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The partner mileage workaround
The party is over for using Flying Blue or Virgin Atlantic points to fly Delta business class to Europe.
Previously a one-way Delta business class flight from the US to Europe was 50K Virgin points+$5.60 or about 73.5K Flying Blue miles+$10.40.
No longer.
Delta has a joint venture with Virgin Atlantic and Air France/KLM Flying Blue between the US and Europe, so it’s no surprise to see this “loophole” get plugged.
New Virgin Atlantic published award rates to Europe
Without warning, Virgin now charges variable rates based on the season and flight length, plus they have added usurious fuel surcharges, which weren’t previously charged for Delta flights outside of the UK:
Flying Delta from JFK-Frankfurt with Virgin Atlantic points:
For example, a one-way Delta business class flight from JFK to Frankfurt now goes for 57.5K Virgin points, plus a new fuel surcharge of a whopping $1,027.80:
And a round-trip will set you back 115K Virgin points, plus a new fuel surcharge of a whopping $2,198.30:
You’ll be better off by booking 2 one-ways, as the fuel surcharge for a one-way from Europe is lower. The Frankfurt to JFK leg by itself is 57.5K points plus about $318, so the round-trip booked separately would be 115K points plus $1,345.
Flying Delta business class to other destinations with Virgin Atlantic points:
For now, Virgin is only charging a fuel surcharge for Delta flights to Europe.
Virgin isn’t collecting a fuel surcharge for Delta business class flights to North America, South America, or Africa:
Flying Delta from JFK-Frankfurt with Flying Blue miles:
Air France/KLM Flying Blue points are also no longer a bargain for Delta business class flights to Europe. For that same one-way JFK to Frankfurt flight, you now need a whopping 153K Flying Blue miles, plus $32.30:
The return flight would run 153.5K miles plus $317.90:
You’ll save by booking a round-trip with Flying Blue, as that would be 307K miles plus $202.80:
Flying Delta from JFK-Frankfurt with Delta miles:
Want to use Delta miles?
The one-way from JFK to Frankfurt would set you back 375K miles:
If you book Delta one-way from Europe, you’re also hit with a $297 fuel surcharge on top of the 375K miles:
Though with Delta math, the round-trip would drop the price to 285K miles:
Flying Delta from JFK-Zurich with Virgin Atlantic points:
Is this all a fluke for Frankfurt?
I tried Zurich and got similar results.
Virgin, now with fuel surcharges, though with an off-peak mileage discount:
Flying Delta from JFK-Zurich with Flying Blue miles:
Flying Delta from JFK-Zurich with Delta miles:
And Delta Skypesos, though this time it’s 290K one-way and 380K round-trip:
El Al Matmid points?
Maybe the best way to book Delta business class to Europe is now with El Al Matmid points? The round-trip would cost 220K points with no fuel surcharges. Unfortunately, you’ll have to call El Al to book travel on Delta.
What do you make of these changes?
HT: Davidthebest
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20 Comments On "BRUTAL: Flying Blue And Virgin Atlantic Devalue Redemptions On Delta Business Class To Europe"
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Like you could ever find those redemptions anyways. Sorry, cheap business class redemptions without surcharges are now a thing of the past in most cases. If you can’t afford the surcharges, there is still plenty of value in steerage.
They were there if you knew how to look. Hence the examples in the post.
In reality the only thing that has changed is the surcharges. The old animal of points and miles to get a person “free” business/premium travel across the pond is an endangered species. With transfer bonuses VS miles are easy to accumulate and the extra mileage cost is a rounding error.
Points/Miles are a currency with a $$ value. With VS valued at ~1.2 cents/mile that DL roundtrip was basically 115K*.012 = $1400 for a basically fully flexible J ticket. Great value but unstainable with the explosion of credit card point earning.
Under the new regime the cost is ~$2800 for the fully flex J ticket. Still a good value. (And a whole lot less than DL). I am hoping that it allows for more availability in the long run. I will take the $2800 ticket that I can actually get when I want, as opposed to the $1400 unicorn.
Meh, apologizing for bad moves will not get the airlines to give you more availability. Tokenism doesn’t work.
The airlines will not give you more availability. That is set by AI algorithm. Cheap people who want something for nothing will not pay the increased surcharges, thus freeing up that availability for other people.
Just look at TK J availability. Now that TK devalued, all of a sudden there is huge amount of J availability on TK to EMEA on AC and AV. TK charged 45K+~$300, but now I can get much more AV availability for 63K + ~$30. Or AC for 90K+~$60 if you don’t wanna deal with AV’s customer service.
Plus, now with the new AV card and + membership program you can get that ticket for 56.7K + $30 and not have to worry about any fees for redepositing.
Who are you apologizing on behalf of? The greedy airlines? Delta forced AF to double the mileage needed in economy, too.
It’s not 2015 with 25K amex platinum signup bonuses anymore. Since ability of people to amass huge amounts of CC points has increased, the mileage/surcharge costs are going to reflect the staggering amount of CC points that are held by users. (I have earned ~2.3M MR points in the last four years myself)
I do not know which planet you were living on in 2015 but it was actually much easier to accumulate large bonuses on multiple cards then than it is today by a long shot!!!
It was easier to get multiple bonuses because there was no 5/24 and Amex one per lifetime and other similar restrictions, but the amount of each bonus was way, way lower.
How does it make sense that the RT on delta is cheaper then one way? I have seen that with cash tickets, but with points, is completely absurd.
It’s Delta, they seem to do as they please. And likely leaned on their JV partners here to close this loophole.
How are you finding the cheap inventory on Delta anyway??
@Dan are you aware of the two women that were denied boarding supposedly due to behind Jewish? June 17, Virgin Atlantic, JFK.
Please post more details on DansDeals forums. Hard to believe this legit happened and didn’t yet hit the news cycle.
https://collive.com/virgin-atlantic-staff-kicked-off-and-mocked-jewish-passengers/
Hey why didn’t you say as always it’s best to have bank points that can be transferred
No big loss. Redemptions were hardly ever available.
Delta owns 49% of VA.
this is not surprising.
Especially after a 40% promo discount on award tickets.
I didn’t check what happened to tlv flights but happy I just booked VA tlv-jfk via lhr for 45300 +$280
was practically impossible to find availability anyway
I’m not sure why they’re called fuel surcharges. If they were based on the cost of fuel used, business class would be almost the same as economy (presumably the actual seats are a bit heavier).