Being in school for over a month now, my want to journey made me miss the fast journeys final summer season. So although it won’t be the proper time for me to skip continents and discoverit doesn’t suggest i can not begin planning for subsequent summer season.
Fortunately, this month American Categorical introduced 12 limited-time switch bonuses with a few of his strongest switch companions. This, in flip, successfully places most of the greatest Amex membership reward redemptions up on the market. Most of those switch bonuses finish on September 30.
With Japan strikes nearer to reopeningI needed to see if I might max out the 30% switch bonus with Virgin Atlantic to ebook my first journey to Asia.
Subscribe to our every day publication
Let’s examine how I did it – and why you may need to do the identical.
Virgin Atlantic’s ANA Candy Spot Reward Chart
Among the finest attainable methods to redeem Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership Factors is on ANA due to its extraordinarily affordable reward chart. As you may see, from the west coast to Japan, there are solely 90,000 factors, not a technique, however spherical journey.
| Itinerary | Economic system class | Enterprise class | Top notch |
|---|---|---|---|
| home japan | 15,000 dots. | – | – |
| Japan-South Korea | 18,000 factors. | 35,000 dots. | 50,000 factors. |
| Japan-China/Guam/Hong Kong/Philippines/Taiwan | 23,000 dots. | 45,000 dots. | 60,000 dots. |
| Japan-Malaysia/Myanmar/Singapore/Thailand/Vietnam | 40,000 dots. | 65,000 factors. | 80,000 dots. |
| Japan-Hawaii/India/Indonesia | 45,000 dots. | 70,000 dots. | 90,000 dots. |
| Japan-Australia/Canada/Western US | 60,000 dots. | 90,000 dots. | 110,000 stitches. |
| Japan-Europe/Central and Japanese USA/Mexico | 65,000 factors. | 95,000 dots. | 120,000 dots. |
Now that we will ebook one-way award tickets, costs are half the return fare. This implies you may ebook Los Angeles to Tokyo First Class for under 55,000 factors. That is lower than half of what another loyalty applications cost.
Though top quality sounds wonderful, when enterprise class from Tokyo to my residence airport, Dulles Worldwide Airport (IAD), grew to become out there, I knew I could not flip down the chance, particularly then that Amex is providing a 30% switch bonus to Virgin Atlantic.
How I Booked ANA Enterprise Class for 37,000 Amex Factors
Having discovered a one-way ticket from Tokyo to Washington, I knew I wanted 47,500 factors. That is half the worth of 95,000 factors on Virgin’s East Coast Japan Rewards Chart.
Earn Virgin Factors is kind of straightforward with its lengthy listing of switch companions. You’ll be able to switch virtually all main reward currencies to Virgin, together with American Categorical Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Chase Final Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, Capital One miles and Marriott Bonvoy.
Fortunately, that is the place Amex’s 30% switch bonus was capable of assist me. For each Membership Rewards level I transferred, I obtained 1.3 Flying Membership factors. Word that this switch bonus ends on September 30, so hurry if you wish to reap the benefits of it in your personal journey to Japan.
| Aeroclub factors required | switch bonus | Membership Rewards factors wanted |
|---|---|---|
| 47,500. | 30 %. | 36,600. |
Since you may solely switch in 1,000 increments, transferring 37,000 Membership Rewards factors was simply sufficient for me to ebook the ticket. So, I logged into American Categorical, entered my Flying Membership particulars, entered 37,000 factors, and the switch was submitted.
How I booked the flight
Whereas I used to be ready to make use of my favourite star alliance reward search engine to seek out availability on United, sadly it’s not attainable to ebook ANA Rewards on-line with Virgin Atlantic. (Katie Genter of TPG does a terrific job of explaining tips on how to discover ANA rewards availability right here).
After discovering availability, I referred to as Virgin Atlantic to substantiate. Regardless of the lengthy ready occasions famous on the positioning, I used to be capable of attain an agent in a short time. The agent confirmed that an award seat was out there and instructed me that 47,500 miles have been required to order.
Sadly the taxes and reserving charges have been increased than regular. As a consequence of excessive gasoline costs, the ticket prices $409.27 along with factors. That is greater than the standard pre-pandemic lower than $150 in taxes and charges, nevertheless it was value it for nearly 13 hours in enterprise class.
The agent couldn’t reserve reward house for ANA, however extra transfers are immediatepermitting you to switch factors and ensure the ticket over the cellphone.
Sadly, this time the switch was not instantaneous for me and I needed to wait 5 hours for the factors to seem in my account.
As soon as the factors have been in my account, I referred to as Virgin Atlantic and booked my tickets inside minutes.
On the finish of the road
Regardless of the switch delay, I used to be capable of ebook a ticket that might have value almost $8,500 for 37,000 Membership Rewards factors, plus taxes and charges. Which means I obtained 22 cents per Membership Rewards level, which is 11 occasions greater than Present TPG valuation of two cents per level.
Not solely will I have the ability to return from my first journey to Asia in model, however I am going to give you the option to take action with fewer miles than United expenses for an economic system class seat on the identical route (regardless of increased taxes and charges).
Better of all, ANA gives among the best enterprise class merchandise on the planet and reserving by means of Virgin Atlantic’s candy spot is one thing I’ve all the time needed to attempt. Ask American Categorical so as to add a switch bonus this month was the icing on a sundae, and a proposal I simply could not refuse.