Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card review 2024
- Representative example:
- When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 26.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 26.9% APR (variable).
- Intro bonus
- Up to 3,000 points
- 0% interest on money transfers
- 6 months
- Account fee
- £0
Our verdict
Earn Flying Club miles on your day-to-day spending and benefit from a host of other travel perks.
One of two similar cards from Virgin Money designed to earn you Flying Club miles on your day-to-day spending, this card has no annual fee, but a lower earn rate. The other – the "Plus" version – boasts a better miles earn-rate at the cost of an annual fee.
You’ll also be gifted introductory bonus miles following your first purchase, and if you spend enough within your first year (see table below) you could unlock additional exclusive benefits, such as upgrades or companion flights. Flights and holidays booked with Virgin stand to earn you twice the miles. Miles get added to your Flying Club account on a monthly basis.
As standard, your card entitles you to free entry to Virgin Money lounges (don't forget to register for a Virgin Money Lounge card before you travel).
If you're a big-spending Virgin Atlantic regular and always clear your card balance in full each month, this card could be worth a closer look. If you're a really big-spending Virgin Atlantic regular, then you should check out the Plus card. If you don't tend to clear your balance in full each month, chances are what you'll pay in interest will outweigh what you'll earn in miles.
Pros
- Customers report excellent customer service when dealing with Virgin Money
- Earn points on day-to-day spending
- Up to 3,000 points introductory bonus
- No annual fee
Cons
- Minimum annual income requirement of £7,000
- Applicants with low credit scores are unlikely to be eligible
- A punishing fee of 5% on cash withdrawals (you should avoid using a credit card to withdraw cash in any case)
Details
Product overview
| Issuer | Clydesdale Bank |
| Network | Mastercard |
| Representative APR | 26.9% APR (variable) |
| Annual/monthly fees | £0 |
| Loyalty scheme | Air Miles |
| Incentive | Earn 3,000 bonus points with your first card purchase made within 90 days of account opening. Earn 0.75 Flying Club miles for every £1 spend and 1.5.miles for every £1 spend with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Holidays. Spend £20K a year on your card and choose an extra benefit - an upgrade to Premium, or a Companion ticket. Points value varies dependent on reward (min 3000pts) |
| Additional Rewards Info | Earn up to 15% cashback with Virgin Money Cashback at selected major retailers through the app (offers allocated automatically).Earn 0.75 Virgin Points for every £1 spend and 1.5 points for every £1 spend with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Holidays. |
| Purchases | 26.9% |
| Purchases interest-free period (days) | 50 |
| Balance transfers | 0% for 6 months reverting to 26.9% |
| Potential costs | 7.2Great |
| Doing its job | 7.7Great |
| Extras | 9.1Excellent |
| Overall Finder Score | 8Great |
Fees and charges
| Minimum monthly payment | 2% or £25 (whichever is greater) or 2 times the month's interest plus 2 times default charges due. |
| Annual/monthly fees | £0 |
| Balance transfer fee | 3% for 2 months reverting to 5% |
| Money transfer fee | 3% for 6 months reverting to 5% |
| Foreign usage charge (EU) | 2.99% |
| Foreign usage charge (rest of world) | 2.99% |
| Cash advance fee | 5% (min. £0) |
| Late payment fee | £12 |
| Replacement card fee | £0 |
| Exceeding limit fee | £12 |
| Additional card fee | £0 |
| Dormancy fee | £0 |
Application requirements
| Minimum Age | 18 |
| Minimum income | £7,000 |
| Availability | Available to new customers |
How does this card compare with other frequent flyer cards?
Finder Score for credit cards
To make comparing even easier we came up with the Finder Score. Costs, perks and suitability across 120+ cards are all weighted and scaled to produce a score out of 10. The higher the score the better the card – simple.
Read the full methodologyApproval for any credit card depends on your status. The representative APRs shown represent the interest rate offered to most successful applicants. Depending on your personal circumstances, the APR you're offered may be higher, or you may not be offered credit at all. Fees and rates are subject to change without notice. It's always wise to check the terms of any deal before you borrow. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables is provided by Moneyfacts.
Repayment options
You can make manual repayments through Virgin Money's app by logging in to your online banking or over the phone (0800 389 2875). Alternatively, you may wish to set up a direct debit.
A direct debit protects you from forgetting to make a repayment and either damaging your credit score, getting hit with a penalty fee (£12) or losing any promotional rates as a result.
You can arrange a direct debit for repayments when you apply for the credit card. The table below shows the options available.
Choose from the following direct debit options for your monthly repayments:
| Minimum amount | |
|---|---|
| Fixed amount | |
| Fixed percentage | |
| Full amount |
How to apply for the Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card
If you have compared cards and want to apply, completing the secure online application form takes about 15 minutes. Existing customers can simply log in to eBanking to access the form.
Frequently asked questions
Can I withdraw cash using the Virgin Money Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card?
Although it's possible, withdrawing cash from a credit card account is generally not a good idea, as "cash-like transactions" (such as withdrawing cash at an ATM, getting cashback at the till, spending at a casino or buying currency) often incur steep fees and/or higher rates of interest.
The cash advance fee on the Virgin Money Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card is 5%.
The interest rate on this part of your balance will be 28.9%, which is 7% more than the standard purchase rate (chargeable from the day of the transaction – the card's usual "up to 50 days interest-free" grace period won't apply).
How much does it cost to use the Virgin Money Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card abroad?
Non-sterling transactions are subject to a 2.99% charge (which is very standard). For example, if you spend 200 euros (£164.83), it'll cost you around £4.93 in fees.
What is the minimum payment on the Virgin Money Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card?
Each month, you must pay at least 2% of your balance at that point or £25.00 – whichever of the 2 figures is greater. So if you had, say, £1,225.00 outstanding, you'd pay £25.00, and if you had £5,000.00 outstanding, you'd pay £100.00.
Paying only the minimum required amount each month is generally not advisable as it tends to be a very expensive way to borrow money, which can lead to persistent debt.
What is the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club?
The “Flying Club” is Virgin Atlantic’s rewards programme. It allows you to earn air miles which you can then use to buy flights or flight upgrades. While you aren’t obliged to join Flying Club when you apply for a Virgin Atlantic credit card, it’s definitely a good thing to consider due to the variety of benefits up for grabs. To learn about credit cards targeted at regular travellers, here’s our guide to frequent flyer credit cards.
How are Flying Club miles earned?
You’ll earn Flying Club miles on every flight with Virgin Atlantic, but many people choose to boost their miles earnings by taking out a frequent flyer credit card. With these cards, you’ll earn miles/points every time you spend using the card. You can also typically earn points/miles at a higher rate when you’re spending with the brand that issues the card – in this case Virgin. Bear in mind that a few transactions are exempt from earning points/miles – like cash advances (that’s when you withdraw cash using your credit card).
What’s a good alternative?
Virgin Atlantic frequently go head-to-head in the air miles comparison tables with American Express’s British Airways cards.
What will my credit limit be?
Your credit limit will be confirmed by Virgin Money once you’ve completed your application and it’s been approved. As the exact figure will vary depending on your personal circumstances, Virgin can’t give you an exact figure before your application has been received.
