Points Plus Money — Is It Worth It?
Points Plus Money is Virgin Atlantic’s option to reduce a cash fare using Virgin Points. On the surface, it looks like a straightforward discount. Apply points at checkout, pay less cash. Simple.
The mechanics are simple. The value question is not. The fixed return of 0.55p per Virgin Point is roughly half what strong reward flight redemptions deliver. Whether that matters depends entirely on how you earned the points and what else you could do with them.
Points Plus Money returns a fixed 0.55p per Virgin Point (£16.50 off per 3,000 points redeemed). Strong reward flight redemptions typically deliver 1.0–1.5p per point. Using Points Plus Money therefore “sells” your points at roughly half their potential value. Whether that is acceptable depends on your circumstances.
How It Works
When booking a cash ticket on virginatlantic.com, you can apply Virgin Points at the payment stage to reduce the fare. The conversion is fixed: £16.50 off for every 3,000 Virgin Points. That equates to 0.55p per point.
Unlike BA’s Part Pay With Avios, the rate does not change as you redeem more points. Whether you apply 3,000 or 90,000, the return per point stays the same. It is a static discount, not a dynamic one.
The rules
Redemptions must be in multiples of 3,000 points. Available on Virgin Atlantic-operated flights only — not partner airlines. Available online via the website — not typically via the app or call centre. No blackout dates or reward inventory restrictions. The booking behaves like a normal cash ticket: it earns Tier Points and Virgin Points, and you can attach credit card vouchers or upgrades.
The Value Comparison
| How you use Virgin Points | Typical value per point |
|---|---|
| Upper Class Saver (best case) | 1.5–2.0p+ |
| Premium Saver | 1.0–1.5p |
| Economy Saver | 0.7–1.2p |
| SkyTeam partner (fixed chart) | 0.8–1.5p |
| Points Plus Money | 0.55p (fixed) |
| Non-flight redemptions (Virgin Red) | 0.3–0.7p |
Points Plus Money sits near the bottom of the value range. It beats non-flight Virgin Red redemptions but falls well short of any Saver-level flight booking. The gap is largest in premium cabins, where reward flights can deliver 3–4x the value per point.
The Rounding Trap
Because redemptions must be in 3,000-point blocks, Virgin rounds up to the next multiple. If you want to offset £20, you need to redeem 6,000 points (which offsets £33) — the system will not let you redeem exactly the amount needed.
This means the last block of 3,000 points often covers a small cash remainder, dragging your realised value below 0.55p. If you are using Points Plus Money deliberately, aim for a redemption amount that matches the fare discount closely and pay any small remainder in cash.
Treat the last 3,000-point block with suspicion. If it is mostly covering a small remainder, your realised value per point drops. Pay the last few pounds in cash instead.
Cancellation — The Hidden Catch
Points Plus Money is a discounted cash ticket, not a reward redemption. That distinction matters when plans change.
If you cancel a non-refundable fare, you lose the points used — in the same way you would lose the cash portion. Points Plus Money does not create redemption-style flexibility. If Virgin cancels the flight, both cash and points should be refunded.
If you value points partly as a “hedge” because reward bookings are more flexible than cheap cash fares, Points Plus Money does not deliver that benefit.
When It Makes Sense
Small orphaned balances
You have 5,000–10,000 points sitting idle with no realistic redemption plan. Extracting 0.55p each is better than zero.
Dynamic pricing is inflated
Reward seats are priced at 200,000+ points. A cash ticket with Points Plus Money offset may deliver better overall value.
You need Tier Points
Points Plus Money books a cash ticket — which earns full Tier Points. Reward bookings earn Tier Points at a reduced rate.
Points earned at zero cost
If your employer paid for the flights that generated the points, your acquisition cost is nil. 0.55p is pure cashback.
When It Is a Mistake
You have access to Saver flights
Any Saver-priced reward flight delivers 1.0–2.0p per point. Burning them at 0.55p is a 50%+ value loss.
You transferred from Amex MR
Amex points are flexible until transferred. Converting them to Virgin Points, then using at 0.55p destroys optionality for half value.
You are buying points to use PPM
Buying at 0.89p (70% promo) and redeeming at 0.55p locks in a guaranteed loss.
You expect redemption flexibility
It is a cash ticket. Non-refundable fare = non-refundable points. No redemption-style change flexibility.
Use Points Plus Money only when you would otherwise pay cash anyway, and when you are comfortable effectively valuing your Virgin Points at 0.55p each. If you would be disappointed to “sell” your points for that price, you already have your answer. Points Plus Money is not a “good deal.” It is a predictable deal. Its usefulness comes from certainty, not upside.
