Virgin Red Points on Sale: Buy Now, Fly Luxury Later (Up to 70% Bonus!)

Calling all Indian travel enthusiasts! Virgin Red has launched a fantastic new points promotion, offering a massive up to 70% bonus when you buy Virgin Points. This is a golden opportunity to boost your points balance and unlock incredible international travel experiences – particularly in Business and First Class – at a fraction of the usual cost.

With Virgin Atlantic joining the SkyTeam alliance, these points have become even more valuable, opening up redemptions across a vast global network.

The Deal at a Glance:

• Offer: Up to a 70% bonus on Virgin Points purchases.
• Best Price: Approximately ₹1.32 per point (based on today’s exchange rate).
• INR Conversion (as of today, $1 = ₹89.96): This means you can buy points for a very attractive rate.
• Promotion End Date: December 31, 2025.

Breaking Down the Bonus Tiers:

This is a tiered promotion, meaning the more points you buy, the higher the bonus percentage. To unlock the maximum value, you need to purchase larger quantities.

• 1,000–4,000 points: No bonus
• 5,000–24,000 points: 20% bonus
• 25,000–69,000 points: 40% bonus
• 70,000–124,000 points: 60% bonus
• 125,000–300,000 points: 70% bonus

There is also a standard $22 (~₹1,979) transaction fee per purchase.

Maximize the Deal: To get the absolute lowest cost per point, you should aim for the 70% bonus tier. The article mentions the lowest effective cost is around 1.47¢ per point.

• Cost Per Point in USD: ~$0.0147
• Exchange Rate: $1 = ₹89.96
• Effective Cost Per Point in INR: $0.0147 * ₹89.96 = ~₹1.32 per point.

Note: The final cost will depend on the exact exchange rate charged by your bank and any applicable forex fees.

Is Buying Virgin Points Worth It? (The Indian Perspective)

Buying points can be a great strategy when the cost of purchasing the points for an award ticket is significantly lower than the cash price of the same ticket. Virgin Points have some incredible “sweet spots” for Indian travelers.

Examples of Great Value Redemptions:

1. Mumbai/Delhi to London in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class (Business): You can often find one-way Upper Class tickets for around 37,500 points and sometimes even for 29,000 points plus taxes and fees, typically around ₹30,000 – ₹40,000.
   • Cost of Points (at ₹1.32/point): 37,500 * ₹1.32 = ~₹49,500
   • Total Cost (Points + Taxes): ~₹49,500 + ~₹35,000 = ~₹84,500
   • Typical Cash Price: Often ₹1,50,000 – ₹2,50,000+ one-way.
   • Verdict: Huge potential savings!
2. India to Japan in ANA Business Class (via London): While a longer route, redeeming Virgin points for ANA is legendary. A one-way Business Class ticket from London to Tokyo is 47,500 points. You’d need to position to London first.
   • Cost of Points for LHR-TYO: 47,500 * ₹1.32 = ~₹62,700
   • This is an incredible price for one of the world’s best business class products.

Maximize Your Purchase with Indian Credit Cards: The “Double Dip” Strategy

Since this transaction is processed by Points.com and is in USD, it won’t code as a “travel” purchase. You should use a credit card that offers a high base reward rate on all spends to offset forex fees and earn valuable points for other uses.

The Axis Magnus for Burgundy Advantage (Corrected Strategy):

While Axis Bank has no transfer partner with Virgin Atlantic for direct point transfers, using the Axis Magnus for Burgundy (with the AEP accelerated earn rate active) for this purchase can still be incredibly lucrative. It creates a fantastic “double dip” opportunity.

• Magnus for Burgundy AEP Rate: 35 Edge Reward Points per ₹200 spent on above 1.5L Spend till your credit limit.

Let’s assume you make a large purchase of Virgin points costing $5,422 (an example cost for a large block of points + fees).

• Purchase Cost in INR: $5,422 * ₹89.96 = ~₹4,87,763
• Edge Reward Points Earned on Card: (~₹4,87,763 / 200) * 35 = ~85,358 Edge Reward Points

Now, you can transfer these Edge Reward Points to Axis Bank’s current high-value hotel partners at a 5:4 ratio:

1. Accor Live Limitless (ALL):
   • Transfer: 85,358 Edge Points * (4/5) = ~68,286 Accor Points
   • Value: 1 Accor Point is worth €0.02 (~₹2.13).
   • Total Value in INR: ~68,286 * ₹2.13 = ~₹1,45,449
   • This is easily enough for several nights at a luxury Sofitel or Fairmont for a family!
2. Marriott Bonvoy:
   • Transfer: 85,358 Edge Points * (4/5) = ~68,286 Marriott Points
   • Value: 1 Marriott Point is conservatively worth ~₹0.70.
   • Total Value in INR: ~68,286 * ₹0.70 = ~₹47,800
   • Excellent for redeeming free nights at high-end properties.
3. Club ITC:
   • Transfer: 85,358 Edge Points * (4/5) = ~68,286 Green Points
   • Value: 1 Green Point = ₹1 for hotel spends.
   • Total Value in INR: ~₹68,286
   • A fantastic fixed-value redemption for luxury stays within India.

The “Double Dip” Effect: By buying Virgin Points for your flights, you could earn enough points on your credit card to significantly offset the cost of your hotel stay at your destination. It’s a win-win!

Other Good Cards to Use:

• HDFC Infinia / Diners Club Black: Excellent base reward rate (3.3%), which helps offset forex fees.
• Any Card with an International Bonus Spend: This large purchase could help you easily meet the minimum spend requirement for a new card bonus.

Important Considerations

• Don’t Buy Speculatively: Only buy points if you have a specific, near-term use for them. Award availability can change, and points can devalue.
• New Accounts: If you have a brand new Virgin Red account, you may need to make a small transfer from a partner (like Amex Membership Rewards) before you are allowed to buy points.
• Forex Fees: Remember to account for the foreign currency transaction fee charged by your bank (typically 2% – 3.5% + 18% GST on the fee) when calculating the final cost.

Final Verdict

At ~₹1.32 per point (before forex fees), buying Virgin Points with a 70% bonus is an excellent deal for Indian travelers planning premium cabin trips.

By using a high-reward card like the Axis Magnus for Burgundy, you turn this purchase into a powerful “double dip” opportunity, earning a substantial number of points for free hotel stays alongside your discounted flights.

If you have a specific redemption in mind and have checked availability, this promotion is definitely worth considering.

Are you planning to take advantage of this Virgin Points sale? Let us know in the comments!