Mandarin Oriental Is New Virgin America Points Partner

Effective today, members of Virgin America’s Elevate program can earn points for stays at participating Mandarin Oriental hotels. (Non-participating properties: Mandarin Oriental, Atlanta, and Elbow Beach, Bermuda.)

The normal earning rate will be 400 points per stay, but that is doubled to 800 points for stays through August 30.

As hotel chains go, Mandarin is among the smallest, with just 45 hotels in operation or under development. But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in luxury.

In the U.S., there are Mandarin properties in Atlanta, Boston, Las Vegas, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. Five of those cities are Virgin America destinations, so there’s a reasonably close fit between the airline and the hotel group.

Other Elevate hotel partners include Hilton, Marriott, Morgans, and Joie de Vivre.

Reader Reality Check

Is this a meaningful addition to the Elevate program, or just marketing fluff?

This article originally appeared on FrequentFlier.com.

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