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Virgin Buy Points 70% bonus
Virgin is back with another buy points offer. 70% is the most that Virgin offers, so it is worth considering a top-up. However, the bonus is staggered, so it’s less good value at the lower bonus levels. Don’t forget that you can transfer your Amex Membership Rewards points to Virgin Plus. If you already have one Virgin Mastercard, you can still apply for the other one and get the new bonus we talked about here.
The offer runs until 12 October and the levels of the bonus are as follows:
Buy Virgin Points between 8 September and 12 October to receive:
- Less than 5,000 = no bonus
- 5,000 – 24,000 = 20% bonus points
- 25,000 – 69,000 = 40% bonus points
- 70,000 – 124,000 = 60% bonus points
- 125,000 – 200,000 = 70% bonus points
Points cost £15/$25 for every 1,000 points, plus every transaction comes with a one-off £15/$22 transaction fee. So, if you buy or gift 1,000 points you will pay £30/$47, if you buy 5,000 points you will pay £90/$147 and if you buy or gift 10,000 points you will pay £165/$272.
You can buy or gift points in increments of 1,000, subject to an overall limit of 200,000 points in each calendar year.
You have the right to cancel any buy or gift points transaction for up to 14 days after the date of the transaction, provided that none of the points have been redeemed.
Swiss revamps business and first service
Swiss has always had a decent business class product as well as first, but the hard product was very dated. Now with the launch of their new seats, they are also revamping the service as well, putting them firmly back in the running as a choice for business class.
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will now offer a totally renewed in-flight service to its long-haul SWISS Business and SWISS First guests.
“After introducing our remodeled SWISS Economy and SWISS Premium Economy service products in March, we are now taking the next consistent step, with the most comprehensive service renewal in the history of our company,” explains SWISS Chief Commercial Officer Heike Birlenbach. “Our new SWISS Business and SWISS First services are designed to provide all the ambience of a superior restaurant aloft, with greater choice, more individuality and an even firmer emphasis on Swiss hospitality. Our new premium inflight services make flying with SWISS much more than just transport. Because what we’re offering here is a genuinely memorable air travel experience.”
“From our development of new tableware to our choice of new products and our adoption of new processes and procedures, everything has been carefully devised and comprehensively trialed,” CCO Birlenbach continues. “Our crews have been intensively prepared, too, to ensure that they are fully familiar and at home with our new service product. So what our guests on board will experience is the result of a truly massive undertaking on which our many teams throughout SWISS, both aloft and on the ground, have worked with all their passion and commitment.”
New experiences in SWISS Business
The new SWISS Business long-haul air travel experience begins with the serving of a typically Swiss aperitif after takeoff once cruise level has been reached. The traditional nuts snack is now supplemented by a new fresh element such as olives, all accompanied by a wide range of beverages that include the SWISS Alpine Essence signature cocktail created exclusively for SWISS. This is followed by a full meal service with each course separately presented, including a new additional soup course. An expanded range of cheeses and desserts and a new selection of pralines from Aeschbach Chocolatier round off the new meal service. This sounds like a step up from some other airline such as BA and more on par with Air France or even Qatar.
There’s also new bedlinen and on longer night flights of more than ten hours, guests are also offered a Muntagnard sleepshirt and an additional seat cover. Stylish amenity kits in changing designs have been co-developed with the Swiss VIU brand and care items featuring the Alpine Valley signature scent specially created for SWISS by the Swiss-based Soeder company. High-quality headphones ensure optimum sound for the extensive inflight entertainment program, and a wider selection of beverages and snacks is available between meals.
SWISS First
SWISS First travelers can also look forward to a totally remodeled inflight service that puts an even stronger focus on exclusivity and individuality. The entire food and beverage service here is now presented on fine porcelain with its modern design and its black tableware elements.
The new SWISS First experience begins even before departure, with apéro flûtes from Confiserie Sprüngli, accompanied by a welcome drink of the traveler’s choice, including the SWISS Alpine Essence signature cocktail concocted specially for SWISS.
Once in the air, the inflight service commences with an amuse bouche trio, which is followed by a selection of cold delicatessen items served from the trolley at the passenger’s seat. I do like the sound of that. There is something luxurious about being able to choose your own selection from a trolley.
A seasonal sorbet provides a refreshing intermezzo; and a cheese course featuring five types of cheese and an expanded choice of breads rounds off the main meal. The first service concludes with a selection of pralines and further sweet Sprüngli delights. Afternoon tea is now also offered on selected longer daytime flights, with a range of carefully selected teas and sweet and savory treats.
You also get pajamas and slippers by Zimmerli of Switzerland, which are accompanied by quality bedlinen and a new amenity kit featuring Sisley care and comfort items. Further products from such renowned Swiss brands as Rohner and VIU are also offered individually by the cabin personnel.
SWISS First travelers are also treated to Soeder’s refreshing Alpine Valley SWISS signature scent – in the hot towels, the pillow sprays, the care products and more.
The renewed service concepts form an integral part of SWISS Senses, the new inflight experience on SWISS’s long-haul flights. SWISS Senses further extends to a totally new cabin interior incorporating state-of-the-art seats, appealing ambient lighting and a design approach in all travel classes that embodies and conveys Swiss hospitality.
Further information on the new inflight services and on SWISS Senses will be found here.
Marriott American Express Membership Rewards 30% transfer bonus
Given the changes to the BA Club, one of the best credit card bets for those that are spreading their spend between different airlines, is the Amex cards that give Membership Rewards, such as the Platinum and Preferred Rewards Gold. These cards allow you to transfer your points to a wide range of hotel and airline loyalty schemes, and they do occasionally offer a bonus too.
The latest bonus is for Marriott Bonvoy. Normally, you exchange MR at a rate of 2 MR to 3 Bonvoy points. So previously you would exchange 20,000 MR points for 30,000 Bonvoy points. Now you will get 39,000.
I don’t recommend exchanging on a speculative basis since schemes can change the value of points with no warning. One of the big advantage of the Amex cards is that you can leave them in your account until you decide you need some extra points for a redemption. Many of the transfers are instant as well, so you don’t need to plan in advance. It is worth noting that Marriott transfers can take up to 5 days although I have never known it take more than 48 hours. However, the official T&C says it can take 8 weeks for the bonus points to be credited, which seems a bit unreasonable!
Did you use this offer? How long did it take for the points and bonus points to be credited? Let us know in the comments below.
