{"id":136221,"date":"2025-05-08T23:59:02","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T23:59:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/?p=136221"},"modified":"2026-04-08T14:15:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T14:15:05","slug":"book-virgin-atlantic-awards-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/airlines\/flying-blue\/book-virgin-atlantic-awards\/","title":{"rendered":"Flying Club vs. Flying Blue: What&#8217;s The Best Way to Book Virgin Atlantic Awards to London (and Beyond)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>When flying to the United Kingdom, Virgin Atlantic <a href=\"\/airlines\/virgin-atlantic-flying-club\/\">Flying Club<\/a> is an obvious loyalty program to consider at first. In the past, the surcharges that Flying Blue levied on Virgin Atlantic flights were hard to stomach, if not a complete deal-breaker. For years, we recommend booking Virgin Atlantic flights via <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/flying-blue\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Flying Blue<\/a> instead of Flying Club to save hundreds of dollars in taxes and fees in the process.<\/p>\n<p>However, that thinking has recently changed. Virgin Atlantic's <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/news\/virgin-atlantic-flying-club\/dynamic-award-pricing\/\" rel=\"noopener\">move to dynamic pricing<\/a> in late 2024 brought both positive and negative impacts on Virgin Atlantic award flights. As a result, the decision between booking Virgin Atlantic awards via Flying Club or Flying Blue is more of a tossup. Here's how previously conventional knowledge may be shifting.<\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"toc_light_blue no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Page Contents<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#Virgin_Atlantic_Overview\">Virgin Atlantic Overview<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Air_FranceKLM_Flying_Blue_Overview\">Air France\u2013KLM Flying Blue Overview<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Should_You_Book_Virgin_Atlantic_Awards_With_Flying_Club_or_Flying_Blue\">Should You Book Virgin Atlantic Awards With Flying Club or Flying Blue?<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#Economy_class_example\">Economy class example<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Business_class_example\">Business class example<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Worldwide_example\">Worldwide example<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#How_to_Search_for_Virgin_Atlantic_Award_Space\">How to Search for Virgin Atlantic Award Space<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#How_to_Earn_Virgin_Points_and_Flying_Blue_Miles\">How to Earn Virgin Points and Flying Blue Miles<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#Virgin_Atlantic_Flying_Club_transfer_partners\">Virgin Atlantic Flying Club transfer partners<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Air_FranceKLM_Flying_Blue_transfer_partner\">Air France\u2013KLM Flying Blue transfer partner<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Flying_Blue_and_Flying_Blue_Award_Cancellation_Policies\">Flying Blue and Flying Blue Award Cancellation Policies<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Final_Thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n<h2><span id=\"Virgin_Atlantic_Overview\">Virgin Atlantic Overview<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Virgin Atlantic is a relatively small airline. The carrier operates a total of 44 long-haul aircraft to 30 worldwide destinations.<\/p>\n<p>The airline's loyalty program is called <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/virgin-atlantic-flying-club\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Virgin Atlantic Flying Club<\/a>. While Flying Club is notoriously great for partner redemptions, it can be hit or miss for flights on Virgin Atlantic itself. You'll shortly see why.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_208262\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/407\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-208262  lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/vs-map-1024x555.jpg\" alt=\"Virgin Atlantic route map as of Apr 2025.\" width=\"750\" height=\"407\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/vs-map-1024x555.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/vs-map-300x163.jpg 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/vs-map-768x416.jpg 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/vs-map.jpg 1537w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Virgin Atlantic<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<h2><span id=\"Air_FranceKLM_Flying_Blue_Overview\">Air France\u2013KLM Flying Blue Overview<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/flying-blue\/best-award-flights\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Flying Blue<\/a> is the joint loyalty program of Air France, KLM, and Transavia. Air France and KLM are <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/airline-alliances-and-partnerships\/\" rel=\"noopener\">SkyTeam<\/a> members, meaning you can earn and redeem Flying Blue miles on all alliance carriers and even a handful of non-alliance partner airlines.<\/p>\n<p>Before <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/news\/virgin-atlantic-flying-club\/virgin-atlantic-joining-skyteam\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Virgin Atlantic joined the SkyTeam alliance<\/a>, it was one of those non-alliance partners. In the past, Flying Blue charged relatively standard pricing for Virgin Atlantic awards. But now, Flying Blue charges dynamic award pricing on Virgin Atlantic. Even so, booking Virgin Atlantic award flights through Flying Blue can still be a very viable option.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_63415\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/480\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-63415 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Double-XP-with-Air-France-Feature.jpg\" alt=\"tail fins show KLM logos\" width=\"600\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Double-XP-with-Air-France-Feature.jpg 750w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Double-XP-with-Air-France-Feature-300x240.jpg 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Double-XP-with-Air-France-Feature-325x260.jpg 325w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Miguel \u00c1ngel Sanz\/Unsplash<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Related:\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/flying-blue\/do-flying-blue-miles-expire\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Do Air France\/KLM Flying Blue Miles Expire?