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36,000 Virgin Points With the Reward+ Credit Card Sign-Up Bonus
If you’ve been considering applying for the Virgin Atlantic Reward+ card, now’s the time! If you sign up before 18th May 2026, you’ll earn 36,000 bonus Virgin Points. This is one of the biggest bonuses we’ve seen for some time.
You’ll earn 18,000 points after making your first purchase (no minimum spend required), then another 18,000 points if you spend £3,000 within 90 days of opening the account. The card comes with a £160 annual fee, which works out at £13.33 each month.
Benefits include:
- 1.5 per £1 spent
- 3 Virgin Points per £1 spent with Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays
- A Flying Club reward voucher for an upgrade or companion seat if you spend £10,000 in a card year
There’s also a bonus on the free Virgin Atlantic Reward credit card. You can earn 3,000 Virgin Points with your first purchase and another 3,000 after spending £1,000 in the first 90 days. This card earns a lower rate of 0.75 Virgin Points per £1 spent and 1.5 points per £1 on Virgin Holidays. You can also earn a reward voucher on that card if you spend £20,000 in a card year.
36,000 Virgin Points can go a long way, especially if you have an existing balance and if you add the points earned from your spending. The bonus plus the points from your spend add to 40,500 points. These are certainly worth the annual fee, as long as you can meet the minimum spend (which is much lower than most AMEX sign-up offers).
For example, a one-way flight in Premium to New York starts at 10,500 Points plus taxes and fees or 68,000 in Upper. If you wanted to try Virgin Atlantic’s new Seoul route, redemptions start at 13,500 points in Premium one way or 35,000 in Upper (very rare and realistically 250,000). Bearing in mind the cash price is £3,000 plus, you can get fantastic value from the card bonus if you look for Saver Reward seats!
Limited Time: AMEX Triples the Marriott Bonvoy Card Sign Up Bonus
American Express has just launched a huge sign-up bonus for the Marriott Bonvoy card until 26th May 2026. You’ll receive 60,000 Marriott points when you spend £3,000 within the first three months of card membership, up from the usual 20,000 points.
60,000 points are equal to approximately £300 worth of Marriott stays. You can convert points to a huge range of airline loyalty programmes with Marriott’s 3:1 transfer rate, plus the usual 5,000-mile bonus when transferring 60,000 points. E.g. the bonus could be transferred into 25,000 Avios.
You’ll only qualify for the bonus if you haven’t had a personal AMEX card in the last 24 months. There’s also a minimum income threshold of £ 20,000. If you have or had one of the Business cards, you can still apply. If you apply, you won’t be disqualified from the sign-up bonuses for the BA AMEX cards and the Platinum card in the future. You are still eligible if you currently have, or have had, an American Express Business card. Supplementary cardholders also qualify.
The card comes with a £95 annual fee, and benefits include:
- 2 Marriott points per £1 spent
- 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per £1 spent at participating Marriott hotels
- Travel Inconvenience and Travel Accident Insurance
- One free night after you spend £25,000 in an anniversary year
- 15 elite night credits per year
- Automatic Gold Elite status when you spend £15,000 in a card year.
The Elite night credits mean instant Silver status with just 10 more nights needed for Gold or 35 for Platinum. This benefit alone can make the card worthwhile. You can also hold the Marriott debit card by Currensea, giving you a total of 35 credits before you complete any stays!
There’s also the 2.99% FX fee to consider, plus the purchase rate of 29.9% APR and representative APR of 52.5%
Once approved, credits may take up to 8 weeks to show. If you’re eligible and can meet the £3,000 spend in the next 3 months, this card is definitely one to consider.
Jumeirah Burj Al Arab to Undergo Renovation
Jumeirah has announced an immediate 18-month renovation of its landmark Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, the flagship of the Jumeirah portfolio.
I first heard about the expected renovation over a year ago when I stayed at Jumeirah Beach, but nothing was official.
The renovation will be carefully phased and thoughtfully planned to preserve the legacy for generations to come.
Since opening in 1999, this will be the first major renovation of the property. French interior architect Tristan Auer will lead the work.
The hotel has 198 suites and interiors featuring Swarovski crystals, marble, and gold leaf. Jumeirah describes the renovation as being done with the same level of care as preserving a work of art.
It’s not for everyone, myself included, but having stayed at a couple of more modern Jumeriah hotels in the last year, I am confident they will elevate this somewhat tacky and dated hotel back to the top where it stayed for years.
The renovation has come at a time of tension in the Middle East, where tourism numbers have dramatically declined, and soon after, the hotel was hit by debris from an intercepted missile. However, this caused only minor exterior damage and isn’t the reason for the long-awaited renovation.
Accommodation is being offered at nearby Jumeirah properties for guests with existing bookings and, if all goes to plan, the hotel should reopen in late 2027.
