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It seems we’re struggling at the moment here on -ahem- InsideFlyer to go more than a couple of days without mentioning a train.
However, this offer will at least earn you a decent wedge of free Virgin miles (and that’s air miles, to be clear).
Yes, book a ticket on a Virgin train (East Coast or West Coast) by 23:59 on 31 July 2016 for travel until 23:59 on 23 October 2016 and you will earn 500 free Virgin miles in its Virgin Atlantic Flying Club loyalty scheme (join for free, here).
Given that Virgin trains currently has a mammoth sale with tickets from just £4 (although it ends today), you could actually end up making a profit here!
The offer may be limited to first-time Vigin trains ticket purchasers. I am simply not sure, because while the promotional email says “you’ll receive 500 bonus miles for first-time bookings made between 7-31 July 2016“, the terms and conditions in that email say “500 bonus miles applies to the first Virgin Trains East Coast tickets and Virgin Trains West Coast tickets purchased during the promotional period“.
So, the email suggests the 500 free Virgin miles apply only to people making their first booking, while the terms and conditions suggest it applies to anyone’s first booking in the promo period, potentially on both East Coast and West Coast! Frankly, if you’re in the market for a train ticket I’d give it a go, and point to the terms and conditions if Virgin then deny you the 500 free miles on the basis that you’re someone not booking train tickets for the first time.
Regardless, I do know for certain that everyone earns 2 Virgin air miles per £1 spent on Virgin trains (which will be in addition to the 500 bonus).
The 500 free Virgin miles will be credited to customer accounts by 31 August 2016.
The terms and conditions in full are available on this page.
£1.15 child single from Haymarket to Edinburgh fits the bill!
Good shout! 502 Virgin miles for £1.15 – I like it.
Rail saver card gets it even lower but a good idea not to go under £1.00.
Hi – does anyone know if this promo requires you to swap from collecting Nectar points to Virgin Atlantic miles permanently? (Which we probably don’t want to do?) xxxxx
Hi Naomi,
I’m not entirely sure, so to be safe you could just book with a different email address and link that one to Virgin Flying Club? Then in future use your original one when Nectar makes most sense, and the new one if there’s an offer for bonus Miles like this.
Ah thx so much Joe! I’ll give this a go…..xxxxx
I purchased my Virgin Trains ticket through Avios E-Store and I’ve just noticed in my E-Store purchase history that this avios earning transaction has been ‘cancelled’. I did collect the ticket so now I’m wondering why Avios.com have done this. It’s only 2 avios (the ticket cost £1.15) so it’s not worth following up, but I’m curious if anyone else has got the same result.
Well, it’s 1st September now and I’ve not received any Virgin miles for my train ticket or the 500 bonus miles promised. I’m sending off all the documentation require to Virgin Flying Club Support to make my claim. This stinks!
Yep, chase them! I’ve had problems with Virgin Flying Club in the past, but have to say their customer services dealt with me very well. Let us know how you get on.
+1. Good luck!
I had a similar experience last year when Virgin offered 500 free miles for your first purchase from Virgin Shopaway. Took months for the miles to be added and chasing them up for it was a faff. So this time round I’ll see how it goes for others before I make a move.
Update on this. Someone on HFP queried it with Virgin who told them that there’s been a delay adding the 500 bonus miles to accounts and it should be resolved by the end of next week.
OK, still no miles, so I guess it’s time to find out what the heck is going on at Virgin. Anyone else had their miles?
I wrote on September 1st and guess what………..nothing! No miles added, not heard a single sausage! Can’t say I’m surprised, what a way to run a railway!!
Forgot to say my husband applied too and he’s heard nothing either.
I’ve contacted Flying Club here: http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/frequentflyer/contactus/form.jsp.
I recommend everyone else do the same 🙂
I think this is the form to claim your missing miles. If I don’t hear back I’m giving up!
https://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/frequentflyer/youraccount/managefcaccount/claimmissingpartnermiles.jsp?isBooking=false
Ok, so I didn’t hear back from Virgin after posting off my confirmation of booking email and my train ticket so I wrote to customer services via the website. It took a couple of days but yesterday I received a reply and they have credited my account with the 500 bonus miles…………result!!!
Forgot to say, after receiving the email I replied back and mentioned that the same thing had happened to my husband and could they sort his out too. Within 2 hours he had his 500 bonus miles also.
I have finally received the 500 points. I earned these back in July! That has to be my longest wait for points so far…
Was that without you having to write to them? Funnily enough I’ve just noticed the 5 miles earned for actually booking the ticket has been paid at last too!!
I did keep contacting them to no avail. They didn’t say I’d get them – just that they’d refer it to the relevant department. Hadn’t heard anything for months.