Virgin Money Virgin Atlantic Reward Plus Credit Card review
- Representative example:
- When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 26.9% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £160 per annum, your representative rate is 69.7% APR (variable).
- Intro bonus
- Up to 18,000 points
- 0% interest on money transfers
- 6 months
- 0% interest on balance transfers
- 6 months
Our verdict
Earn Flying Club miles aplenty with the most premium Virgin Atlantic card.
One of two similar Virgin Money cards designed to earn you Flying Club miles, this card offers a superior earn rate in return for an annual fee.
Following your first purchase you'll also be gifted introductory bonus miles, and if you spend enough within your first year (see table below) you'll unlock additional exclusive benefits. Miles get added to your Flying Club account on a monthly basis.
You can spend your miles in a number of different ways, from reward flights to cabin upgrades to shopping. The value of the points depends on what you use them for and how - for example, in the case of a reward flight it will depend on where you want to go, when and in which class. You can read more about how the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club works on this guide.
As standard, your card also entitles you to free entry to Virgin Money lounges (don't forget to register for a Virgin Money Lounge card before you travel).
Whether or not the rewards can justify the hefty annual fee will come down to how you anticipate using the card – with big-spenders who clear their balance in full each month being the most likely to come out on top.
Pros
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Earn points on day-to-day spending
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Up to 15,000 points introductory bonus
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Stay connected in the air with Boingo Wi-Fi
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Customers report excellent customer service when dealing with Virgin Money
Cons
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£160 annual account fee
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Minimum annual income requirement of £7,000
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Applicants with low credit scores are unlikely to be eligible
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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 | 69.7% APR (variable) |
| Annual/monthly fees | £160 per annum |
| Loyalty scheme | Air Miles |
| Incentive | Earn 18,000 bonus points with your first card purchase made within 90 days of account opening. Earn 1.5 Flying Club miles for every £1 spend and 3 miles for every £1 spend with Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays. Spend £10K 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 1.5 Virgin Points for every £1 spend and 3 points for every £1 spend with Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays. |
| Purchases | 26.9% |
| Purchases interest-free period (days) | 50 |
| Balance transfers | 0% for 6 months reverting to 26.9% |
| Potential costs | 6.5Standard |
| Doing its job | 8.8Great |
| Extras | 8.7Great |
| Overall Finder Score | 8.1Great |
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 | £160 per annum |
| 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 |
The Virgin Money Virgin Atlantic Reward Plus Credit Card is issued on the Mastercard network, so it's accepted at more than 50 million merchant locations across more than 210 countries and territories.
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 Plus Credit Card
If you've compared cards and settled on the Virgin Money Virgin Atlantic Reward Plus Credit Card, completing the secure online application form takes about 15 minutes. Before you apply, check that you meet the eligibility requirements and have the information and documents you'll need to make the process as straightforward as possible.
Can I withdraw cash using the Virgin Money Virgin Atlantic Reward Plus 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 Plus Credit Card is 5%.
The interest rate on this part of your balance will be 28.9% (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 Plus 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 Plus 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.
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