Champagne, sky bars and lie-flat beds
how we flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class to India using credit card points
Photo: Sunrise at the Taj Mahal, Louise’s iPhone, April 2023
Over the last couple of years, and simply through intentional choices on everyday spending and being savvy on rewards point collection, we have been fortunate enough to take some amazing free flights.
Prior to this, it was economy all the way and we were very grateful for it. The only exception to this was one flight to Las Vegas, for Mark’s fortieth birthday when we were upgraded to British Airways Business Class and discovered what it’s like to turn left when you board the plane. It spoiled economy forever of course, but we do not have an income that affords anything else.
Jump forwards a few years and Mark began to learn about reward flights and what’s known generally as travel hacking.
Since then we have been able to take some truly brilliant flights.
London to Austin, Texas return with Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy. New Delhi return with Virgin Upper Class. Flying our three youngest children to Boston return in Economy for free (plus taxes). And this Summer, we’re going to be heading out to Chicago flying Business Class with British Airways.
On the flights to Delhi alone we saved £6,000 by redeeming our points.
For just £1,000 in taxes (UK airline taxes are known worldwide for being steep) we were able to enjoy not only the fabulous Virgin Upper Class lounge at Heathrow Airport, but the Virgin arrivals lounge when we returned (a shower and breakfast straight after an overnight flight is the ultimate luxury surely). The flight was everything we’d hoped for. Champagne on board, lie-flat beds, cosy pyjamas and an onboard sky bar. The food was amazing (real knives and forks and a cup of tea in an actual mug!) and the service, well it was just perfect.
The truth is, I am like a child in a sweet shop in an Upper-Class seat, I am sure much to the disgust of the cool-as-a-cucumber frequent flyers around me. I have to press all the buttons and find all the little nooks. An amenity kit! A can of spring water! An entire duvet! It’s such a privelege to have had the chance to experience it.
Photo: Mark enjoying the Sky Bar on Virgin Upper Class, Louise’s iPhone, April 2023
Our return Upper Class tickets to New Delhi should have cost us over £7,000 but instead we paid around £1,000 in airline taxes.
We get asked a lot by friends and family how we use credit card points to organise free flights and upgrades, and so here’s how we did it.
Let’s sprinkle a little travel magic into your daily routine and get you to your dream destination without spending a small fortune.
Photo: Somewhere over Canada, Louise’s iPhone, November 2022
Pick The Right Airline:
Make sure that you are collecting the right points for your travel plans. In the UK there are two main reward points schemes for long-haul, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Avios (which is affiliated to British Airways). So before you do anything else, take stock of which reward programme will best suit your ultimate travel destination. If you’re really keen to take the kids to Florida before they are ‘too old’ (in my opinion they are never too old) then collecting Virgin Atlantic points is going to be your best bet. If you’re not too sure at this point where you’ll be heading, you might find British Airways is a better option as they fly to more destinations from the UK.
Find The Right Credit Card:
Once you know where you’d like to travel to, or at least which airline reward points you want to collect, then you can look for the right credit card to suit you. For Virgin Atlantic, there’s only one credit card to choose, but if you’re collecting Avios for example you have more to choose from. Look for one that not only fits your lifestyle but also offers you great sign-up bonuses and ongoing rewards. Some cards will team up with specific airlines, making the points rain when you use their card for your everyday purchases.
Friend from the United States? Here are the current top US credit cards for collecting those miles and points…
Spend Smart: Now that you've chosen the right card for you, be a smart spender. Use it for your everyday spending* but also keep an eye out for those bonus categories where the points flow faster. Whether it's dining, travel, or groceries—grab those extra points when you see them offered.
* We always pay our credit cards off in FULL every month. This is really important because credit card interest fees will dwarf any gains you make in points.
Photo: Saint Lucia, Louise’s iPhone, April 2022
Click and Collect Points: Here's a quick and easy hack that we use all the time: online shopping portals. Some airlines offer extra points when you shop through their websites. It's like getting a bonus for doing what you were going to do anyway! Before you click ‘buy’, check if your preferred airline is ready to give you extra points for your purchase. Because we have multiple travel credit cards, we will check both the British Airways and the Virgin Atlantic portals and then if neither of those have the specific retailer we’re looking for we’ll then try the main cashback sites as well! It all adds up folks!
Dine out... for Points: Love eating out? Join an airline dining programme! Link your credit card, and every time you indulge your taste buds at a participating restaurant, you're not just treating yourself—you're also treating your travel dreams to some extra points. A Chef’s Kiss.
Be Loyal: Become a loyalist and watch the perks roll in. Stick to one airline, and you might snag elite status goodies like priority boarding or free checked bags. It's like being part of an exclusive club where your points reign supreme. Whenever we book a flight, even if it’s a shorter haul one, we’ll check in on the airline’s loyalty programme and make sure we’re signed up. Many of them will also link through and you can transfer your points to Avios or another scheme.
Photo: Magical moments in New Hampshire, Louise’s iPhone, August 2022
Share the Love (and the Points!): Many reward programmes also offer referral bonuses, so share the love. You're not just making someone's day; you're stacking up points for your next adventure too. We switch who holds the credit card each year and close one down, so that we each get to share the referral bonuses and sign up bonuses. These stack up quickly if you do your research!
Stay Up To Date: Sign up for the newsletters and stay up to date. Airline reward programmes love throwing surprises like double points, spending milestones, or limited-time partnerships. Stay in the loop, and you might find yourself getting extra bonus points and other great rewards.
With the right credit card, some strategic spending, and a bit of points wisdom, you too can travel to some amazing destinations on some fantastic free flights!
If you’re UK-based and interested in finding out more about how to do this, you can also sign up for Mark’s easy-to-follow WhatsApp course so you can learn how to do it too. Find out more and sign up here.
It has been such a privilege to travel to the places we’ve been over the past few years and we have more to come! If you’re interested in seeing more of our journey around India’s Golden Triangle, we’re finally in the thick of publishing our vlogs over on our YouTube channel.
You can join us on our trip to New Delhi, including a street food tour and cycling tour, as well as our visit to the Taj Mahal and Agra. Later today we’ll be publishing our time in the pink city of Jaipur, with two more cities to come in the next couple of weeks.
And then? We’ve been planning our travels for 2024 and are so excited about what’s coming up including another visit to the Camino de Santiago (this time on the Camino Norte) and our first ever cycling challenge - Ragbrai!
In the meantime, buen camino!
We’ll see you soon.
Louise and Mark x