Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
Part of The British Airways Club hub · Virgin Atlantic Flying Club hub
GUIDE
How to use UK credit-card points for business class
Using UK credit-card points for business class means earning a UK loyalty currency on a credit card and then spending it on a premium-cabin seat or a cabin upgrade. The Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Credit Card charges a £160 annual fee, earns 1.5 Virgin Points per £1 of card spend and pays them into a Flying Club account, where the card page states Virgin Points never expire. [3] Avios, the loyalty currency of The British Airways Club, is another route described in the sources, and it can be spent on reward flights and seat upgrades. [2]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Virgin Points earned on the Virgin Atlantic Reward and Reward+ Credit Cards never expire, and each card also earns a reward voucher that can be spent on a companion seat or a cabin upgrade. [3]
- The Reward+ card costs £160 a year and earns 1.5 Virgin Points per £1 of everyday spend; the Reward card has no annual fee and earns 0.75 per £1. [3]
- Cash charges survive a points redemption: taxes, fees and carrier-imposed surcharges on reward flights are payable separately. [3]
- Avios can be moved to or from six partner loyalty clubs, shared through a household account of up to six people, and will not expire as long as at least one Avios is collected, spent, bought or shared every 36 months. [2]
How do UK credit cards earn points towards a business-class seat?
The Virgin Atlantic Reward and Reward+ Credit Cards are available only to UK residents aged 18 or over, and credit is subject to status. [3] Both cards earn Virgin Points on purchases and pay them into a linked Flying Club account, so a cardholder first has to join Flying Club and link the membership number. [3] Points are added within five days of the credit-card statement date, and bonus points arrive in the month after they are earned. [3]
| Feature | Reward Credit Card | Reward+ Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | None [3] | £160 [3] |
| Welcome bonus | 3,000 Virgin Points on a purchase in the first 90 days, no minimum spend [3] | 18,000 Virgin Points on a purchase in the first 90 days, no minimum spend [3] |
| Everyday earn rate | 0.75 Virgin Points per £1 [3] | 1.5 Virgin Points per £1 [3] |
| Spend with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Holidays | 1.5 Virgin Points per £1 [3] | 3 Virgin Points per £1 [3] |
| Reward voucher threshold | £20,000 in 12 months [3] | £10,000 in 12 months [3] |
| Representative APR (variable), £1,200 limit | 26.9% [3] | 69.7% [3] |
Not every transaction counts. Cash advances, balance transfers, money transfers, interest and fees earn no Virgin Points. [3] Earnings are also capped each month at the credit limit: with a £5,000 limit, points accrue on the first £5,000 of purchases in that month, and the counter resets on the statement date. [3] Bonus points sit outside that cap. [3]
British Airways describes Avios as the loyalty currency of The British Airways Club and its partners, collected with partners across fashion, travel and finance and spent on reward flights, seat upgrades, hotel stays and car hire. [2] Part of the price of an ordinary cash booking can also be paid in Avios. [2] The UK cards that earn it are set out in Avios credit cards in the UK compared, and the currency itself is defined under Avios.
Which transfer routes can move a points balance?
Avios can be transferred to or from Iberia Club, AerClub, Loganair Loyalty, Vueling Club, Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Finnair Plus accounts. [2] Avios can also be transferred to other people, and bought when the balance falls short of an award. [2] A household account allows up to six members of the same household, including children, to share Avios. [2]
British Airways states that Avios will not expire as long as you collect, spend, buy or share at least one Avios every 36 months; if you do not collect or use your Avios at all for three years, they expire and are removed. [2]
What fees and charges sit on top of a points booking?
The Reward+ card costs £160 a year, earns 1.5 Virgin Points per £1 on everyday card purchases rather than 0.75, and pays a reward voucher after £10,000 of annual spend rather than £20,000. Its representative APR is 69.7% variable, against 26.9% variable for the Reward card, both based on a £1,200 credit limit. [3]
On the redemption side, taxes, fees and carrier-imposed surcharges are payable separately when points or vouchers are used for flights, and the points price varies by destination and demand. [3] Virgin Atlantic quotes Saver reward seats starting from 6,000 points. [3]
The reward voucher is redeemed in full when the reward costs less than the voucher's value; any excess is funded with additional points, and taxes, fees and surcharges are still due. [3] The value depends on Flying Club tier at the moment of redemption — up to 75,000 Virgin Points for Red members and up to 150,000 for Silver or Gold — so a member who moves up a tier before spending the voucher gets the higher ceiling. [3] Bookings and the outbound flight must both fall within 24 months of the voucher being issued, and the booking is made by phone. [3]
How do you spend the points on an Upper Class seat?
