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Virgin Atlantic’s High Five Loyalty Bonus is Now Live
Virgin Atlantic has officially launched High Five, a Flying Club initiative designed to reward long-term loyalty. If you have been choosing Virgin over the years, you may already have 12,000 bonus Virgin Points in your account.
Rather than tracking how often you fly, High Five looks at whether you have flown with Virgin in five separate calendar years. That makes it very different from traditional loyalty models and far more inclusive for someone who flies long-haul only occasionally.
Even better, Virgin has backdated flight tracking to 1st January 2021, so you do not need five consecutive years.
If you are currently a Red-tier member, there is an extra benefit. You’ll get a 10% bonus on all future flight earnings, boosting the value of every paid Virgin ticket.
Virgin has also confirmed that progress tracking will soon appear in the Virgin Atlantic app, so you will be able to see exactly how close you are to your next High Five reward. Points remain non-expiring and can be used across Virgin Atlantic Flying Club partners, including Delta.
Anthony Woodman, Vice President, Flying Club & CRM, Virgin Atlantic, said:
“Not everyone flies every month, but many of our customers come back to Virgin Atlantic year after year – and that commitment deserves to be rewarded. High Five is our way of recognising that loyalty isn’t one-size-fits-all and giving something back to customers who make Virgin Atlantic their airline of choice over time.”
12,000 points can go a long way. Saver Reward seats start at 23,000 Points in Upper Class, 16,500 in Premium, and 6,000 in Economy (plus taxes and fees).
If you are eligible, or you’re unsure, it is well worth checking your Flying Club account today – you may already have been High Fived!
Visa-Free Travel to China
British passport holders will soon be able to travel to China for up to 30 days without a visa, following talks between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
This change will benefit a huge number of people. In 2024, 620,000 British people travelled to China, and removing the visa requirement would bring the UK into line with around 50 other countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Australia, and Japan.
The move is aimed at making it easier for businesses to expand in China, but it will also make leisure travel easier.
No start date has been announced, but it’s expected to take place as soon as possible. Until then, current visa rules remain in effect.
This is excellent news! China has always been a destination that’s a little more complicated to visit, with forms, fees, embassy visits, and visas making spontaneous planning harder. Last-minute trips are now looking more realistic, and China will also be easier to add to longer Asia itineraries.
Keir Starmer said:
“As one of the world’s economic powerhouses, businesses have been crying out for ways to grow their footprints in China.
“We’ll make it easier for them to do so – including via relaxed visa rules for short-term travel – supporting them to expand abroad, all while boosting growth and jobs at home.”
5,000 Bonus Virgin Points When You Set Up Tesco Clubcard Autoexchange
If you collect Tesco Clubcard points and you’ve been considering converting them to Virgin Points, now is a great time to set up an autoexchange. Virgin Red has launched a new offer that gives you 5,000 bonus Virgin Points when you sign up to auto-exchange your Clubcard points for the first time by 10th May 2026.
Your Clubcard points will then automatically convert into Virgin Points every quarter. To qualify for the bonus, you need to remain enrolled in auto-exchange and have at least 250 Clubcard points in your account on 10th May, and not have previously set up an auto points conversion between Tesco and Virgin.
This is an excellent offer as you would usually need to spend £2,500 at Tesco to earn 2,500 Clubcard points (equivalent to 5,000 Virgin Points).
The main thing to consider is whether auto-exchange suits your use of your Clubcard points. To set up the conversion, go to your Virgin Red account here, log in to Tesco Clubcard, go to Clubcard management, select Virgin points, and enter your Virgin Red ID.
You can spend points on things like Virgin Voyages cruises, train tickets, and experiences, or transfer them to your Virgin Atlantic Flying Club account for flight redemptions. This is a great bonus for minimal effort. Read our guide to spending Virgin Points for ideas.
