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If you’re serious about getting the most value from your points, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club deserves a spot on your radar. While it may not be the first program most travelers think of, its sweet spots are among the most rewarding in the game.
From Upper Class flights to Europe for 29,000 points, to luxurious ANA redemptions to Japan, and even short domestic hops on Delta for just 7,500 points, Flying Club offers an unusually wide range of value — whether you’re chasing bucket-list experiences or everyday savings.
Here’s a closer look at the best ways to use Virgin points — and why Flying Club continues to punch above its weight.
Page Contents
- Book Virgin Atlantic Upper Class to Europe for as Little as 29,000 Points
- Fly LATAM to South America for 25,000 Points
- Fly ANA Business Class for 52,500 Points
- Fly Business Class on Air New Zealand for 45,000 Points
- Short Hops on Delta and Aeromexico for 7,500 Points
- Fly in Saudia Airlines Business Class for 100,000 Points
- When and How To Book Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Awards
- How To Earn Virgin Points
- Final Thoughts
Book Virgin Atlantic Upper Class to Europe for as Little as 29,000 Points
Virgin Atlantic rolled out dynamic pricing last year — but only for flights it operates. Normally, this pricing model is bad news for travelers as it generally leads to higher prices. However, in the case of Virgin Atlantic, the move may have actually increased the value of Virgin points.
On flights in Upper Class — Virgin Atlantic's name for its business class — you'll pay as few as 29,000 points to fly between the U.S. and Europe. Better yet, the dynamically priced taxes and fees can also be very reasonable.
Prices can soar much higher (as is the case with dynamic pricing). But flying from Atlanta (ATL) to London (LHR) in a lie-flat seat for 29,000 points is an incredible deal. However, you'll pay a whopping $577 in taxes and fees, which significantly cuts into the value of this award.
Keep in mind this fare is only for “saver” tickets, which means the same flight operated during a more popular time of the year might be triple the price. If your dates are flexible, use the reward seat checker to find the best available deal. If you don't want to pay the hefty taxes and fees for an Upper Class seat, spending just 7,500 points in economy, plus $109 in taxes and fees, is an affordable way to fly across the Atlantic.
Pricing is generally much lower if you originate on the East Coast. Paying over 67,000 points (plus taxes and fees) to fly from the West Coast isn't as good of a deal. If you're based in California or Washington, perhaps consider booking a positioning flight to take advantage of the rates from 29,000 points.
Fly LATAM to South America for 25,000 Points
As a full-time digital nomad who spends a significant chunk of the year in Latin America, I'm always happy to see options to get to South America without using up all of my miles. There aren't any transferable point currencies that transfer directly to LATAM at a 1:1 ratio, which means I heavily rely on Avianca LifeMiles, and my Avianca LifeMiles American Express® Elite Card, for my South America trips.
However, LATAM has a strategic partnership with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, which means you can book the Chilean airline using your Virgin points. LATAM flies to/from six U.S. hubs:
- Boston (BOS)
- New York City (JFK)
- Atlanta (ATL)
- Orlando (MCO)
- Miami (MIA)
- Los Angeles (LAX)
Here's how many Virgin Atlantic points you'll need to fly on LATAM, based on distance traveled:
In other words, you can get from New York (JFK) to Lima, Peru (LIM) for 25,000 points in economy or 50,000 points in business. Or, fly from Miami (MIA) to Cancún (CUN), which falls under the 550 mile threshold, for 17,500 points in economy or 35,000 points in business.
To get farther south, you'll need to pay a bit more. Flights from North America to Brazil or Chile run 37,500 points in economy or 95,000 in business. This isn't as great of a deal, but it is helpful if you need to use your points for a flight to South America and you're struggling to find availability.
Related: Do LATAM Pass Miles Expire?
