Virgin Atlantic Reward Voucher vs Reward Points Booking

ste_coxy

I'm looking to organise a trip to America next year for my other half's 40th and obviously I'm hoping to get the best possible deal through a combination of using either reward points, reward voucher, the time of year going etc.

I've currently got 2 reward vouchers available - one that expires 2nd July 2026 and one that expires 29th August 2027. In addition, I've also got 180k reward points. 

I've never booked a flight/holiday using either of these things and whilst I get the basic principles of them, I'm somewhat confused over how to get the best possible deal. 

I'm hoping to book a 3-4 week trip from either MAN/LHR to New York for a week then over to LAX for the remainder. 

My other half's birthday is in May, so it would be great to be away for this, which would also make sure one of the reward vouchers don't expire. It looks like this would be treated as off-peak - provided we were back before 15th June. 

Alternatively, I'm wondering if we wait until September as these flights are only just coming out, so there might be more likelihood of getting a better deal? Obviously I don't want to waste the voucher by not going in May/June next year, but am I better waiting for September? Any booking after 2nd September would be off-peak too.

Ideally, I'd like to book premium flights using my reward points and then use the voucher/vouchers to get upgrades to upper, but not sure how easy this is to do, as there never seems to be availability?

Also, does anyone have any experience of which work out better to use reward points or a voucher? And do Virgin Atlantic sales have any bearing on bookings with reward points? 

Finally, how helpful is the helpline for queries like this and would you recommend booking through Virgin Holidays, or doing things separetely? 

Caz3121

you may be better having a read of the board/posting on FlyerTalk

Don't believe you can use your reward vouchers with 'Virgin Holidays' and using points is regarding as poor exchange

https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/10/14/get-cheaper-virgin-atlantic-redemptions-with-credit-card-voucher/
https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/09/29/use-virgin-points-for-virgin-holidays-discount-2/

as you have noticed availability can be the biggest challenge with redemptions.

Kmbrad1981

Hi, wow this is so me!

I’m currently having the same dilemma. How are you getting on?

We have booked to go to Florida Dec 26 for three weeks. We booked a complete package direct with Virgin Holidays. I have a virgin credit card with 130,000 points available with Virgin Red. I also have one reward flight voucher expiring 2027 and I will get another one next month.

It’s an absolute minefield! I haven’t paid Disney off yet but I have the money to do it (but it’s not due until Sept 26 so it’s sitting in an ISA). If I pay it off now with my credit card I’ll get more virgin points for using my card and also virgin red points. But my tier is currently red, and it won’t go to silver until after we return (I think).

I want to try and book something for next May and just use the things up. Failing that we might just have to use them to upgrade our flights if we can’t. 

I’ve just taken out a capital on tap credit card which gives me 1% cash back. If I’d have used this the last year instead I’d have had nearly £5k which I could have done what I wanted with.

I FEEL YOUR PAIN!

Karl