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Should_You_Book_Virgin_Atlantic_Awards_With_Flying_Club_or_Flying_Blue\">Should You Book Virgin Atlantic Awards With Flying Club or Flying Blue?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re looking to book an award on Virgin Atlantic, it\u2019s worth comparing prices through both Flying Club and Flying Blue. Taking this step can help ensure you\u2019re booking the lowest-cost mileage ticket. Here are some examples of when it pays to compare.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Economy_class_example\">Economy class example<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The key to finding great rates (both in points and surcharges) is booking Virgin Atlantic \u201cSaver\u201d awards. When Virgin introduced dynamic pricing, these Saver fares not only dropped in points but also came with lower surcharges.<\/p>\n<p>Take New York (JFK) to London (LHR) as an example. On July 3, 2025 \u2014 right in the middle of peak summer season \u2014 two economy flights on the same day range from just 12,000 points (Saver award) to 54,000 points (non-Saver award). Both carry relatively modest surcharges between $76 and $89, with the Saver option being slightly cheaper.<\/p>\n<p>Even in Premium Economy, the difference is remarkable. There's a whopping 116,000-point gap between the lowest and highest award prices, although co-pays are still fairly reasonable.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_208129\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/433\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-208129 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/VS-4-30-1024x591.jpg\" alt=\"Booking Virgin Atlantic flights through Virgin Flying Club.\" width=\"750\" height=\"433\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/VS-4-30-1024x591.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/VS-4-30-300x173.jpg 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/VS-4-30-768x443.jpg 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/VS-4-30.jpg 1267w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Virgin Atlantic<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>Meanwhile, Flying Blue is selling the same two awards for 23,500 miles plus $90 each. In this case, the 8:10 am flight is cheaper when booked through Air France (23,500 miles), while the 7 pm flight is a better deal through Virgin Atlantic (12,000 miles). This shows how valuable it can be to find Virgin Atlantic Saver awards and why comparing programs is always worth it.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_208130\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/293\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-208130 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/AF-final-1024x400.jpg\" alt=\"Booking Virgin Atlantic flights with Air France. \" width=\"750\" height=\"293\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/AF-final-1024x400.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/AF-final-300x117.jpg 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/AF-final-768x300.jpg 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/AF-final.jpg 1113w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Flying Blue<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<h3><span id=\"Business_class_example\">Business class example<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When booking Virgin Atlantic awards via Flying Club, business class award fees used to be notoriously high. That\u2019s no longer always the case.<\/p>\n<p>Atlanta (ATL) to Manchester (MAN) is a good example. This nonstop Upper Class flight costs just 31,000 Virgin points and $263 in fees. While that\u2019s not exactly cheap, it\u2019s a big improvement over the $1,000-plus surcharges that were once the norm. More relevant for this comparison, these fees align with what Flying Blue typically charges.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_208136\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/170\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-208136 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/vs-man-4-30-1024x232.jpg\" alt=\"Atlanta- Manchester in business class, booking through Virgin Atlantic.\" width=\"750\" height=\"170\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/vs-man-4-30-1024x232.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/vs-man-4-30-300x68.jpg 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/vs-man-4-30-768x174.jpg 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/vs-man-4-30.jpg 1268w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Virgin Atlantic<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>Booking the same flight through Flying Blue would require 80,500 miles and $238 in taxes and fees. In this case, Virgin Atlantic clearly offers the better deal, though that won\u2019t always be true.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_208143\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/108\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-208143 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/af-man-4-30-1024x148.jpg\" alt=\"Virgin Atlantic award from ATL to MAN.\" width=\"750\" height=\"108\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/af-man-4-30-1024x148.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/af-man-4-30-300x43.jpg 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/af-man-4-30-768x111.jpg 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/af-man-4-30-1536x221.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/af-man-4-30.jpg 1791w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Flying Blue<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>Surcharges are generally much higher when flying out of the UK due to steep departure taxes. A saver Upper Class flight from London to New York, for example, comes in at \u00a3498 (about $663). That\u2019s still high but lower than past rates and far from what Air France charges. And when point totals across all cabins are this low, it helps make the higher fees more palatable.