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Virgin Atlantic offers members an incredible opportunity to fly transatlantic for as low as 10,000 points. Many other redemption options exist for members to maximize their points while flying, as well. But, Virgin Red — the joint rewards program for all Virgin products and services — provides members many avenues for redeeming points beyond just flights. A wide slate of redemption options, including entertainment, food and drink, charitable causes, and more exist for members.
Let's look at these other ways to redeem Virgin Points.
Virgin Red Non-Flight Redemption Options
Virgin Red makes it very easy for members looking to redeem points for things other than flights. A separate redemptions page on the Virgin Red website lists all available options. Filter options, by category and number of points, help narrow down the different opportunities. Unfortunately, Virgin Red Cruises are no longer available as a redemption, though we're hoping for a return in the near future.
AMC Theatres
Virgin Red provides three separate, AMC-related redemption options for movie tickets, popcorn, and fountain drinks. Redemptions start at just 750 points, making these the most affordable of all advertised options.
Each AMC theater likely sets its own prices, so it's hard to definitively say whether or not these redemptions represent great value. Regardless, sometimes it's nice to not worry about out-of-pocket costs for this kind of entertainment.
Sofar Sounds
Virgin Hotels and Sofar Sounds have partnered together to deliver a monthly concert series. While the dates and locations are a bit limited, these events let Virgin Red members enjoy emerging artists in an intimate venue. Anyone who likes live music and the allure of curated experiences would enjoy this redemption option. See here for the list of dates and locations of these events.
Note that these tickets are for two, so no need to make a second redemption for a single companion.
Culinary experiences
Beyond the entertainment options already mentioned, Virgin Red partners with a few different food-related vendors for redemptions. These culinary options require a bit more in terms of points than the other redemptions highlighted. However, other than the Austin Secret Food Tour, they can be enjoyed regardless of location.
Do note that the redemption option for Blue Apron Meal Kit Delivery is effectively $120 for 19,500 points — 0.6 cents per point. Most will view this as a particularly poor use of points.
How Redemptions Work
Virgin Red offers a wide array of redemption options for its members. It follows that the actual redemption process would vary among all of these choices. Luckily, each redemption opportunity comes with a distinct set of redemption instructions. And, in general, the redemption process follows a very similar pattern:
- Click through using the “Redeem” button for the chosen redemption.
- Once redeemed, check the “My Rewards” page for a code.
- Use that code via the appropriate channel for redemption.
What constitutes an appropriate channel? For AMC theaters, this might require showing the code at ticketing or concessions. For others, it might be as simple as visiting Virgin Experience Gifts online and applying the code at checkout. Should there be any questions, instructions on the Virgin Red website should assist anyone making a redemption.
How To Get Virgin Red Points
Virgin Red is the joint rewards program for all Virgin products and services — flights, trains, hotels, shopping, you name it. The easiest way for most members to accumulate Virgin points is to transfer points from one of the following rewards programs:
Most of these partnerships are with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, instead of Virgin Red directly. Be advised that you'll first need to link your Flying Club account to Virgin Red before making any of these redemptions.
Final Thoughts
While most readers likely focus on flight redemptions, Virgin Atlantic offers multiple non-flight redemptions as a complement. These types of options — including movie tickets, live music, and culinary experiences — let members still make use of points without having to take to the skies. The actual redemption process is a breeze, too. As always, be sure to evaluate the points value of each redemption before actually following through. Some Virgin Red options represent a fixed (and poor) value, where making a cash purchase is likely preferred instead.
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