Fly ANA Business Class for 52,500 Points
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club offers excellent award rates on ANA awards — even after devaluations. Here is the updated chart. Note that award prices are round-trip, so you'll only need half the number of points if you're booking one-way:
| Route | Economy Class Mileage Requirement | Business Class Mileage Requirement | First Class Mileage Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic Japan | 15,000 | - | - |
| Japan–South Korea | 18,000 | 35,000 | 50,000 |
| Japan–China/Guam/Hong Kong/Philippines/Taiwan | 23,000 | 45,000 | 60,000 |
| Japan–Malaysia/Myanmar/Singapore/Thailand/Vietnam | 40,000 | 70,000 | 105,000 |
| Japan–Hawaii/India/Indonesia | 45,000 | 75,000 | 115,000 |
| Japan–Australia/Canada/Western USA | 60,000 | 105,000 | 145,000 |
| Japan–Europe/Central and Eastern USA | 65,000 | 120,000 | 170,000 |
As you can see, ANA first class between Japan and the U.S. costs 145,000 or 170,000 Flying Club miles round-trip, depending on the route. West Coast routes are cheaper. Again, this requires that “saver space” is available. Business-class award space is much easier to find and can be an even better deal, with awards costing just 105,000–120,000 miles round-trip between the U.S. and Japan — or 75,000 if you fly to/from Hawaii.
You can book one-way awards on ANA using Virgin points for half the round-trip price. That's useful if you only find availability one way or want to use another mileage program to fly the other direction.
Finding ANA award availability
Finding ANA first class award availability can be especially challenging, as the carrier doesn't open much award space — particularly in the first class cabin.
To be alerted when this award availability opens up, consider signing up for an award alert service such as Thrifty Traveler Premium+ or checking out Seats.aero (which has a dedicated ANA first class finder tool). If you know how to use it, you can set up alerts to find availability yourself using ExpertFlyer should the service ever regain access to Star Alliance partners.
I prefer searching for ANA awards on United's website. It's easy; you can filter to “nonstop only,” and partner award space available to United should be bookable with Virgin Atlantic. Once you settle on your preferred flights, call Virgin Atlantic. Provide the agent with your flight dates and numbers, and they will confirm that award seats are available. Then, you can complete your booking by paying the required cash and miles.
If you don't have the miles to book, you can put the award on hold while you transfer points. However, transfers from all major bank currencies to Virgin Atlantic are typically immediate.
Related: All Current Credit Card Transfer Bonuses
Fly Business Class on Air New Zealand for 45,000 Points
Flying 15-hour flights can be torturous in economy. So, finding a way to book a bed makes this one of the better award opportunities available — at least when the space opens. If New Zealand is in your future, remember to look for saver space on Air New Zealand. It's a rare beast, but it's worth the trouble if you have time to plan and some flexibility.
| Route | Economy Class Mileage Requirement | Business Class Mileage Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic New Zealand | 15,000 | - |
| New Zealand–Australia | 20,000 | 30,000 |
| New Zealand–Pacific Islands | 20,000 | 30,000 |
| New Zealand–Asia | 60,000 | 80,000 |
| New Zealand–Hawaii | 60,000 | 90,000 |
| South Pacific–Los Angeles | 60,000 | 90,000 |
| New Zealand–Europe | 120,000 | 190,000 |
Nonstop business class costs just 45,000 miles each way between the South Pacific and Los Angeles using Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. If you catch a 30% transfer bonus from a partner rewards program, that's just 35k points each way.
Just like with ANA, you'll want to use United to check for partner award availability. And just like ANA, you'll need to call Virgin to confirm availability and complete the redemption.
Short Hops on Delta and Aeromexico for 7,500 Points
One of Flying Club's best sweet spots for U.S. domestic travel includes nonstop flights under 500 miles. Delta operates hundreds of flights that fall into this distance band, and you can book economy awards for 7,500 Virgin points. When cash rates are high, this can be a great deal.
| Flight Distance (miles) | Delta Main Cabin Mileage Requirement | Delta One / First Mileage Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| 0–500 | 7,500 | 21,000 |
| 501–1,000 | 11,000 | 41,500 |
| 1,001–1,500 | 16,500 | 59,500 |
| 1,501–2,000 | 18,500 | 66,500 |
| 2,001–3,000 | 22,000 | 70,000 |
| 3,001-4,000 | 35,000 | 80,000 |
| 4,001-5,000 | 44,000 | 105,000 |
| 5,001-6,000 | 49,500 | 130,000 |
| 6,001+ | 65,500 | 165,000 |
You also can redeem Virgin points for flights on fellow SkyTeam partner Aeromexico. Like with Delta, short-haul flights provide excellent value, but that's not all. On the carrier's longer routes, business-class awards are favorable, too. And when you factor in a potential transfer bonus, you can book Aeromexico awards through Virgin for less than you could through Aeromexico Rewards.
