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Update: Tomorrow is the last day to take advantage of this transfer bonus!
You can login here get a 30% bonus when you transfer American Express Membership Rewards Points to Virgin Atlantic until 12/28. The miles typically transfer instantly.
In general, Virgin Atlantic charges high fuel surcharges that kill the value of many of their awards.
For example a round-trip coach ticket from JFK to London on Virgin Atlantic is just 20K miles (under 16K AMEX points), but the taxes and fuel surcharges add $410. Premium Economy is 35K miles+$792. Business class is 95K miles and you’ll also owe $1,534 in taxes and fuel surcharges. Ouch!
If you only need a one-way ticket from NYC to London it’s not as bad. 10K miles+$149 in coach, 17.5K miles+$249 in premium economy, or 47.5K miles+$624 in business class.
You can save money by booking travel on 2 one-way trips. A one-way ticket from London to NYC is 10K miles+$248 in coach, 17.5K miles+$446 in premium economy, or 47.5K miles+$561 in business class.
Or for example a round-trip coach ticket from JFK to Tel Aviv on Virgin Atlantic is just 38K miles (under 30K AMEX points), but the taxes and fuel surcharges add $517. Premium Economy is 67K miles+$547. Business class is 151K miles and you’ll also owe $992 in taxes and fuel surcharges.
If you originate in Tel Aviv then the round-trip coach ticket from Tel Aviv to JFK on Virgin Atlantic is 38K miles plus $396. Premium Economy is 67K miles+$396. Business class is 151K miles plus $506.
If you only need a one-way ticket from NYC to Tel Aviv you’ll pay 19K miles+$239 in coach, 33.5K miles+$289 in premium economy, or 75.5K miles+$477 in business class.
You can save money by booking travel on 2 one-way trips. A one-way ticket from Tel Aviv to NYC is 19K miles+$217 in coach, 33.5K miles+$217 in premium economy, or 75.5K miles+$272 in business class.
Flying on Delta:
There are some notable sweet spots on partner airlines:
Virgin Atlantic miles can be a bargain for flying on Delta. They often have saver award space, even when there’s none available on Delta.com!
Click here to access the Virgin Atlantic award booking page.
If you have problems typing in your desired airport you will need to click the location icon as shown below and manually search for your destination by country and state. If your destination still isn’t available you will have to call Virgin Atlantic to book award travel to that destination.
If the option to search for miles isn’t available you also may need to try selecting another airport, click on pay with miles, and then switch the airport. For example NYC to LAX didn’t work for me at first, but I switched the destination to San Francisco, clicked on pay with miles, and then switched back to Los Angeles.
On the search page you can select one-way or round-trip, exact dates, flexible within 1 week, or within 5 weeks. You can also change the class of service by clicking on “Show advanced options.” When you are viewing the award calendar you can toggle it to show direct flights only.
Here’s what’s fascinating. In general, partner airlines can only book saver awards.
If you search for JFK to TLV on 12/8 on Delta.com you’ll see that the award costs 160K miles. There’s a reason they’re called Skypesos.
But you can redeem 40K Virgin Atlantic miles for that same flight. That’s under 31K AMEX points with a 30% bonus:
Then again, Flying Blue can book that for 29K miles each way, though their expiration policies, account auditing, and customer service are not great.
Want to fly business class nonstop from JFK to Amsterdam?
It’s 80K miles if you use Delta Skypesos:
But you can book it with Virgin Atlantic for just 50K miles. That’s under 39K AMEX points thanks to the 30% bonus!
Unfortunately, there are fuel surcharges to fly on Delta to London, but other destinations should have no fuel surcharges.
Note that the website charges extra for flights with connections. You can try calling Virgin Atlantic at 800-365-9500 to see if they can price the award without the extra pricing for taking a connecting flight.
Flying on ANA:
ANA is an incredible Japanese airline with great first class suites that have very comfortable beds and amazing service. I reviewed them here towards the end of the 4th part of my Island Hopper adventure.
