Last year Virgin Atlantic made Flying Club award redemptions for its flight count towards elite status. Now they’ve made several additional changes that most members are going to like.

• They’ve reduced the thresholds for earning status. Gold status requires 800 tier points in 12 months, down from 1000, and Silver status requires 300 tier points down from 400. A one-way business class award ticket earns 100 tier points.

• Elite status for spending on vacation packages earning 20 tier points per £500 spent through Virgin Atlantic Holidays. They’re also increasing redeemable mileage earning for vacation packages.

• Silver members can now have household accounts pooling miles with other members. Gold members already have this. British Airways offers this to everyone.

• Silver will get one club pass valid for themselves and a guest.

• Welcome back bonus 20,000 bonus points for taking two roundtrips in premium economy or business class by March 31, 2022. Award travel doesn’t count for this.

Copyright: boarding1now / 123RF Stock Photo

The weakness of Virgen elite status, of course, is that it isn’t actually very good. Gold members get access to Virgin lounges regardless of class of service along with business class check-in and an extra baggage allowance. Silvers get premium economy check-in. So a single lounge pass is a nice addition. Both levels get bonus miles for their flying.

(HT: Head For Points)