| Flight Distance (miles) | Economy Mileage Requirement | Business Mileage Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| 0–500 | 5,500 | 14,500 |
| 501–1,000 | 7,000 | 15,500 |
| 1,001–1,500 | 10,000 | 21,500 |
| 1,501–2,250 | 11,500 | 35,000 |
| 2,251–3,000 | 15,500 | 40,000 |
| 3,001–4,000 | 20,500 | 60,000 |
| 4,001-5,000 | 25,500 | 75,000 |
| 5,001-6,000 | 31,000 | 85,500 |
| 6,001-7,000 | 37,000 | 100,000 |
| 7,001-12,000 | 50,000 | 140,000 |
Fly in Saudia Airlines Business Class for 100,000 Points
While Saudi Arabia might not be at the top of your list to visit, this niche sweet spot with Virgin Atlantic is great for those who are planning on traveling to the Middle East. Even if Saudi Arabia isn't your final destination, this could be a great way to get to other major cities that often cost much more to fly into, such as Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
There are three major airports to look at with Saudia Airlines, each with a direct flight from the U.S.:
- Washington (IAD) to Jeddah (JED)
- Washington (IAD) to Riyadh (RUH)
- New York (JFK) to Jeddah (JED)
- New York (JFK) to Riyadh (RUH)
- Los Angeles (LAX) to Jeddah (JED)
The routes from the East Coast are around 13 hours, while the route from the West Coast is around 15 hours. The length can make spending a few extra points worth it for a fully lie-flat seat.
Currently, you can book a seat on the first four routes above for 37,000 Virgin points for economy, and 100,000 points for business class, plus minimal taxes and fees. To fly from LAX, you'll spend 50,000 Virgin points for economy, and 140,000 points for business class.
While 100,000 points isn't the best deal out there, if you're able to utilize a solid transfer bonus, you could end up getting a great deal for a business class seat that is otherwise very expensive to book with cash and hard to book elsewhere with points.
When and How To Book Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Awards
We see transfer bonuses semi-regularly from Amex to Flying Club, from Citi to Flying Club, from Chase to Flying Club, and from Capital One to Virgin Red (requires linking your Virgin Red account to Flying Club). These can turn an excellent deal into one that is superb. However, waiting for a transfer bonus may not be in your best interest if saver space becomes available. Transferring points speculatively also isn't recommended, because there could be further devaluations at any point.
While some awards are bookable online, many sweet spots aren't. Instead, you must call Flying Club to book. Flying Club agents are generally very friendly and resourceful in my experience, and they can verify that the award space is available before transferring your points.
You can place awards on hold while waiting for your points to transfer. To see how long points take to transfer, check recent transfer times using AwardWallet's Transfer Times tool.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club call centers
Flying Club agents can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Here are the numbers:
- U.K.: 0344-209-2722
- USA: 800-862-8621
- Caribbean: 800-744-7477
- China: +86-21-5353-4600
- India: +91-124-4693030
- South Africa: +27-11-340-3400
Phone numbers in other locations are available here.
How To Earn Virgin Points
One of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club's best aspects is the number of rewards programs that offer point transfers. For U.S.-based travelers, you can transfer points from almost all transferable rewards currencies to Flying Club at a 1:1 ratio. Plus, you can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to Flying Club at a 3:1 ratio and net a 5,000-point bonus for every 60,000 points you transfer.
With several rewards program partners, you can easily find a credit card that aligns with your spending habits, net a big sign-up bonus, and redeem for flights at a great value.
(Terms apply)
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- Earn 5X points on Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
- 12X – Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com.
- 6X – Earn 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com.
- 6X – Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time.
- 1.5X – Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases.
Final Thoughts
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club remains one of the most useful programs in award travel. While it’s not without quirks — like the need to call in for some partner awards — the sheer value across its network makes it hard to ignore.
With partnerships spanning ANA, Delta, Air New Zealand, LATAM, Saudia, and more, Flying Club is a rare program that delivers both luxury redemptions and practical options for everyday travelers. Add in frequent transfer bonuses from all major credit card currencies, and these deals only get sweeter.
If you’ve overlooked Virgin points in the past, now’s the time to take another look. Whether you’re flying business class to Tokyo, hopping across the Atlantic, or booking a quick domestic trip, Flying Club just might be your new favorite way to stretch every point further.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: American Express Platinum Card® (Rates & Fees), Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), and Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (Rates & Fees)
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