Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
Part of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club hub
GUIDE
Airline companion vouchers: Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club companion rewards are vouchers that let a second traveller fly alongside a member's booking without a separate points redemption: Gold members receive a Gold Companion Reward when they renew, issued at the end of the Gold membership year and valid for 12 months, and the terms also refer to Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Account Companion Rewards. [6] Passenger taxes, fees, charges and surcharges are still payable for each passenger. [6]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Flying Club Gold members receive one complimentary Companion Reward on renewal of Gold membership, issued at the end of the Gold membership year and valid for 12 months from the date it is awarded. [6]
- Bookings must be made within 12 months of the Gold member's renewal date, the outbound flight must be flown before or on the voucher's expiry date, and the return can be taken later. [6]
- Companion Rewards cannot be applied to bookings made in the Economy Light product, and Companion Rewards must be booked by phoning the Virgin Atlantic Customer Centre. [6]
- Taxes, fees, charges and surcharges are not included in a reward flight and are charged and payable for each passenger. [6]
What counts as a companion voucher on Virgin Atlantic?
The status-linked version is the Gold Companion Reward. Gold members receive one complimentary Companion Reward on renewal, issued at the end of the Gold membership year. [6] It can be used in the same way as a Virgin Atlantic flight reward, except that the member does not need to redeem Virgin Points for it. [6]
Separately, Virgin Points can be used to obtain Companion Rewards, subject to availability, and all other Companion Reward terms and conditions apply to the Gold Companion Reward as well. [6]
The Flying Club terms also refer to Virgin Atlantic Credit Card Account Companion Rewards, which sit within Companion Reward bookings, and list the Virgin Atlantic Reward and Reward+ Credit Card vouchers among those a member may gift to another member. [6]
Who is eligible, and which cabins can the companion use?
The complimentary Companion Reward is tied to Flying Club Gold membership and is awarded once on each renewal of Gold status. [6]
Cabin rules are set by the Companion Reward conditions: Companion Rewards cannot be applied to bookings made in the Economy Light product. [6] Reward seats are released on Virgin Atlantic operated flights at least 12 per flight across the three cabins — 8 in Economy Classic, 2 in Premium and 2 in Upper Class — from the point they are released for sale, 331 days before departure, and Economy reward bookings are made under the Economy Classic product. [6]
Companion Rewards cannot be booked online: Upgrade, Companion and Chauffeur Driven Car Service Rewards must be booked by phoning the Virgin Atlantic Customer Centre. [6]
How long does a Virgin Atlantic companion voucher last?
The Gold Companion Reward is valid for 12 months from the date it is awarded. [6] Bookings using it must be made within 12 months of the Gold member's renewal date, and the outbound flight must be flown before or on the voucher's expiry date, while the return flight can be taken later. [6]
Vouchers can also be passed on. Only Silver or Gold members may gift vouchers, and the recipient must be a Flying Club member in any tier. [6] Once gifted, only the recipient can use the voucher; it is marked as gifted in the giver's account and appears as a voucher in the recipient's account, and all voucher rules and expiry dates apply to the recipient. [6] Where a member holds several vouchers, the one with the soonest expiry date is the one gifted unless the member contacts the customer centre. [6]
In a Household Account, rewards earned by linked members — including Flying Club reward vouchers — are not transferred to the household leader's account. [6]
What taxes and fees apply to a Virgin Atlantic companion reward?
Reward flights do not include any applicable passenger taxes, fees, charges and surcharges, which are charged and payable in respect of each passenger, and the amounts are subject to change. [6] A Companion Reward can be combined with a booking where a Points Plus Money discount has been applied. [6]
| Action | Fee |
|---|---|
| Change date, route or class before travel on an international flight originating in the UK | |
| Change on an international flight originating in the US | |
| Change on a flight originating in any other region | |
| Cancel a reward booking outside 24 hours of the outbound flight | 100% of Virgin Points re-credited; the same fee applies |
Where the reward is a Companion Reward and the person travelling on the paying ticket changes flight or class of travel, the Companion Reward may be amended for the same fees, subject to seat availability. [6] Once tickets for a reward booking are issued, no name changes are allowed. [6]
Gold members get one concession on changes: when a Gold member is travelling on a reward flight, a Companion Reward booking, or where the points were redeemed from a Gold member's account, the date change fee is waived for the Gold member and all passengers listed on the same booking reference — but not for Points Plus Money bookings, normal revenue bookings or bookings upgraded using Virgin Points. [6]
Exceptions and limits
- Availability. All Flying Club rewards are subject to availability and blackout dates may apply, and a minimum of 14 days' notice may be required when booking rewards with partner companies. [6]
- Seat release. Reward seats not booked 30 days before departure may be released back into general sale, and once all 12 reward seats on a flight are booked, further seats are not guaranteed. [6]
- Confirmation. A reward booking is not binding until it is confirmed in writing; an acknowledgement of an order is not a confirmation. [6]
- Third parties. A reward can be issued to a third party at the member's request, but once issued rewards are not transferable. [6]
- Sale of vouchers. A voucher is void if it is sold, auctioned or bartered, and such activity may result in vouchers or tier benefits being suspended. [6]
Frequently asked questions
Do Virgin Atlantic companion vouchers cover taxes and fees?
No. Reward flights do not include passenger taxes, fees, charges and surcharges, which are charged and payable for each passenger, and the amounts can change. [6]
Can a Gold Companion Reward be used in Economy Light?
No. Companion Rewards cannot be applied to bookings made in the Economy Light product. [6]
How do you book a Virgin Atlantic Companion Reward?
Companion Rewards must be booked by phoning the Virgin Atlantic Customer Centre rather than online. [6]
Can you give a Virgin Atlantic companion voucher to someone else?
Silver and Gold members may gift the Gold Companion voucher to a Flying Club member in any tier; once gifted only the recipient can use it, and the voucher's rules and expiry date pass to them. [6]
Can the companion fly on a different date from the member?
The outbound flight must be flown before or on the voucher's expiry date, while the return can be taken later. [6] Where the person on the paying ticket changes flight or class, the Companion Reward may be amended for the same fee, subject to seat availability. [6]
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. Coverage here is Virgin Atlantic Flying Club only; British Airways, Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines companion instruments are described on their own pages.
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club terms and conditions, effective from 30 October 2024, checked 18 October 2026