Chase Ultimate Rewards has once again launched a 30% transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. We tend to see this offer appear a few times a year, and it’s come up once again to kick off the warm travel months.
While Virgin Atlantic is based in the UK and primarily flies on transatlantic routes, there are some excellent opportunities to redeem Virgin Points on other airlines, including some of the best sweet spots in the game.
30% Transfer Bonus to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Until June 15, 2024, you’ll get a 30% transfer bonus when you convert Chase Ultimate Rewards into Virgin Points in Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
The usual transfer ratio is 1:1, but with the transfer bonus applied, you’ll get an effective transfer ratio of 1:1.3. In other words, for every 1,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards you transfer, you’ll get 1,300 Virgin Points.
This transfer promotion is only for those who dabble in US credit cards and have access to Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Unless you have a bit of history in the US, it’s not possible to access Chase credit cards in a short amount of time.
However, if you’re looking to redeem Virgin Points for high-value redemptions, it’s worth considering this transfer bonus offer, but you should line up a specific use for your points first, rather than transferring them on a speculative basis.
Is This Transfer Bonus a Good Deal?
Any time there’s a transfer bonus at play, it’s a good idea to consider what’s at stake, since it’s an easy path to getting even more outsized value from your points.
Aside from redeeming Virgin Points for flights with Virgin Atlantic, one of the best sweet spots around is to book ANA First Class and business class at some of the most competitive prices in the game.
A one-way flight in ANA First Class costs just 72,500 Virgin Points from the western US, or 85,000 Virgin Points from the eastern US. If you happen to find award availability, the transfer bonus brings the effective cost down to around 56,000–66,000 Chase UR points.
On the other hand, a one-way flight in ANA business class costs just 45,000 Virgin Points from Vancouver or the western US, or 47,500 Virgin Points from the eastern US. With the transfer bonus at play, you can effectively book the flights for just 35,000–37,000 Chase UR points.
Fortunately, it looks like there’s excellent ANA business class award availability for the month of May 2024, both from Vancouver and cities across the United States.
To find the awards, you can use your favourite award search website, or you can search on the United MileagePlus website and leverage its calendar view.
Then, once you’ve found availability, you can call Virgin Atlantic Flying Club to book it over the phone.
Furthermore, since the transfers are instant, you should be able to transfer them from Chase UR once the agent has located the availability. Alternatively, you can place an award hold for up to 48 hours.
ANA award seats in premium cabins are particularly difficult to come by these days, so if you happen to have some Chase UR at your disposal and would like to book one of the best products out there – albeit at the last minute – be sure to leverage this opportunity.
Otherwise, you can still use Virgin Points to book transatlantic flights with Virgin Atlantic at competitive prices; however, be prepared to fork out some cash with the hefty taxes and fees.
Conclusion
Chase is offering a 30% transfer bonus when you convert Chase Ultimate Rewards into Virgin Points in Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. This promotion runs until June 15, 2024, which leaves plenty of time to take advantage of it if you have a specific use in mind.
Using Virgin Points to book ANA First Class and business class is one of the best sweet spots in the Miles & Points game, so be sure to find award availability first and then transfer your points for even more outsized value.
