What your Virgin Atlantic contract says

In short

Virgin Atlantic's Conditions of Carriage form your contract for each long-haul ticketed flight. For UK-departing services they are read alongside UK Regulation 261/2004, the Montreal Convention 1999 for the international leg, and the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Virgin Atlantic sells fare bundles within four cabins (Economy (Light, Classic, Delight), Premium (Classic, Delight), Upper Class (Classic, Delight)) plus codeshare seats sold under VS flight numbers but operated by Delta, Air France-KLM or partners. The fare bundle determines whether a hold bag is included (Economy Light is hand-baggage-only), whether seat selection is free, and whether the ticket is changeable. Statutory rights to compensation, rerouting and a duty of care apply on top of fare conditions. Virgin Atlantic participates in the CEDR ADR scheme for unresolved complaints, and the Civil Aviation Authority is the competent regulator. Long-haul ATOL protection applies where the flight is sold as part of a Virgin Holidays package.

What you agree to do

• You must present a valid passport and any required visa or ESTA at check-in; long-haul check-in closes 60 minutes before departure and the gate closes 20-30 minutes before.
• On Economy Light no hold bag is included; on Economy Classic and above one or two checked bags up to 23 kg are included depending on cabin and route.
• Pay any change fee or fare difference applicable to your fare class (only Economy Delight, Premium Delight, and Upper Class Delight allow free changes; Light and Classic charge a per-change fee).

What you can ask for

• If your flight is cancelled, you have the right to a full refund within 7 days or rerouting at the earliest opportunity (UK Reg. 261/2004).
• For cancellations notified less than 14 days before departure (and not extraordinary circumstances), compensation is £520 per passenger because virtually all Virgin Atlantic routes exceed 3,500 km.
• For arrival delays of 3 hours or more on flights over 3,500 km, you can claim £520 in full (or £260 if Virgin offers rerouting that limits the delay to under 4 hours).
• During disruption you are entitled to meals proportionate to the wait, two communications, and hotel plus airport transfers if you need to overnight (at Virgin's cost).
• For lost, damaged, or delayed checked baggage on international flights, you can claim up to approximately 1,288 SDR (around £1,200) under the Montreal Convention; written notice within 7 days for damage and 21 days for delay.
• If Virgin Atlantic does not resolve your complaint within 8 weeks, you can refer it free of charge to CEDR (the CAA-approved ADR provider) and notify the CAA.

Points worth knowing

• Codeshare confusion with Delta and SkyTeam partnersMany VS flight numbers are operated by Delta, Air France or KLM under joint-venture arrangements. Under Montreal Convention rules you can sue either the contracting carrier (Virgin) or the operating carrier, but Virgin will often direct disrupted passengers to the operating airline first, slowing claims and refunds.
• Economy Light fares are hand-baggage-onlyThe cheapest long-haul Economy fare excludes a checked bag, advance seat selection, and any change flexibility. Adding a checked bag at the airport is markedly more expensive than at booking.
• Voucher-first refund nudge during disruptionVirgin Atlantic's web cancellation flow has historically defaulted to travel credits. The legal entitlement is a cash refund in the original payment method within 7 days; insisting in writing or via the call centre is often required.
• Reward-seat dynamic pricing and Virgin Points devaluationVirgin Atlantic's Flying Club rewards moved towards dynamic pricing on partner redemptions and Virgin Points themselves can be devalued without compensation. Reward-seat availability is not guaranteed by holding points.
• Fuel surcharges layered into reward redemptionsOn reward bookings, particularly into and out of London Heathrow, the cash 'taxes, fees and carrier-imposed surcharges' element can run into hundreds of pounds. These are charges levied by Virgin, not government taxes, and can change without notice.
• Air Passenger Duty embedded in long-haul fares is significantAPD on long-haul economy is currently £88 and on long-haul premium/upper £224 (2024 rates). On a no-show non-refundable ticket the APD portion is reclaimable on request, but Virgin charges an admin fee.

Dates and deadlines

Online check-in window

Opens 24 hours before departure; long-haul check-in closes 60 minutes before

Refund deadline after cancellation

Virgin must refund within 7 days of your election (UK Reg. 261/2004)

Damaged or delayed baggage notice

7 days for damage, 21 days for delayed delivery (Montreal Convention)

Compensation claim limitation

Six years from the date of disruption (Limitation Act 1980)