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Virgin Atlantic Flying Club has been the best way to book ANA first- and business-class awards for many years. Even after a March 2023 devaluation of ANA first class awards, Flying Club's award chart still made it the cheapest option for most trips. And that's still true today.
But, effective immediately, one of the best sweet spots in points and miles just lost some of its shine. Without notice, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club just raised the award rates for flying ANA business class by up to 26%.
Here's what you need to know about this new Virgin Atlantic Flying Club devaluation.
Virgin Flying Club ANA Business Class Devaluation
Without announcement, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club quietly updated its ANA award chart “effective from 23rd May 2024.” Comparing the numbers, we see that just one set of rates was adjusted: ANA business class on medium- and long-haul routes.
For reference, here's the Virgin Flying Club award chart for ANA awards from March 2023 to May 22, 2024:
And here is the new award chart as of May 23, 2024:
To save your eyes, here are the differences between the two charts:
| Between Japan and... | Prior Award Rates (one-way) | New Award Rates (one-way) | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malaysia / Myanmar / Singapore / Thailand / Vietnam | 32,500 points | 35,000 points | 8% |
| Hawaii / India / Indonesia | 35,000 points | 37,500 points | 7% |
| Western USA / Australia / Canada | 45,000 points | 52,500 points | 17% |
| Central & Eastern USA / Europe / Mexico | 47,500 points | 60,000 points | 26% |
Bottom Line
It's never great to see a beloved award sweet spot devalued, and it's even worse when the loyalty program doesn't provide advance notice. That said, this devaluation could have been much worse. The worst-hit regions increased a modest 26%, while other regions — such as Hawaii to Japan — were barely adjusted.
Even after this devaluation, you can still book ANA business class from the U.S. East Coast for 60,000 Virgin points — and potentially even fewer transferrable points if you transfer during a transfer bonus.
Show me how
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