There’s a new, targeted welcome offer for the Virgin Red Rewards Mastercard (now issued by Synchrony) that doubles the current public version from 40,000 Virgin Points to 80,000.
Greg received the offer via e-mail yesterday, and several readers reported seeing it as well. However, when anyone but Greg opened up the link from the e-mail that he was sent, it displayed the public 40K version.
The Deal
- There is a targeted offer for the Virgin Red Rewards Mastercard that offers 80,000 bonus Virgin Points when you apply between 05/01/25 and 05/15/25 and spend $3,000 in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Direct Link that Greg received (most likely, this will display the 40K offer, but we’re posting it here in case someone sees the better version)
Quick Thoughts
For those who actually fly Virgin Atlantic, the Red Rewards card has some features that could make it worthwhile: 3x on Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Hotels and Virgin Voyages, 2x on groceries, dining, streaming services and EV charging and 1x everywhere else.
For every $2,500 you spend on the card, you earn 25 Tier Points towards Virgin status, capped at 50 Tier Points maximum per month. Spending $5,000 every month on the card would earn you 600 Tier Points over the course of the year; enough for Silver status (which requires 400 Tier Points), and getting you 60% of the way to Gold status (which requires 1,000 Tier Points).
The card also features a ‘book two nights, get third night free’ benefit at Virgin Hotels properties once per year and 2,500 bonus points when adding an authorized user (limit of four). When it comes time to renew, you’ll earn 5,000 points, which helps offset some of the $99 annual fee.
Remember that Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Red are transfer partners of every single transferable currency: Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou, Capital One Miles, Bilt Rewards and Wells Fargo. Most of those have at least one card where you can earn somewhere near 80,000 points that transfer to Virgin, especially when you consider the frequent transfer bonuses that Virgin provides (there are currently two going on right now).
Unless you’re looking for quick Virgin points and/or status, those are probably better places to start.
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Does spending towards the tier pier points carry over from month to month? For instance, if you spend $3750 two months in a row, do you get 50 tier points or 75 tier points for your $7,500 in spend?
There’s also ‘big spender’ bonuses. Most relevent for Virgin Atlantic flyers 1 companion or upgrade ticket when you spend $15,000 in a cardholder year and a second one when you spend $30,000.
If they are like the ones issued in the UK they are good for 2 years, and can be used either for a companion ticket or for an upgrade worth up to 75k pts if you are in the red tier, 150k pts in silver tier.
As a side note, I’m not sure that “60% of the way to Gold status” is correct. My wife and I earned 400 pts from award flights and we got Silver, but our point total was reset to 0.
I got the 80k email, but when I click “apply now”, it takes me to the 40k offer.
I got this offer with following language “Your loyalty doesn’t go unnoticed. As one of our most valuable Flying Club members, you’ve built an impressive Virgin Points balance. Now, we want to help you take it even further.” So I guess members with high points balance are being targeted. Thank God I didn’t apply for previous 60K offer.