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_208207\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/216\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-208207 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-04-30-at-8.28.54\u202fPM-1024x295.png\" alt=\"London- New York in all classes, booking with Virgin Atlantic.\" width=\"750\" height=\"216\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-04-30-at-8.28.54\u202fPM-1024x295.png 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-04-30-at-8.28.54\u202fPM-300x87.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-04-30-at-8.28.54\u202fPM-768x221.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-04-30-at-8.28.54\u202fPM-1536x443.png 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-04-30-at-8.28.54\u202fPM.png 1824w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Virgin Atlantic<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<h3><span id=\"Worldwide_example\">Worldwide example<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Because Virgin Atlantic operates only long-haul routes, you can\u2019t connect from the UK to the rest of Europe on flights it operates. Still, the airline flies to a number of destinations around the world, and this is where comparing programs can really pay off.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, let's look at London (LHR) to Mumbai (BOM). This nine-hour flight shows just how low Virgin\u2019s award prices can be across all cabins, with surcharges ranging from $253 in economy to $555 in business (after currency conversions).<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_208264\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/211\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-208264 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/vs-bom-5-1-1024x288.jpg\" alt=\"London- Bombay booking with Virgin Atlantic.\" width=\"750\" height=\"211\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/vs-bom-5-1-1024x288.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/vs-bom-5-1-300x84.jpg 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/vs-bom-5-1-768x216.jpg 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/vs-bom-5-1.jpg 1270w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Virgin Atlantic<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>Ordinarily, you might consider booking through Air France if the mileage cost was higher but the cash fees were lower. But in this case, Flying Blue charges significantly more miles with similar surcharges, making Virgin Atlantic the better option once again.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_208263\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"900\/127\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-208263 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/af-bom-5-1-1024x144.jpg\" alt=\"London- Bombay on Virgin booking with Air France.\" width=\"900\" height=\"127\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/af-bom-5-1-1024x144.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/af-bom-5-1-300x42.jpg 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/af-bom-5-1-768x108.jpg 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/af-bom-5-1-1536x216.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/af-bom-5-1.jpg 1782w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Flying Blue<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<h2><span id=\"How_to_Search_for_Virgin_Atlantic_Award_Space\">How to Search for Virgin Atlantic Award Space<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>For Virgin Atlantic flights, one of the easiest ways to find award availability, especially if your travel dates are flexible, is by using a tool like <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/travel\/seats-aero-guide\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Seats.aero<\/a>. By selecting \u201cExplore\u201d under Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, you can search routes from North America to Europe and filter by departure city, destination, and cabin class.<\/p>\n<p>This example shows options from the U.S. to London in November 2025 across all classes. Note that you\u2019ll need a paid Pro subscription to view availability beyond 60 days out.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_208936\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"750\/508\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-208936 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-05-06-at-4.17.22\u202fPM-1024x694.png\" alt=\"Seats.aero search results to London. \" width=\"750\" height=\"508\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-05-06-at-4.17.22\u202fPM-1024x694.png 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-05-06-at-4.17.22\u202fPM-300x203.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-05-06-at-4.17.22\u202fPM-768x521.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-05-06-at-4.17.22\u202fPM-1536x1041.png 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Screenshot-2025-05-06-at-4.17.22\u202fPM-2048x1389.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Seats.aero<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>Searching Flying Blue for Virgin Atlantic flights is not so easy. Seats.aero doesn't filter out Flying Blue\u2019s partner flights, and other search tools struggle with this as well. Even using the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/flying-blue\/award-calendar\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Flying Blue award calendar<\/a>\u00a0won\u2019t help much when you\u2019re trying to locate nonstop Virgin flights. That means you\u2019ll have to search the old-fashioned way, one day at a time.<\/p>\n<p>Still, because Virgin is often the best option when a \u201cSaver\u201d award is available, it\u2019s worth starting your search on Virgin\u2019s website or with a tool that shows Virgin availability, such as the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/virgin-atlantic-flying-club\/reward-seat-calendar\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Reward Seat Checker<\/a>. If you don\u2019t find results for your intended travel dates, then it\u2019s a good idea to check Air France or KLM for alternatives.