Transfer AMEX Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club with a 30% bonus. AMEX also offered a 30% transfer bonus to Flying Club earlier this year, in April-May 2017, when I highlighted ANA First Class as a particularly good award redemption, assuming you can find award availability for your dates. Delta can also be a good redemption option, as I'll describe below. First, here are the transfer bonus details:
- Transfer AMEX Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club with a 30% bonus
- Transfer must be in increments of 1000 points
- Transfers are typically instant but can take up to 48 hours
- Transfers may not be reversed
- Offer valid until 11:59 MT, November 30, 2017
What Are Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Miles Worth?
As always, it depends on how you redeem the miles and how you value the redemption. Take NYC to Tokyo in ANA First Class, which often retails for $22,000 or so, and costs 120,000 Flying Club miles (or 93,000 AMEX points using the 30% transfer bonus) + ~$170. That's a retail value of over 18 cents per Flying Club mile, or over 23 cents per AMEX point, if taking advantage of the 30% transfer bonus.
Most of us wouldn't necessarily value the airline ticket at $22,000, however, so if your value of the ticket is $5000, that would be a value of over 5 cents per AMEX point and 4 cents per Flying Club mile. If your value of the ticket is $2500, that would be 2 cents per Flying Club mile, and 2.7 cents per AMEX point.
What Are the Best Uses of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Miles?
ANA First Class
ANA First Class is my top pick, as it's a great product and a very comfortable way to fly from the U.S. to Japan, or connect onwards to elsewhere in Asia. And there are no fuel surcharges, unlike redemptions on Virgin Atlantic metal, so it's a great deal if you can find award availability. Just be aware that you won't get access to all the award availability that ANA's own frequent flyer members get, and you do have to call Flying Club to book the award.
NYC to Tokyo is 120,000 Flying Club miles roundtrip, while LAX to Tokyo is 110,000 miles roundtrip. If you can't find first class award space, NYC to Tokyo in business class is 95,000 miles roundtrip, while the West Coast to Japan is 90,000 miles roundtrip.
Delta One
Delta Domestic Business Class
While Delta Business Class on domestic flights with a recliner seat is nothing to get excited about, it can at least make a 3-4 hour flight more civilized and allow you to recline without worrying about antagonizing the passenger behind you. Take this flight from New York LGA to Houston IAH, which is 30,000 SkyMiles for select Delta flights. That same flight is 22,500 Flying Club miles, or 18,000 AMEX Membership Rewards points. That saves you 12,000 AMEX points each way for that award, over transferring AMEX points directly to Delta.
Can I Buy AMEX Membership Rewards Points If I Need More Points to Transfer to Flying Club?
Yes, you can–see How to Buy AMEX Membership Rewards Points.
Do you plan to transfer any AMEX Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club with the 30% transfer bonus?
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