American Express Membership Rewards - Virgin Atlantic launches American Express Card with Bank of America

SOUTH NORWALK, Conn., June 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin Atlantic Airways,
one of the leading long-haul airlines, today launched a new credit card,
the Virgin Atlantic American Express Card(R) from Bank of America, which
not only enables Cardmembers to earn 3 miles for every $1 spent on Virgin
Atlantic purchases -- one of the most rewarding major international airline
Credit Cards in the market today -- but also offers Cardmembers the
opportunity to redeem points for exclusive rewards such as a trip into
space.


http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-12-2008/0004831099&EDATE=

Link to Credit card details (http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/us/creditcard/index.jsp)
Not bad, Annual fees is $90 for black card and $49 for the white card

This card really makes me upset because the black one specifically looks like a great deal, simply from the mileage accrual standpoint - $90/yr, 1.5 miles per dollar spent. And:

You will receive 20,000 Flying Club miles after your first purchase made with your Virgin Atlantic Card. 7,500 anniversary Flying Club miles will be posted to your Flying Club account when you spend a minimum of $15,000 in net purchases within the anniversary year with your Virgin Atlantic Card. An additional 7,500 anniversary Flying Club miles will be awarded when you spend $25,000 in net purchases within the anniversary year with your Virgin Atlantic Card. Earned Anniversary Flying Club miles will be posted to your Flying Club account each year within four to six weeks of the anniversary of your Card’s open date.

So basically, if you spend $25k on the card per year, you get 37.5k miles + 15k miles = 52.5k miles per year. You also get 10 tier points which would retain Silver status or be 5 from moving from Red to Silver. Minus the latter, which would only be useful for Virgin regulars, that's already a pretty great deal - that's double miles.

If only Virgin points were particularly useful - their value seems to be trending downward. Sure, if you fly to London a lot then it's supremely useful. But changing for SQ, you don't get the 15% discount of booking awards on SQ's website and you don't even have the option to spend double miles on A380s, 773s, A345s, etc even if you have them. NZ awards are impossible to get...

I'm torn.

If I read their site correctly, it looks like you can redeem for flights on Continental or US Air.

If I read their site correctly, it looks like you can redeem for flights on Continental or US Air.

You can, although the implication of rule 4.1.6 in the "Standard Terms and Conditions" is that you'll have to pay US Airways' lovely new award "ticketing" and "processing" fees.

If I read their site correctly, it looks like you can redeem for flights on Continental or US Air.
And space! We can't forget the stars. :)

virgin galactic is flown miles only.

but necker island celebration weeks are not.

hopefully theyll add their 2 new virgin limited properties to awards soon too.

As a VS status member at least I got an email yesterday (or maybe it was the day before???) about this credit card. It could definitely be useful for some to rack up the miles in yet another airline program.

View From the Wing (http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/2008/06/12/virgin-atlantic-introduces-new-us-co-branded-credit-cards/) says the 1.5 miles per dollar spent is only on "everyday purchases," like gas and groceries. If true, that significantly decreases my interest in applying.

boo. agreed.

amex mr gets you 1 per dollar.

and actually doesnt spg get you 1.25 per dollar...

so its basically just for VS spending.

View From the Wing (http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/2008/06/12/virgin-atlantic-introduces-new-us-co-branded-credit-cards/) says the 1.5 miles per dollar spent is only on "everyday purchases," like gas and groceries. If true, that significantly decreases my interest in applying.

No - they are wrong.

If you click on the Terms & Conditions link on the application form https://wwwa.applyonlinenow.com/USCCapp/Ctl/entry?sc=FACIWT it very clearly states.

"Earned miles are based on new net retail purchases (purchases of goods and services less credits, returns, and adjustments) (“Net Purchases”) you make with your Virgin Atlantic American Express® Card from Bank of America during each periodic billing cycle (“Cycle(s)”). You will receive three (3) Flying Club miles for each one US dollar ($1.00) in Net Purchases of Virgin Atlantic Airways tickets and duty free items purchased directly from Virgin Atlantic Airways and one and a half (1.5) Flying Club miles for each one US dollar ($1.00) in all other Net Purchases."

Unfortunately BofA decided to use 'everyday purchases' as a term on the lead in sites but they don't mean it in the same sense as Amex itself does. Only Amex administered cards have the bonus for defined 'everyday purchases'

Well then I happily stand corrected!

as do i!