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/find-airline-partner-award-availability\/\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Find Airline Partner Award Flight Availability<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"How_to_Earn_Virgin_Points_and_Flying_Blue_Miles\">How to Earn Virgin Points and Flying Blue Miles<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Another reason it\u2019s important to compare is that both Flying Club and Flying Blue are transfer partners of several major credit card rewards programs. If you have flexible points, you can search for the best deal on a Virgin Atlantic award flight and then transfer your points to the program offering the lowest cost.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a quick refresher on the transfer partners for each program:<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Virgin_Atlantic_Flying_Club_transfer_partners\">Virgin Atlantic Flying Club transfer partners<\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"transfer-times\"><div class=\"tt-row\"><div class=\"tt-head tt-from\">From<\/div><div class=\"tt-head tt-to\">To<\/div><div class=\"tt-head tt-ratio\">Transfer Ratio<\/div><div class=\"tt-head tt-mintransfer\">Min.Transfer<\/div><div class=\"tt-head tt-avg\">Average Time<\/div><\/div><div class=\"tt-row\"><div class=\"tt-body tt-from\"><div class=\"tt-body-wrap\"><div><a href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/hotels\/marriott-bonvoy\/marriott-transfer-partners\/?cid=transfer-times-transfer&mid=web\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Marriott (Bonvoy)<\/a><\/div><span class=\"tt-arrow\">\u2794<\/span><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tt-body tt-to\"><div class=\"tt-body-wrap\"><span class=\"tt-arrow\">\u2794<\/span><div>Virgin Atlantic (Flying Club)<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tt-body tt-ratio\">3:1<\/div><div class=\"tt-body tt-mintransfer\">3,000<\/div><div class=\"tt-body tt-avg\"><div class=\"tt-avg-days\">15 hours<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<h3><span id=\"Air_FranceKLM_Flying_Blue_transfer_partner\">Air France\u2013KLM Flying Blue transfer partner<\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"transfer-times\"><div class=\"tt-row\"><div class=\"tt-head tt-from\">From<\/div><div class=\"tt-head tt-to\">To<\/div><div class=\"tt-head tt-ratio\">Transfer Ratio<\/div><div class=\"tt-head tt-mintransfer\">Min.Transfer<\/div><div class=\"tt-head tt-avg\">Average Time<\/div><\/div><div class=\"tt-row\"><div class=\"tt-body tt-from\"><div class=\"tt-body-wrap\"><div><a href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/hotels\/marriott-bonvoy\/marriott-transfer-partners\/?cid=transfer-times-transfer&mid=web\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Marriott (Bonvoy)<\/a><\/div><span class=\"tt-arrow\">\u2794<\/span><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tt-body tt-to\"><div class=\"tt-body-wrap\"><span class=\"tt-arrow\">\u2794<\/span><div><a href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/flying-blue-transfer-partners\/?cid=transfer-times-transfer&mid=web\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Air France (Flying Blue)<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tt-body tt-ratio\">3:1<\/div><div class=\"tt-body tt-mintransfer\">3,000<\/div><div class=\"tt-body tt-avg\"><div class=\"tt-avg-days\">1 day - 3 days<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<p><strong>Related: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/flying-blue-transfer-partners\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Flying Blue Transfer Partners: Earn Miles with Amex, Chase & More<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As you can see, both programs are transfer partners of Amex, Capital One, and Chase. That means you can earn flexible points that transfer to either program by getting one of the following cards:<\/p>\n<div class=\"compare-cards-wrap compare-count-cards-3 compare-p-chase\"><div class=\"compare-card\"><div class=\"compare-pre\"><div class=\"compare-image\"><div><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.nextinsure.com\/imaging\/opt\/4206696d-827e-44e5-bfc0-d0ce86822875.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"American Express\u00ae Gold Card\" \/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-name\">American Express<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Gold Card<\/div><div class=\"compare-offer\"><strong>Welcome Offer<\/strong>\r\nFind Out Your Offer. You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.<\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-apply\"><a class=\"btn-use qs-how-apply\" title='American Express\u00ae Gold Card' data-ccid=\"4028085\" data-exit=\"ccw\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-AmericanExpressGoldCard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">How to Apply<\/a><\/div><div class=\"compare-fee-score\"><div class=\"compare-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee<\/strong><p>$325<span class=\"compare-terms\"><a data-ccid=\"4028085\" href=\"https:\/\/www.americanexpress.com\/us\/credit-cards\/card-application\/apply\/prospect\/terms\/gold-card\/91101-10-0\/?print#terms-details\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a><br>(Terms apply)<\/span><\/p><\/div><div class=\"compare-rating compare-rating--5\"><strong>Credit Score<\/strong><p>Excellent, Good<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-earning\"><ul><li>4X Membership Rewards<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> points at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. (on up to $50,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>4X Membership Rewards<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)<\/li>\r\n        <li>5X Membership Rewards<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com<\/li>\r\n        <li>3X Membership Rewards<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com<\/li>\r\n        <li>2X Membership Rewards<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> points on prepaid car rentals booked through amextravel.com<\/li>\r\n        <li>2X Membership Rewards<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> points on cruises booked and paid through amextravel.com\r\n        <li>1X on other eligible purchases<\/li>\r\n        <\/ul><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-card\"><div class=\"compare-pre\"><div class=\"compare-image\"><div><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.nextinsure.com\/imaging\/opt\/dfed8cb4-d376-4c8b-aed4-1997afa3d66a.