Earn 30% More Virgin Points On Your First Purchase With Shops Away: Thursday Travel Tips
- Helena
- Sep 25
- 3 min read
Hello everyone, and welcome back to our Thursday Travel Tips series – where we show you how to turn everyday spending into extraordinary travel rewards.
This week, we are looking at something many travellers overlook: Virgin Atlantic Shops Away. It is one of the simplest ways to grow your points balance, just by shopping as you normally would.
Enjoying this weeks Thursday Travel Tips? Here are some of our other recent Virgin Tips!
What Is Virgin Atlantic Shops Away?
Shops Away is Virgin Atlantic’s dedicated shopping portal, designed to help Flying Club members earn Virgin Points when they make purchases with popular retailers. Rather than going directly to a retailer’s website, you log in to your Flying Club account, click through to the Shops Away portal, and then shop as usual. The process is seamless, and your points will track automatically once the purchase is approved.
Better still, Shops Away is not limited to online shopping. Members can also earn by registering a payment card and using it at participating high street partners. Everyday spending suddenly becomes a chance to inch closer to that reward flight or upgrade.
A Special Bonus for First-Time Shoppers
For those who have not yet used Shops Away, there is currently a generous introductory offer. On your very first purchase through the portal, you will receive an additional 30% in Virgin Points.
This applies to both online and instore transactions with participating retailers. The bonus is only awarded once per member, but it is an excellent way to start using the service. In most cases, the extra points appear in your account within 24 hours of the retailer confirming the purchase, although exact timings vary.
Important Details to Remember
As with any promotion, there are some conditions to be aware of. The bonus does not apply to gift cards, delivery charges, or taxes, and it cannot be earned on purchases that are later cancelled or returned. To qualify in store, your registered card must be one of the accepted payment types, and the purchase needs to be tracked correctly through the Shops Away system.
While the offer itself is straightforward, it is always worth double-checking the retailer’s terms before you buy, just to ensure your points are awarded without delay.
Are you following us social media? If not, why not! Go drop us a follow on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok so that you never miss any of your favourite content!
Why Shops Away Is Worth Using
The real strength of Shops Away lies in its simplicity. You are not changing your shopping habits or paying extra for your purchases. Instead, you are simply redirecting the journey: beginning with the Shops Away portal, rather than heading straight to a retailer’s site. That small change means you earn Virgin Points every time, helping you move towards your next reward flight, cabin upgrade, or even a hotel stay.
When combined with the 30 per cent first-purchase bonus, the value is even clearer. It is an easy win for anyone looking to accelerate their points balance without making any additional outlay.
Earn 30% More Virgin Points On Your First Purchase With Shops Away: Final Thoughts
Shops Away is one of those quietly powerful tools in the Flying Club toolkit. By turning ordinary purchases into Virgin Points, it helps you reach your travel goals more quickly – and the current first-purchase bonus makes now the perfect time to start.
So, the next time you are about to buy clothes, electronics, or even book travel extras, pause before heading straight to the retailer. Log into your Flying Club account, go via Shops Away, and let those points add up.
Until next week, happy travels and happy earning.
Helena
Points Well Made is a passion project of Sam and Helena with a loyal following. If you like what we do, and wish to help us continue to create the content you love, please consider buying us a Kofi, or subscribing monthly. Your help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Comments