Virgin Atlantic lists Economy, Premium and Upper Class among its cabins. [3] The card page describes two reward routes: a direct reward booking and a reward voucher. [3] The first is a direct reward booking: Virgin Atlantic states that you can use your points for any Virgin Atlantic seat you like, with the points cost varying by destination and demand and taxes, fees and carrier-imposed surcharges payable separately. [3] The second is the reward voucher, which can be redeemed for a round-trip cabin upgrade or a round-trip companion reward seat on Virgin Atlantic operated flights. [3] Upgrades cannot be applied to Economy Light bookings. [3]
Virgin Atlantic states that the points cost varies based on destination and demand, and that taxes, fees and carrier-imposed surcharges are payable separately. [3] The booking sequence itself is covered in first and business class award step by step, and the cash trade-off in points vs cash for business class.
Points also arrive from flying. Virgin Points are earned per flight as the distance in miles multiplied by a booking-class percentage, with tier bonuses of 30% for Silver and 60% for Gold members. [7] For Upper Class the percentages are:
| Upper Class booking classes | Red | Silver | Gold |
|---|---|---|---|
| J, C and D | 500% | 650% | 800% [7] |
| I and Z | 300% | 390% | 480% [7] |
Those percentages apply to miles flown, so a paid premium-cabin flight earns a multiple of the distance rather than a fixed number of points. [7]
Exceptions and limits
- Monthly cap. Virgin Points accrue only up to the credit limit in each month, with the counter resetting on the statement date; bonus points are not affected. [3]
- Excluded spending. Cash advances, balance transfers, money transfers, interest and fees earn nothing. [3]
- One voucher per year. The Reward+ card earns a voucher after £10,000 of purchases over 12 months and the Reward card after £20,000, but only one voucher can be earned in any 12 months, counted from the anniversary of the card account opening. [3]
- Voucher restrictions. Upgrades cannot be applied to Economy Light bookings, and vouchers are valid only on Virgin Atlantic operated flights. [3]
- Eligibility. Both cards are available only to UK residents aged 18 or over, and credit is subject to status. [3]
- Avios expiry. Avios are removed after three years without collection or use, while a single collect, spend, buy or share transaction inside 36 months keeps the balance alive. [2]
Frequently asked questions
Can I book Virgin Atlantic Upper Class with credit-card points?
Virgin Atlantic states that Virgin Points can be used for any Virgin Atlantic seat, with the points cost varying by destination and demand. Taxes, fees and carrier-imposed surcharges are payable separately. [3]
Do Virgin Points expire?
The Virgin Atlantic credit card page states that Virgin Points never expire. [3]
How does the Reward+ card compare with the Reward card?
The Reward+ card costs £160 a year, earns 1.5 Virgin Points per £1 on everyday purchases rather than 0.75, and pays a reward voucher at £10,000 of annual spend instead of £20,000; its representative APR is 69.7% variable against 26.9% variable on a £1,200 limit. [3]
Can I move Avios to another airline programme?
The British Airways Club allows Avios to be transferred to or from Iberia Club, AerClub, Loganair Loyalty, Vueling Club, Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Finnair Plus accounts. [2]
Do I need a Flying Club account to collect on the cards?
Yes. To benefit from points earned on either Virgin Atlantic card, the cardholder must be a Flying Club member and link the membership number to the card. [3]
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. It covers the Virgin Atlantic Reward and Reward+ Credit Cards, Avios transfers and expiry, and Virgin Points earning as described in the sources above; it does not cover American Express Membership Rewards or other UK card programmes.
- About Avios, The British Airways Club, checked 18 October 2026
- The Virgin Atlantic Credit Card: Reward and Reward+ card terms, checked 18 October 2026
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club earning calculator, checked 18 October 2026