | 43.48% | 40,000 | 59,500 | 48.75% |
| 1,500 to 2,000 | 12,500 | 18,500 | 48% | 45,000 | 66,500 | 47.78% |
| 2,001 to three,000 | 15,000 | 22,000 | 46.67% | 52,500 | 70,000 | 33.33% |
| 3,001 to 4,000 | 22,500 | 35,000 | 55.56% | 80,000 | 80,000 | 0% |
| 4,001 to five,000 | 27,500 | 44,000 | 60% | 105,000 | 105,000 | 0% |
| 5,001 to six,000 | 35,000 | 49,500 | 41.43% | 130,000 | 130,000 | 0% |
| 6,001-plus | 45,000 | 65,500 | 45.56% | 165,000 | 165,000 | 0% |
Nevertheless, this up to date award chart solely applies to Delta flights outdoors of Europe and the UK, which stay unaffected.
However, many of those modifications are brutal. Just one available redemption (an financial system flight overlaying as much as 500 miles in distance) stays on the identical value. All different Delta-operated financial system flights are climbing, in some instances by greater than 50%.
For instance, nonstop Delta award flights from the U.S. to locations in Australia improve to 65,500 Virgin Factors every manner, representing a forty five% improve.
It is a comparable story for premium cabins. Many home first-class tickets will climb by near 50%, with solely the longest flights (larger than 3,000 miles in distance) remaining unchanged. And since award availability in Delta One on long-haul worldwide flights has been primarily nonexistent for a while, preserving these costs the identical would not have any sensible profit to vacationers.
Whereas lots of the value will increase are excessive, some caveats soften the blow:
- The worth will increase don’t begin till Dec. 7, so should you do have a redemption in thoughts, e-book it instantly earlier than the worth rises.
- Journey booked and undertaken earlier than the tip of 2023 is unaffected.
- All Delta-operated flights to and from Europe and the U.Okay. are unaffected by the worth will increase.
Associated: When and how one can e-book Delta awards with Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership factors
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This is an announcement a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson despatched to TPG through e mail:
We acknowledge how a lot our members worth the intensive vary of redemption accomplice choices accessible via Flying Membership, together with flights with our three way partnership accomplice, Delta Air Traces. We routinely consider our pricing, and have up to date pricing for redemption flights utilizing Virgin Factors on non-transatlantic Delta routes. Virgin Atlantic stays dedicated to providing our loyal members essentially the most aggressive pricing for redemption flights throughout our accomplice airline community.
Fortunately, Delta Important Cabin flights to Europe on normal season dates will proceed to offer nice worth for a strong product, with flights from simply 15,000 Virgin factors every manner. These flights additionally incur decrease surcharges than Virgin-operated flights on the identical routes.
| Normal season (Important Cabin, every manner) | Peak season (Important Cabin, every manner) | |
|---|---|---|
| East Coast (Boston, New York) to the U.Okay. | 15,000 factors | 25,000 factors |
| Central U.S. (Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis) to the U.Okay. | 17,500 factors | 27,500 factors |
| West Coast (Salt Lake Metropolis) to the U.Okay. | 20,000 factors | 30,000 factors |
| Flights to different European locations (i.e, Amsterdam to Boston, Paris to Atlanta) | 30,000 factors | 30,000 factors |
You possibly can view a full breakdown of those award charts on Virgin Atlantic’s accomplice web page for Delta Air Traces.
Associated: Fast Factors: Ebook Delta transatlantic Important Cabin seats at low mounted charges with Virgin factors
Our tackle the modifications
Merely put, these modifications characterize a extreme devaluation for non-European Delta award flights booked through Virgin Atlantic. Apart from the few distance bands that can stay unchanged, you may quickly pay not less than 30% extra for these award tickets.
In fact, short-haul flights in home top quality usually supplied poor worth even on the present charges, with 40,000 Virgin factors wanted for a three-hour flight in recliner seats between New York and Florida, for instance. In the meantime, on premium transcontinental routes like New York to California — the place Delta could have provided a correct lie-flat seat — availability has been very exhausting to come back by.
Nevertheless, nonstop financial system flights throughout the U.S. nonetheless provided some terrific worth, particularly given the truth that Virgin Atlantic companions with all the most important transferable bank card currencies. This may considerably change as soon as the brand new award charts take impact.
Lastly, it is value noting one other facet of the Flying Membership program that is not altering. Virgin Atlantic will proceed to cost Delta awards on a segment-by-segment foundation, so you may nonetheless want extra Virgin factors for a connecting itinerary than a nonstop one.
Backside line
Virgin Atlantic is growing the award charges on many Delta-operated flights as of Dec. 7 for flights on (or after) Jan. 1, 2024. Whereas Delta award availability via Virgin has all the time been restricted, many of those will increase are extreme.
Utilizing Virgin factors for nonstop Delta flights has lengthy been an interesting worth proposition (even after the 2021 devaluation). Reserving the identical flights via Delta SkyMiles can usually require extra miles, so these modifications will take away a few of these candy spots — although, fortunately, flights to (and from) Europe aren’t affected.
In case you want to e-book Delta flights for attractively low charges utilizing Virgin factors, you will have just a few days left earlier than costs improve.
