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Virgin Atlantic just nerfed one of the best sweet spots in award travel. From that line alone, there's a great chance you know exactly what we're talking about; that's just how good this specific award chart carve-out was. And for most, this news might not come as a surprise.
The all-in cost to fly to and from Europe and the U.K. in lie-flat Delta business class using Virgin points is now immensely higher than it was yesterday. As uncovered by Thrifty Traveler, it's Virgin Atlantic Flying Club‘s latest negative change. Here's what you need to know.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Devalues Delta One Awards to Europe
There were few better ways to get across the Atlantic than flying Delta One business class for 50,000 Virgin points. No matter where in the U.S. you depart from, that's all you'd pay. Virgin points are also easy to earn, so this redemption truly was the textbook definition of a sweet spot.
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. Virgin Atlantic took a couple of hacks at its Delta partner chart — specifically for business class flights to Europe and the United Kingdom. But this devaluation is different from most. Here's why.
Flying Club introduced peak and off-peak pricing to Delta awards to Europe. Business class awards now require up to 55% more points depending on the time of year you fly.
In addition, Virgin Atlantic is making the tax and fee component on Europe-bound business class awards more than 180 times more expensive — hiking $5.60 to $1,027.80 or more. Thankfully, economy awards require the same reasonable $5.60 co-pay, unless you're flying directly to the U.K. You can find Virgin's new award chart for Delta flights to Europe (excluding the U.K.) below:
| Route | Off-Peak Economy | Off-Peak Delta One | Peak Economy | Peak Delta One |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Coast to Europe | 30,000 points + $5.60 | 47,500 points + $1,032.30 | 30,000 points + $5.60 | 57,500 points + $1,032.30 |
| West Coast to Europe | 30,000 points + $5.60 | 67,500 points + $1,032.30 | 30,000 points + $5.60 | 77,500 points + $1,032.30 |
And the new chart for flights to the U.K.:
| Route (UK to US) | Off-Peak Economy | Off-Peak Delta One | Peak Economy | Peak Delta One |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. East Coast | 15,000 points + $197.80 | 47,500 points + $1,027.80 | 25,000 points + $302.80 | 57,500 points + $1,027.80 |
| Central U.S. | 17,500 points + $197.80 | 47,500 points + $1,027.80 | 27,500 points + $302.80 | 57,500 points + $1,027.80 |
| U.S. West Coast | 20,000 points + $197.80 | 67,500 points + $1,027.80 | 30,000 points + $302.80 | 77,500 points + $1,027.80 |
You'll notice that Virgin Atlantic has made some Delta One awards cheaper points-wise (East Cost to Europe on an off-peak date). But the tax and fee component easily negates the points savings. And at that, changes are effective as of today, July 2, 2024, so you'll see the updated pricing the next time you stumble across a bookable Delta award.
Flying Club peak and off-peak dates for Delta awards to Europe
Virgin Atlantic defines “peak” and “off-peak” with the following 2024 dates:
- Peak
- January 4 through March 21
- April 16 through June 15
- September 3 through October 24
- November 6 through December 6
- Off-Peak
- January 1 through 3
- March 22 through April 15
- June 16 through September 2
- October 25 through November 5
- December 7 through January 5, 2025
Final Thoughts
It's not exactly a secret that Virgin Atlantic has been slashing different parts of its partner award chart in recent months. The airline has devalued Delta awards wholesale and repeatedly increased the cost of ANA premium cabin awards. No sweet spot is safe, nor should you think one is.
And perhaps the most unfortunate aspect of Virgin Atlantic's Delta One devaluation is the now exponentially higher taxes and fees. Is it worth redeeming tens of thousands of miles only to pay $1,000+ out of pocket? More often than not, the answer will likely be “no.”
So, this news is sad, but it's really not a surprise. If you've been eyeing another sweet spot with Virgin points, book it now. You never know when it'll disappear without notice.
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