Use Your Virgin America Points for Partner Flights Soon!
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Via Travel Codex, the Virgin America loyalty program will end on January 1, 2018. And its usefulness will end even sooner!
In the lead up to Alaska Airlines’ merger with Virgin America, Virgin America is cutting ties with 40+ partners. So if you have Virgin America points, you have just a few months to either spend them or transfer them to Alaska Airlines!
Here’s what to expect in the coming months!
Last Chance to Redeem Virgin America Points
Link: Alaska Airlines Virgin America Merger Details
Link: Virgin America Soon to Drop Partners
The Alaska Airlines Virgin America merger is getting closer! And in just a few months, the Virgin America loyalty program will become a lot less useful. We knew this was coming, but it’s good to have a timeline!
On September 30, 2017, Virgin America is dropping 41 partners, leaving just 3:
And these remaining partners won’t be around for long! Here’s what you need to know:
- You can NOT earn or redeem Virgin America points with partners after September 30, 2017
- Virgin America will lose AMEX Membership Rewards and Points.com as partners on October 31, 2017
- Virgin America loyalty program will disappear on January 1, 2018 (absorbed by the Alaska Airlines loyalty program)
- The Virgin America brand will not disappear until 2019
So while Virgin America’s frequent flyer program is losing practically all value after October 31, 2017, the name will not be completely gone until 2019.
It’s sad to see a loyalty program go. As Travel Codex points out, Virgin America has lots of partners Alaska Airlines does NOT have, like Hawaiian Airlines and Singapore Airlines. So if you want to use Virgin America points on a partner airline, you’ll have to do it before October 1, 2017.
Virgin America has LOTS of travel and shopping partners, so I’m glad that Virgin America is telling us ahead of time when those partnerships will end! Airlines don’t always give folks a heads-up about those kinds of things.
Bottom Line
Virgin America is losing most of its partners on September 30, 2017. And after October 31, 2017, its only partner will be Alaska Airlines.
If you want to use your Virgin America points for flights on partner airlines like Virgin Australia or Hawaiian Airlines, you have until September 30, 2017! And if you want to transfer AMEX Membership Rewards points to Virgin America, you have until October 31, 2017.
How will you spend your Virgin America points in these last few months?
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