They’re rolling out new first class suites and business class suites that look amazing!
New ANA First, with a 43″ 4K LED, a door for privacy, windows, and more:
The middle seats have a partition for privacy that goes up and down so that companions can talk to each other:
New ANA business:
Business class is staggered with forward and rear facing seats that also have privacy doors and middle partitions and go up and down:
You only need 110K miles to fly round-trip from the west coast to Japan or 120K miles to fly round-trip from the east coast to Japan in first class. That’s under 85K AMEX points or under 93K AMEX points respectively, thanks to the 30% bonus.
Virgin Atlantic now collects fuel surcharges on ANA, but they are relatively low.
Here is the Virgin Atlantic award chart for travel on ANA:
Unfortunately, you do need to call Virgin Atlantic to book travel on ANA at 800-365-9500. You can search for ANA award space on United.com.
Round-trip travel is required on ANA awards.
You can fly in ANA first class to Tokyo/Narita from Chicago, Houston, JFK, Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Washington DC.
You can fly in ANA first class to Tokyo/Haneda from Chicago, JFK, or Los Angeles.
United charges a whopping 220K miles to fly round-trip from the US to Japan in ANA first class, but you can call Virgin Atlantic to book travel for under 93K AMEX points!
Search for first class saver awards on United.com and then call Virgin Atlantic to book:
Will you transfer points from AMEX to Virgin Atlantic to take advantage of this bonus? What other award sweet spots do you take advantage of?
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22 Comments On "Last Day! Transfer AMEX Points To Virgin Atlantic And Get A 30% Bonus: Expanded Delta Award Space, ANA First Class Bargains, And More!"
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Edit Hilton transfer from TYP to MR
Not worthwhile for AMEX, deleted.
Transfer to Hilton:
You can transfer increments of 10K Virgin Atlantic miles into 15K Hilton points. That means the equivalent of 7,692 ThankYou points can become 15K Hilton Honors points.
Change to Amex
I am looking to fly NYC-London-NYC in first class on Virgin using my AMEX points. What is the best way to book this? Is this the opportunity I am looking for?
correct.
There is no first class on Virgin.
Only business class.
Is there any way to filter non stop only when searching for award flights?
Sure, just click on filter 😀
thanks, Sorry I meant on flying blue. I don’t see that option.
Nope.
I used to book delta flights from the east coast to the west coast using Virgin miles, but they’ve completely wiped out all non stop availability for over a year now.
Over 4 years actually.
I used to fly Delta with my Virgin miles, it’s been 5 years since I had any availability in business class to the west coast, and any European cities I’ve tried.
Flexible dates for an entire year, except flying on Shabbat – nothing.
@Dan is it worth it to transfer points from amex to use for delta if I have the platinum biz card I forfeit the 35% back
would you know what the best miles is to book nyc to zurich I have all currencies and im looking for the cheapest award space in Econ or business if you can help im not good with miles thank you good shabbos
16,000 Avianca Life miles in economy JFK to zrh each way is the cheapest way to go.
Jfk to tlv on delta has huge fuel surcharges
On Delta or on Virgin?
On virgin for delta flights
Screenshot?
OM JFK â–º TLV /19H SOM 38,000 + $815.91 20:00 â–º 21:50* Multiple Cabins 1 Stop: LHR DL 1: JFKâ–º LHR Operated by Delta Air lines Stopover in London Heathrow, United Kingdom 7H 40M *This flight arrives on Tuesday, 10 March. More Details View Seats FROM JFK â–º TLV /15H 51M 38,000 + $815.91 23:59 â–º 21:50* Multiple Cabins 1 Stop: LHR DL3: JFKâ–º LHR Operated by Delta Air lines Stopover in London Heathrow, United Kingdom 3H SOM *This flight arrives on Tuesday, 10 March. More Details
That’s not a Delta nonstop flight.
I have done it, in business class.
There are almost no taxes and fees.