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card\" class=\"lazyload\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-name\">Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card<\/div><div class=\"compare-offer\"><strong>Welcome Offer<\/strong>\r\nEarn 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. <\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-apply\"><a data-ccid=\"3006151\" data-exit=\"ccw\" class=\"btn-use qs-how-apply\" title='Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card' href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-COV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">How to Apply<\/a><\/div><div class=\"compare-fee-score\"><div class=\"compare-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee<\/strong><p>$95<\/p><\/div><div class=\"compare-rating compare-rating--5\"><strong>Credit Score<\/strong><p>Excellent, Good<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-earning\"><ul>\r\n<li>5X miles per dollar on purchases through Capital One Entertainment <\/li>\r\n<li>5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel<\/li>\r\n<li>2X miles per dollar on all other purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-card\"><div class=\"compare-pre\"><div class=\"compare-image\"><div><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.nextinsure.com\/imaging\/opt\/7e0262fd-5b61-413b-8b01-c8feec5b1d04.png\" alt=\"Chase Sapphire Preferred\u00ae Card\" width=\"150\"\/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-name\">Chase Sapphire Preferred<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Card<\/div><div class=\"compare-offer\"><strong>Welcome Bonus<\/strong>\r\nEarn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.<\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-apply\"><a class=\"btn-use qs-apply-now\" title='Chase Sapphire Preferred\u00ae Card' data-ccid=\"2061159\" data-exit=\"ccw\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/ChaseSapphirePreferredCard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Apply Now<\/a><\/div><div class=\"compare-fee-score\"><div class=\"compare-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee<\/strong><p>$95<span class=\"compare-terms\"><a data-ccid=\"2061159\" href=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/fs-bin\/click?id=g3lR0xvjyAU&offerid=1753725.10005147&type=3&subid=00e04002e3e79235aad5e9cef5d8470e8&subid=639396\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/div><div class=\"compare-rating compare-rating--5\"><strong>Credit Score<\/strong><p>Excellent, Good<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-earning\"><ul>\r\n<li>5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027<\/li>\r\n<li>5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel\u2120<\/li>\r\n<li>3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide<\/li>\r\n<li>3X points on eligible streaming services<\/li>\r\n<li>3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)<\/li>\r\n<li>2X points on all other travel<\/li>\r\n<li>1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"Flying_Blue_and_Flying_Blue_Award_Cancellation_Policies\">Flying Blue and Flying Blue Award Cancellation Policies<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Another consideration is what happens if you need to cancel your flight. Virgin Atlantic charges \u00a330 to cancel and redeposit miles for flights departing the UK, and $50 for flights departing the US or other international locations. Air France and KLM charge 70 euros (about $79). The fees aren't too different, but it\u2019s still worth keeping in the back of your mind in case your plans aren't set in stone.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/award-ticket-change-and-cancellation-policies\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Airline Award Ticket Change and Cancellation Policies<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Final_Thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you want to fly Virgin Atlantic in nearly any cabin, it\u2019s worth comparing prices across programs that let you redeem miles for these flights. Flying Blue used to be the go-to option, but now, when you can find Saver awards directly through Virgin, the combination of lower mileage and fees often makes it the better choice.<\/p>\n<p>Plus, considering the frequent transfer bonuses from various transferable currencies to Virgin Atlantic, that cost can be even lower. It pays to compare flights with both programs to save yourself both miles and money that you can use for your next adventure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Now that Virgin Atlantic Flying Club has lowered the carrier-imposed surcharges on its Saver awards, booking directly with Virgin has become a much more attractive option than booking through Flying Blue. In this guide, we compare booking Virgin flights through Flying Club versus Flying Blue to help you determine which program offers the best value for your miles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":80,"featured_media":125645,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":null,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"default","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[12067],"tags":[12777,12629,12766],"coauthors":[36432,36490],"class_list":["post-136221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-booking-travel","tag-air-france-flying-blue","tag-using-points","tag-virgin-atlantic-flying-club"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136221","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/80"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=136221"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136221\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":256972,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136221\/revisions\/256972"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/125645"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=136221"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=136221"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=136221"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=136221"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}