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Based in London Heathrow, Virgin Atlantic has made itself a prominent name in recent years. With an expanding schedule and entry into the SkyTeam alliance, earning status with their Flying Club program has become far easier, and the perks are growing rapidly. Here's what you need to know about the different tiers of the Flying Club.

Tier Points explained

Virgin Atlantic operates a simplistic, two-tier elite status system, achieved based on Tier Points (TPs). 400 Tier Points will get you to Silver status, and 1000 Tier Points will get you Gold. Since March 1st, Silver maps to SkyTeam Elite and Gold include SkyTeam Elite Plus status as well.

Flying Club awards tier points for every flight you take, ranging from 25 TPs for an Economy Light fare to 200 TPs on full-fare Upper Class flights. The program is one of, if not the only, to also award Tier Points for any redemption flights you take (but not redeemable miles), meaning you can extend your Silver status with just two Upper Class roundtrip award flights. Here's the TP earning chart for each Virgin Atlantic fare class. Each partner airline has its own TP chart, and you now earn on all SkyTeam carriers.

Love learning about points and miles? Read more of our loyalty news and guides here.

A chart explaining how many tier points you earn by flying the different Virgin Atlantic classes.
Photo: Virgin Atlantic

As we highlighted in our earning Flying Club miles article, booking Economy Classic over Light can also provide double the tier points. Therefore, it only takes four economy roundtrips in a 12-month period to earn Silver status, which will last a full year from the date you achieve it.

The program also has a soft landing, so you'll go from Gold to Silver and then back down to Red. The rolling 12 months means you can't extract up to two years (like with some programs with fixed renewal dates), but it is a lower threshold as well.

Silver benefits

Starting at 400 TPs, you'll receive Silver status with Flying Club. The status comes with the following benefits:

  • 30% extra points on all flights
  • Free seat selection in Economy Light (only the status holder)
  • One extra checked bag
  • Premium economy check-in
  • 2,000 bonus miles if you renew
The Virgin Atlantic and Delta Check in area at London Heathrow Airport.
Photo: Ceri Breeze / Shutterstock

You'll quickly notice that Silver lacks lounge access, an important perk in any program. Considering Virgin Atlantic's Clubhouse and its popularity, the carrier is looking to keep access restricted to Gold only. SkyTeam Elite does help with luggage allowance on 18 more airlines since March. Considering status can be easily achieved by a few economy or even two Premium award tickets, Silver does offer some value to pursue.

Gold benefits

Things start to get more serious with Gold status, where Virgin offers all of its benefits in one go. For 1,000 Tier Points, you'll get the following key benefits:

  • Upper Class check-in, dedicated security at London Heathrow, and SkyPriority at all partner airports
  • Access to all Clubhouse lounges plus one guest
  • Free preferred seat selection in Economy Light (member-only) and regular seats for any companion
  • 60% bonus miles on all flights
  • Gift Silver status to family or a friend
  • Guaranteed economy seat on all flights
Inside Virgin Atlantic's Clubhouse at JFK airport.
Photo: Virgin Atlantic

However, there is a list of benefits you'll receive if you manage to hold onto your status for another year, and each year after that. The main perk is a complimentary companion ticket upon renewal. This allows you to book two Upper Class, Premium, or Economy flights for the price of one award ticket. While you get a 50% miles discount, you still have to pay the high taxes and surcharges yourself. Read our guide on spending Virgin Atlantic miles to learn about the best deals!

While there is no tier above Gold, you still get benefits if you continue flying in the same year. At 1,500 TPs, you'll get Clubhouse passes, and at 2,000 TPs, you'll get a Cabin Upgrade Reward (subject to availability).

Great benefits at Gold

Flying has made itself a competitive program thanks to its partnership with Delta and its growing list of destinations. With Tier Points easy to come by with redemptions (which aren't too pricey on the right routes), you can comfortably achieve Silver status. However, the real benefits start with Gold, and if you can earn 1,000 TPs through a combination of cash and miles tickets, Flying Club might be the perfect program for you.

What do you think about elite status in Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club? Are you a current status holder? Let us know in the comments!