InstaVolt drivers can now swap their charging points for Virgin flights, cinema trips and cruises. The deal joins a growing list of EV charging rewards from airlines, supermarkets and shopping malls around the world.
InstaVolt and Virgin Red have linked their loyalty schemes. Money spent at a charger can now go towards a sailing, a hotel stay or a day out. Airlines, supermarkets and mall owners are chasing the same drivers. So for anyone who charges away from home regularly, the choice of rewards keeps widening.
How does the InstaVolt and Virgin deal work?
InstaVolt Miles is free to everyone using the InstaVolt app, with no separate sign-up or subscription. Drivers earn between one and 15 Volts for every £1 spent through the app, across four tiers. They can then transfer Volts into Virgin Points at a rate of one to one. However, they’ll need a Virgin Red membership to do so.
Virgin Points can go towards Caribbean sailings with Virgin Voyages, Virgin Hotels Collection stays and Virgin Atlantic reward seats and upgrades. Closer to home, they also cover cinema tickets, meals out and Virgin Experience Days. InstaVolt’s network has more than 4,000 chargers across about 1,200 sites. Drivers also earn at the same rate during its 55p/kWh off-peak window between 8pm and 7am.
“With InstaVolt Miles, every charge earns them something back,” said Delvin Lane, Chief Executive Officer of InstaVolt. Andrea Burchett, Chief Loyalty Officer for Virgin Group, said the deal turns regular stops “into something to look forward to”.
Are the points worth swapping?
Each Volt is worth 1p when a driver redeems it as InstaVolt charging credit. So a £30 charge returns 30p of credit in the lowest tier and £4.50 in the highest. Moving those Volts to Virgin therefore pays off only when a Virgin Point delivers more than 1p of value.
That depends on what the driver buys. A 2024 analysis put most Virgin Red redemptions at 0.5p a point. By contrast, one points guide estimates 0.9p to 1.5p on Virgin Atlantic reward flights, with Upper Class at the top of that range. Taxes, fees and carrier surcharges apply separately on those flights and upgrades. As a result, drivers after a small treat may do better with charging credit. Those saving for a long-haul seat could get more from Virgin, and Virgin Points never expire.
Who else is rewarding UK drivers?
BP Pulse became the first UK charging network to offer Avios in June, the currency used by British Airways. Members of The British Airways Club collect 4 Avios per £1 through the app or a subscription. Contactless payments earn 2 Avios per £1, across 3,000 rapid and ultra-fast charge points. Rob McDonald, Chief Commercial Officer at IAG Loyalty, said the aim is to “make collecting Avios part of everyday life”.
Supermarket points, meanwhile, can go straight towards a food shop. Sainsbury’s added Nectar points to Smart Charge in 2024. Morrisons shoppers have earned five More Points per £1 at MFG EV Power bays since March. Tesco now gives one Clubcard point per £1 at Be.EV’s 680-plus locations, and it also rewards charging at Pod Point chargers in its car parks. “This is about making the switch to electric genuinely worth it,” said Be.EV CEO Asif Ghafoor.
What’s happening in other countries?
Scandinavian airline SAS launched its first EV charging partnership in April with E.ON Drive Infrastructure. EuroBonus members earn 50 points per 100 SEK in Sweden and 30 points per 100 DKK in Denmark. They must pay with a linked card at stations of at least 50 kW. In Türkiye, a Turkish Airlines campaign last autumn gave up to 6 Miles per kWh at En Yakıt stations.
Germany’s Payback scheme has around 31 million active users. They can collect and redeem points at Aral pulse charging points, as well as on fuel and car washes.
Chargefox drivers in Australia collect one Everyday Rewards point per $1 at Woolworths chargers, so they can earn during the weekly shop. Energy retailer AGL has also offered eligible customers 10,000 Velocity Points for buying an EV home charger. In Malaysia, Grab Rewards members could redeem RM20 of ChargEV credit during a 2025 campaign.
Could charging stops become destinations themselves?
Tesla’s Hollywood site opened in July 2025 with 80 V4 Supercharger stalls and a 24-hour diner. It also has rooftop seating and two large screens that show films while cars charge.
Mercedes-Benz has opted for partners. Its charging arm announced plans in 2024 to put high-power chargers at more than 100 Starbucks stores in the US. In Singapore, Frasers Property and Shell have signed a three-year partnership to explore linking mall and charging rewards. Planned benefits include free parking for Shell Recharge users, with initiatives targeted for the end of 2026.
What should drivers check before chasing points?
Earn rates are hard to compare. Schemes count in pounds, kronor, dollars or kilowatt-hours, and their points buy different things. A better test is to price the reward you actually want, then work back to the value of each point. Payment method can also change the return: BP Pulse pays double through its app, and SAS requires a linked card.
Finally, compare the price per kWh before the points. A cheaper charge can beat a more generous scheme, so InstaVolt’s off-peak rate may suit some drivers as well as its route to a Virgin Atlantic seat.
